Hegley began his performing career at London's
Comedy Store in 1980, and toured as one half of The Brown Paper Bag Brothers with
Otiz Cannelloni. He appeared with his backing band the Popticians on ''
Carrott's Lib'' in 1983, and recorded two sessions for
John Peel in 1983 and 1984. Hegley published his first
poetry collection in 1984,
Visions of the Bone Idol (Poems about Dogs and Glasses) – pieces from which were later incorporated into
Glad to Wear Glasses. Further collections followed whose subject matter ranges from the surreal and the humorous through to the personal and emotional. There are several recurring themes in his work, including themes such as glasses, dogs or
Romans, along with self-deprecating humour and reminiscences of his childhood in Luton. He was presenter of the 1990s
Border Television series
Word of Mouth, in which contemporary poets performed their work, and the
BBC Radio series
Hearing with Hegley from 1996 to 1999. His other television appearances include
Wogan and
Never Mind the Buzzcocks. In 1998, Hegley's poem "Malcolm" came second in a
BBC survey to find Britain's most popular comic poem. In 1999, he starred in a
Simon Callow-directed revival of the musical
The Pajama Game in
London's West End. In September 1999, together with
Simon Munnery, he wrote and performed in a comedy series for
BBC Radio 4 entitled
The Adventures of John and Tony. supporter's cap Hegley frequently performs live and is a regular at the
Edinburgh Festival. His stage act includes elements of poetry, music (he plays the
mandolin and is often accompanied by a
double bassist), comedy and references to
Luton Town Football Club. He often encourages audience participation in his shows, through drawing or through competitions. The
University of Luton awarded him an
honorary LL.D. in 2000, and he has also led creative writing courses at the university. Hegley launched "
Warning: May Contain Nuts", a project using comedy to increase awareness of mental illness. He performed these shows in 2010 with other performers, including comic
Mackenzie Taylor, exploring with audiences issues surrounding mental illness. ==Books==