The comedy world has been rocked today by the news that superstar Jon Richardson has decided to give up stand-up comedy.

update here.

The star of Meet the Richardsons and 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown broke the news to his followers on social media. He says that he will now pursue his first love of teaching. In the instagram post he showed a cutting from a handwritten note from the 1990s where he had predicted that he would probably be a teacher one day.

His management company has issued the following statement.

"Off The Kerb would like to express their best wishes and support for Jon Richardson who – after some very careful consideration – has decided to retire from stand-up comedy, and instead pursue a career in teaching.

We fully respect and admire this decision, and wish him all the best with his new career."

Friends and colleagues Rob Beckett, Shaparak Khorsandi, Tom Davis, Aisling Bea and Suzi Ruffell were among those who wished him the best of luck with this new phase in his life which he will be starting on April 1. 

Picture of Jon Richardson with pipe: Andy Hollingworth