Neil - known to most as 'Spider' after his vague resemblance to the Coronation Street character - had been watching stand-up comedy every week for five years before deciding to take to the stage himself and so definitely knows the ins and outs of the comedy scene. His first gig in March 2003 at The Comedy Balloon came about after he agreed to do a ten minute sponsored set to help raise money for an Edinburgh show of Manchester comics. It was only intended as a one-off gig but it went so well he hasn't looked back since. Now several months later he has won Beat The Frog at The Frog & Bucket four times, and also 'King Gong at the Manchester Comedy Store. His chatty style is mainly anecdotal, sometimes observational, and usually with a truly unique turn of phrase that can be as funny as an actual punchline. In 2004 Neil appeared alongside several other northwest comics in their own show at the Edinburgh Fringe, The Great Big Comedy Picnic. Radio work includes Michelle Around Midnight (BBC Radio GMR) and Unity Radio. Neil also helps promote XS Malarkey, runs The Comedy Balloon and designs websites for both. "Quite effortlessly funny - either it was a carefully written act, or he's one of the most natural comics I've seen in a while." - bbc.co.uk "Neil was excellent on Saturday. He really knew how to ease the audience into the sick jokes, then when he told them. He really had the audience on his side. I can see him being a really good MC too, he knows how to work a room." - Mike Belgrave, Picadilly Circus Comedy Club "Neil is an act who really isn’t afraid to deliver material a lot of acts are too afraid to say. It’s been a while since I have laughed as hard as I did during Neil’s set and I hate him for having the thick terrorist stuff which I wish was mine." - Phil Buckley, Grin & Bear Comedy Club "After the break, we then had Neil Smith who stole the entire show and ripped the fucking roof off like four Dan Willis’s and a team of roof removing experts. He squeezed every laugh out of every joke and I was more than happy when he said, 'My wife!' like Bernard Manning and continued, 'That was a quick tribute to Mike Belgrave.' A star and a wonderful cheeky bastard." - Mike Belgrave, Picadilly Circus Comedy Club "He's as dirty as a dog's arse." - John Warburton

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