What’s happening?
Steady Eddy is back on the road with his national tour, Return of the Stedi. The tour begins on Friday, 5 December 2025 at the Koala Tavern in Capalaba. It continues into 2026 with dates in Port Macquarie, Cronulla, Leumeah, Bulli, Bateau Bay, and Newcastle.
Why it matters?
Christopher Widdows, known as Steady Eddy, is an internationally recognised comic who first broke through in the early 1990s. Born with cerebral palsy, he became known as The Bent Man of Comedy. His timing, direct wit, and refusal to be pitied made his early work stand out. His national tour Ready Steady Go! cemented him as one of Australia’s sharpest comic voices.
The live recording earned him the 1994 ARIA Award for Best Comedy Release, along with Mo Awards for live performance. His influence reached beyond Australia, with appearances at Just for Laughs in Montreal, Edinburgh Fringe, and comedy circuits across Europe and the U.S.
Local Impact
Redlands hosts the first show of the national tour at the Koala Tavern in Capalaba on 5 December. This gives local audiences the earliest chance to see the return of a major figure in Australian comedy.
Tickets available HERE.
By the numbers
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In 1994, his live recording of Ready Steady Go! won an ARIA Award for Best Comedy Release and supported a string of Mo Awards.
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His rise began around 1991 with appearances on The Midday Show and Tonight Live with Steve Vizard, plus a national tour titled Ready Steady Go!
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He has lived in Gympie since 1998, stays active at the gym three to four times a week, and has been sober for 21 years.
Zoom In
Steady Eddy did not just tell jokes when he arrived on the scene. He, as the story puts it, “tore through the stage like a man on a mission.” His difference became part of his act, not a limitation.
He “took a sledgehammer to stereotypes, gave the middle finger to expectations, and wrapped the comedy world in petrol-soaked cloth before lighting a match.” His style mixed observational humour, autobiographical detail, and sharp self-reference.
This new tour reflects his lifelong love of classic space stories. It is noted that he was drawn to “the very first Star Wars films” and the “earliest Star Trek episodes on TV.” He connected with their humour, resilience, and big characters who faced impossible odds. These traits became part of his own work. The tour is described as a story “rising over adversity.” Fans can expect the same humour and observational style that built his career, now shaped by experience.
He said, “I’m still bent, but now I’m balanced. Sometimes.” The show mixes old material, new reflections, stories about fame, missteps, the Australian psyche, and life’s messiness.
Zoom Out
The story recalls that his arrival before inclusion was common, “was electric.” His work helped audiences see a performer with disability as a sharp comic voice, not a source of pity. His success shifted the wider conversation. He showed that humour can challenge expectations and that difference can have power on stage.
His career also had setbacks. It is noted that he reached international recognition and then fell into lows that followed. He has rebuilt his life with steady habits, recovery work, and charity involvement. He also supports younger comedians and people living with disability.
What to look for next?
More dates for Return of the Stedi will roll out across early 2026.
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Tuesday, February 10, 2026, Moorebeer Brewing Co, Port Macquarie
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Wednesday, February 11, 2026, Brass Monkey, Cronulla
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Thursday, February 12, 2026, Beer Shed, Leumeah
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Friday, February 13, 2026, Heritage Hotel, Bulli
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Saturday, February 14, 2026, The Entrance Leagues Club, Bateau Bay
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Sunday, February 15, 2026, Stag & Hunter Hotel, Newcastle
