\n<\/p>\n
Quentin Reynolds<\/b>, a 26-year-old who had been gigging for almost a year, was also on the bill that night. <\/p>\n
When Bridges told his first joke “the whole room absolutely erupted”, he said. <\/p>\n
“I was pishing myself too, but also breathed a sigh of relief as the new lad had got a huge laugh and I knew he’d probably be OK.”<\/p>\n
Bridges went on to talk about the “trials and tribulations” of being 17. <\/p>\n
“Most of it was quite clever stuff, rather than the hack material you might expect from someone so young, and every single gag got a big laugh (again, also highly unusual for a debutant).”<\/p>\n
As he walked off to a huge round of applause, Sutherland took him back on stage and told the crowd: “That was his first gig – ever.”<\/p>\n
Cue more cheers from the audience, which included Bridges’ father and chaperone, Andy.<\/p>\n
“He was an incredibly proud dad,” said Reynolds, who met him during the interval. <\/p>\n
“Like a dad watching his son winning a medal at school. But I think we can all agree this was far cooler than any school medal or book token prize.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n