There are stand-up comedians who make you laugh. Then there are those who make you rethink what laughter is even for. Christopher Widdows, better known to the world as the internationally acclaimed, and even infamous Steady Eddy, did – and does- both.
When he first burst onto the Australian comedy scene in the early 1990s, Steady didn’t just tell jokes, he tore through the stage like a man on a mission. Born with cerebral palsy, he wielded his difference not as a crutch, but as a weapon, famously being named The Bent Man of Comedy. His timing razor sharp, his wit disarming, and his refusal to be pitied was revolutionary. 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.
He has never stopped performing, but with news fans across the country will fizz over, Steady Eddy is back on a national tour, called, in tribute to his lifelong love of epic space adventures, Return of the Stedi!
From the very first Star Wars films to the earliest Star Trek episodes on TV, Steady was captivated not just by the dazzling action, but by the humour, resilience, and larger-than-life characters who faced impossible odds with courage and wit; qualities that became pillars of his own comedic journey. Like the legendary sagas that inspired him, this tour is a story rising over adversity, about laughter conquering doubt, resilience overcoming setbacks, and proving, again, that the force of comedy is still very much with Steady Eddy. Fans can expect the same razor-sharp humour, observational wit, and self-referential brilliance that made him a national icon, now amplified with the perspective, wisdom, and sheer life force of a man who’s faced the galaxy and come back swinging.
For Steady, the national tour is about taking back the mic every night if he can, and on his own terms. “I’m still bent,” he said, “but now I’m balanced. Sometimes.” The show is a raw, unfiltered mix of the old and the new, reflections on fame, missteps, the Australian psyche, and what it means to laugh in the face of life’s messiness.
The Firestarter
In the days before inclusion was a buzzword, Steady Eddy was living it. His arrival on the scene around 1991 was electric. He hit the big time fast, appearances on The Midday Show, Tonight Live with Steve Vizard, and a national tour titled Ready Steady Go! that cemented him as one of the country’s sharpest comic voices. In 1994, his live recording of Ready Steady Go! earned him an ARIA Award for Best Comedy Release, along with a string of Mo Awards that recognised his brilliance in live performance. But the real win was cultural. Steady Eddy made it possible for audiences to see a man with a disability not as an inspiration, but as a provocateur, someone who could turn pain into punchlines and difference into dynamite. He performed at Just for Laughs in Montreal, Edinburgh Fringe, and on comedy circuits across Europe and the U.S. His style, equal parts observational, autobiographical, and mischievously self-referential, shaped a generation of comics who came after him.
The Crash and the Climb
But fame, as it does, came with its shadows. Steady reached the heights of international recognition, and then, by his own admission, fell deep into the lows that come with it.
Today, he’s 21 years sober. Living in Gympie since 1998, the Sydney-born comic has rebuilt his life with grit and humility. He’s a regular at the gym three to four times a week, active in his recovery program, and a fixture at charity events nationwide. He’s also a mentor; quietly supporting younger comedians and those navigating life with disability.
Barriers Broken – What Then?
Steady Eddy’s story isn’t just about breaking barriers, it’s about what comes after the breakthrough.
He changed the shape of Australian comedy, literally and figuratively. Before Steady, there was little space for disabled performers on mainstream stages. After him, the conversation shifted. He proved that humour could be a form of activism, that vulnerability could command a spotlight, and that resilience could roar louder than applause.
Return of the Stedi!
Steady Eddy – national tour 2025.26
Friday Dec 5th 2025. Koala Tavern, Capalaba
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 Moorebeer Brewing Co – Port Macquarie
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 Brass Monkey – Cronulla
Thursday, February 12, 2026 Beer Shed – Leumeah
Friday, February 13, 2026 Heritage Hotel – Bulli
Saturday, February 14, 2026 The Entrance Leagues Club – Bateau Bay
Sunday, February 15, 2026 Stag & Hunter Hotel – Newcastle
MORE DATES BEING ANNOUNCED SOON
Photo: Josh Woning
Robert is the founder of AustralianSenior.com.
He studies Journalism and Communications at USC and studied TV Presentation at NIDA. He is passionate about advocating for seniors and presenting non-biased, fact-based news to enable those over 50 to thrive in an increasingly complicated digital world. He covers all areas of life and style, from pop culture to the economy, travel, and events with a passion for supporting rural and regional destinations and opportunities. If it's worth reading, it's worth writing about.
He loves to travel the globe and is a recently diagnosed, late-in-life Type One Diabetic.