Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story

Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story

BBC4

To watch him performing is to get the impression that Eddie Izzard is just making it up as he goes along. So it was fascinating to watch BBC4's documentary on the great man to find out that beneath the bumbling exterior with its 'uhmms', 'ers' and 'ahhs', there's a steely determination to succeed and an iron will that would, had he chosen a different career path, probably have led him to be CEO of a multinational conglomorate or President of America.

Yes, he wasn't actually born on US soil, but I don't think a little detail like that would have stopped him had he chosen to enter US politics. 'Believe' was a suitable title for the documentary, because that's exactly what Eddie Izzard does when it comes to Eddie Izzard.

This was a kindly film that charted Izzard's progress from schoolboy to street performer, comedy host to stand-up, including his big break on Stephen Fry's Hysteria 3 benefit. Izzard stole the show with his story about being raised by wolves, and the next day his agent's phone was ringing off the hook. A classic overnight success.

Well, not quite - by 'overnight' we're actually talking about a ten-year struggle to succeed, overcoming whatever obstacles cruel fate threw in front of him. If he went to Edinburgh and lost a lot of money on rubbish shows, it didn't matter; he simply picked himself up and had another go. If comedy partners let him down, he'd go it alone. If he failed to make his own Citizen Kane success by the time he was 24, he'd push himself to do something else instead.

And it paid off in spades: Hollywood films, US TV success, massive tours and seemingly universal admiration. The fact that a knighthood hasn't turned up yet is probably down to a clerical error somewhere. Her Maj will probably offer him one of her dresses to wear when the big day finally arrives.

But it's not all bright sunshine. The programme ended with an interview that showed the scars left from losing his mother so young. He was six when she died and when he started to cry as he spoke about her you wanted to reach into the telly and give him a great big hug.

It seems his inner sadness is key to the determination that sees him perform stand-up in foreign languages or run multiple marathons for charity. If it's a challenge he's going to meet it head on.

Go on, Eddie lad, stick your hat in the ring when Obama stands down.