Hughes headed to Geelong to laugh off near-death experiences and ‘cooked’ injuries

ONE of Australia’s best-known comedians, Dave Hughes, will wrap up his latest national tour with a show in Geelong this September.

His 36-stop lap around the country will finish at Geelong Arts Centre on 5 September.

Hughes’ latest show, Cooked, draws on a chaotic 2025, featuring stories about near-death experiences, family antics and everyday mishaps.

Hughes said the show was inspired by the injuries he suffered during last year’s AFL Legends Game.

“I broke five ribs and punctured my lung in that AFL Legends Game last year, and whilst it hurt like f**k, we had a laugh about it in the end,” he said.

“I played out the second half, kicked a goal and lived out my childhood dream.

“There was a lot of attention on the injury so I thought it would make a great show, and that’s how Cooked was born.”

A regular on Australian television, Hughes has appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here, Taskmaster Australia and Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation over a career spanning more than three decades.

Hughes said he always enjoyed returning to Geelong.

“I’m from Warrnambool, so Geelong feels like Paris for me – it’s the big smoke,” he said.

“I dreamed of doing accounting at Deakin University in Geelong and playing for the Cats at one point. That obviously didn’t pan out and I became a comedian.

“Geelong, the Surf Coast and the Bellarine are all gorgeous parts of the world. I can’t wait to get back down there.”

For tickets, head to the Geelong Arts Centre website.