I think that 8 out of 10 cats episode saved him. Everyone had a go, he was figuratively put in the stocks and they all threw their verbal rotten tomatoes and had a good laugh. Everyone got it out of their system and he took it like a champ and came off looking likeable

That comparison of depression being like having no appetite for life, even though you're favourite "food" is right in front of you, but no matter what you can't eat it, is very spot on. Thank you for that Mr. Carr.

The 8 out of 10 cats episode after the tax scandal was possibly the best thing Jimmy could have done. He didn’t hide, he stepped up, took all the hits, ate a load of humble pie and came out of it with great credit. I think Sean Lock and Micky Flanagan were fantastic in that episode. It was obvious away from the camera they are all great friends and they wanted to support him by mercilessly taking the piss out of him. if anything they helped Jimmy with his public likability profile.

I genuinely wish Jimmy had been able to go on the offensive on this one-- It's not that he broke the law, it's that he (legally) avoided paying some tax by taking advantage of a tax loophole. In the US, that's expected. My response to David Cameron would have started with, "Well, if you don't like people taking advantage of the loophole-- CHANGE THE LAW. That's YOUR JOB, literally!!". And then you find out that Cameron didn't pay inheritance tax on his father's estate-- because it was offshore. What. An. Effing. Hypocrite.

My biggest gripe with the whole tax story was Jimmy getting a grilling from David Cameron, whilst he defended Gary Barlow for similar tax dodging escapades.

The real scandal is that this tax loophole still exists and is being used by many in the entertainment and football world.

David Cameron castigated Jimmy in parliament whilst still supporting and bestowing honours on Gary Barlow who is a serial tax evader.

the man behind the entertainer. Nice to see the real person being brave enough to talk about his personal struggles. Thanks Jimmy.

He is ssssooo spot on about the first time you experience a panic attack, you do think it will be forever. It won't be, if you talk to someone and get help.

His description of anxiety hits the nail on the head. It resonated so much with my experience 😢

As controversial as Jimmy Carr has been, these words really resonate with me as someone who has depressive episodes and panic attacks from time to time. The way he's worded it is exactly how you feel and how it can feel to cope with these things. Appreciate the words of wisdom.

Sean Lock was absolutely magical in that episode. It’s a real skill to dig at someone but not come across as cruel or wanting to hurt them. Something British humour lends itself to a lot. You could tell Sean was close to Jimmy but also wanted to make sure he realised what he’d done was wrong, and make fun of it to help him get through it. He was a master and sadly missed.

I dont blame him. Blame the people who made the loopholes. If someone told you you could pay less tax would you still pay it all.

It's weird how Jimmy Carr got into all this hot water about this... But yet our PM and his wife still trading with Russia - which is against the law - or David Cameron's off-shore tax haven, or Nadine Dorries 2nd home expense claim, or Jacob Rees-Mogg not paying any income-tax for 3 years or... (ad nauseum) is just brushed off

He is genuinely remorseful, and I do believe he is a decent guy. The episode where he sat back and took the savage jokes on that famous episode told me he genuinely made an error in judgement, and that he is man enough to admit it. I liked him before the scandal, I like him more after 🤷‍♂️

End of the day, he employed someone to take control of his obscene finances and they screwed him over.. He took it on the chin and took the criticism well. Solid bloke

His mistake was apologising. He did nothing illegal. He should have sued HMRC for the leak and also sued the politicians who discussed his personal finances and he should have dragged all of their finances into the discussion.

I suspect this is exactly how tax loopholes are intended to work. They're so inscrutably complicated that the government can just pick and choose who gets away with it (their mates and donors) and who gets audited or shamed (their opponents).

I started getting anxiety attacks before I got divorced, on top of depression, knowing that helps, talking about it with the right people helps, my cure was getting divorced, not felt like that since

I think this is one of the best interviews. Thanks for the honesty. Thanks for sharing.

This man absolutely saved me from my depression. He was all I'd watch because he is so fucking real. Such a fucking inspiration ❤

David Cameron should make a public apology to Jimmy Carr for the disgusting way he treated him

What was reprehensible was Cameron going on about it but when it came to his mate Gary Barlow doing the same thing, the silence was deafening.

Wow. What an honest open version of Jimmy. Thank you. ❤ it’s so cathartic to see the man behind the humour. Love you Jim.

I believe in particular that anxiety is getting the better of us through entirely different means these days. Anxiety probably helped us build walls and great shelter to fend of lions and foes. But these days I've had times were an email notification basically feels like a stab through the heart. Not the best analogy in terms of severeness, but with the modern tech it's almost as if you are in the trenches and constantly being shelled. Regardless of time of day. It of course depends on what sort of job you have, and also how you setup those notifications.

I’ve read so many memoirs and autobiographies and Jimmys is one of the best. It was 10/10, a surprisingly deep yet hilarious, open, engaging and enjoyable read. I’d highly recommend the audiobook

I am a Jimmy Carr fan, to a certain degree. I like seeing him on QI, and a few other shows here and there, but I'm not a fan of his Stand Up shows. Just not my style. I do like seeing him doing interviews like this. He relatable and vulnerable, and expresses himself with sincerity. What got me in this interview (tugged at my heartstrings) was his use of the phrase 'This too shall pass'. In some of my dark times earlier in life my Mom would use that very phrase in a tone of voice that was instantly calming and reassuring. When she said it the weight of the world was lifted somewhat and the proverbial 'light at the end of the tunnel' began to shine. The way Jimmy said it here, in that similar tone, reminded me of that light once again. Mom passed away March 8th, 2023. I thought I would always miss that comforting tone. Thanks Jimmy for bringing it back to me for a bit.

He tells a story about how James Cordon called from the US during the worst of this just to ask if he’s OK. And then called the next day, and the next. This says so much about both men.

Just to correct the record from the outset, an ISA is NOT a tax avoidance scheme. This is fundamentally incorrect. An ISA is a form of tax planning and the two are very different. Planning involves using reliefs in the way they were intended and avoidance is exactly the opposite.

Thank you for bringing men's truths into the light love your shows and love Jimmy of course

First time you have a panic attack you think it's a heart attack, unless maybe you've had a heart attack already and have something to measure it against.

The uk media would have a field day with Australian corporations and politicians if they think jimmy carrs tax loopholes are morally reprehensible.

HMRC should have realised Jimmy is not a sophisticated swindler. You only have to look at his hair cut for that.

Lots of celebrities have had tax problems. No shame there.

his description of depression is the most accurate articulation of how I feel when I get into a depressive cycle. Wow.

This is an amazing interview. On several occasions, I've been really impressed by the breadth and depth of his knowledge, and now of his perspective on mental health. Funny guy, but there's a lot of depth. Props to him for handling this topic seriously.

Let’s be honest, if I came to any person saying shit about him paying less tax and said to them “do you want to pay less tax and keep more of what you earned”, no one in their right mind would say “actually no I think ill continue taking home less money for myself thanks”.

Lets face it, Jimmy's small fish & nothing he did was illegal compared to what else is going on. If it was spoken about in parliment, you've got to ask what they were distracting the general public from.

I still think that Ken Dodd had the best reply in court - - "The bill was from the Inland Revenue and I live by the sea!"

Crazy that David Cameron made a big deal to call him out when he was profiting from his father doing the same.

A lot has happened to jimmy in the space of a few years, his good friend Sean Lock died of cancer in the prime of his life, he had a son and has tried to keep very private with that, and he’s had the tax issue. I’m not sure how close he is with Rhod Gilbert but that’s another cancer patient friend. I know we all think ah he’s a famous wealthy person, he’s ok, but he’s human.

I didn't know anything about this, but Jimmy, you are absolutely one of my favorite entertainers, and it's good to see a video where your nature is coming through. I wish you the best, and I do not consider myself a 'fair-weather fan', as you say 'this too shall pass'

Gee it was well handled. I’m glad you learnt some stuff and shared it.

I have been diagnosed with PTSD following 41 years of a congenital heart condition, and in particular my 6th major operation that was akin to a transplant, and took place in September 2021 - no psychologist quite knew where to categorise me. If you have a trauma incident, you can avoid re traumatising and triggering to some extent re going on stage, going in a car if a car accident. But yes, depression, anxiety & panic attacks cripple you - my wife had to scrape me off the chair; it’s outer body; it’s motor function gone… I’m on citalopram

Most people don't understand tax (even those involved in working on it), and celebrities have to trust their employees who make errors and the celebrity is made the scapegoat.

Getting publicly shamed for doing something legal is truly awful.

Tried to understand if UK government made K2 scheme ilegal or not after Jimmy's Scandal. GPT: As of my last update, the specific legal status of the K2 tax scheme in the UK as of 2024 wasn't definitively clear Am I understanding correctly that government did a lot of stuff to make it look like law is fixed but it's not?

That short changed joke had me hollering

4:21 that caught me off guard ffs XD

Panic attacks are horrible. I have had them all my life. The secret is to accept that they will pass. At work I used to go to the loo and sit in a cubicle until it passed. It's very important not to try to hide them. They are very common but there is a stigma attached strangely. There's a high probability your boss gets them. So share your condition. It takes away an element of the fear of embarrassment should one occur.

Well done, this is the most ernest I've ever seen Jimmy. 👏

One piece of advice I was given a few years ago “dress for the job you want, not the one you have” and that has stuck with me because it’s very true

You just can't hate him for it. Let's face it if any of us "normal" people could pay less tax we would and we wouldn't think twice about it

Thank you Jimmy Carr for being open and honest, I’ve been living in a black and dark place for the last 5-6 months. I was stopped by the police from committing suicide as things got that bad! Along with discovering childhood trauma, my 3 year relationship ended and being as that’s been my only ever relationship and I’m 38, I’ve found things extremely hard and even to this day I struggle I understand these feelings are not forever, but the constant struggle and darkness is overwhelming most of the time Life no longer feels like an experience but rather than a free fall into a black hole! I understand I’m not the only one that feels like this, but individually, it’s so hard! Panic attacks and depression and anxiety all rolled into one is just a ball that keeps on snow balling For anyone else going through this, you’re not alone in this

The interesting part around HMRC leaming anything is where he should've gone on the offensive. By all means audit him, prosecute if he's done anything illegal. But leaking anything about someone's personal tax affairs is a huge problem that really should've seen people lose their jobs

Having suffered with anxiety and panic attacks for many years, his description of it is spot on. Had a real bad one in the Trafford Centre about 3 years ago with my missus, luckily she's a nurse. I just stopped in my tracks, she said afterwards she thought I'd broke one of her fingers I was holding on that tight, she said she the look in my eyes was of sheer terror. I just desperately wanted my feet to start working so I could GTFO. Probably done in 20-30 seconds but felt like 25 mins to me. Silently screaming at your own brain to please just start working so you can breathe is no fucking joke, I'm a 44 year old builder.

I’d have done the same thing in his shoes. Pay as little tax as legally possible? What’s wrong with that?

He didn't actually knowingly do anything wrong. He trusted someone to advise him and made a choice most of us probably would too. Differences were that he's famous, it was a lot money and it was public.

Fair weather friends… I hear you Jimmy.

Very good description of depression in there too. Thanks Jimmy

Jimmys just a legend. Thats all i have to say

I love the guy. Truly I do. He's brought me countless hours of joy and, like he said, he's not the worst thing he's done.... That said - not at all buying that he didn't understand that it was the wrong thing to do. He is well versed enough on tax and economics to know what tax avoidance by the very rich, does to a country. (even then, Jimmy was clearly singled out because he was an easy target who wasn't really in "the club")

'This too shall pass' human experiences we have to go thru. Once the entire episode is over did you not wanna call it quits and settle down and enjoy the balance of your life.

Thought provoking, makes me want to donate more to those in need.

It seema that it was one of those weird 'grey' areas of tax. If he had setup the offshore company first, then it applied for totally new gigs via that company and had the offshore company receive the contract payments in a 'tax haven' and only remit him a small amount of taxable income in the UK it would have been fine. But the fact that he had ongoing/existing work arrangements in the UK and tried to get them to 'transition' from UK-based contracts to 'new' contracts going via the offshore company simply to minimize tax was what made it 'dodgy'. I can understand the tax office wanting to have to arrangements cancelled as a scheme entered into purely to reduce tax artificially, but I think the public outrage/interest was mostly driven by envy of high income earners, the tax office 'leak' was done to 'make an example' (which wasn't really ethical from the tax office POV), the government/politicians piled on for political points scoring and virtue signalling, and the media was happy to grab the story and run with it as a hot gossip item to drive increased subscriptions/sales and hence raise revenue. Plenty of moral ambiguity to go around all parties involved in the whole 'circus' I think. ps. I don't know all the details, but I suspect the tax arrangements were, in fact, legal. And that the 'leak' was basically just a tactic to force him to 'voluntarily' unwind the arrangement and pay more tax, otherwise the adverse publicity would have made his income completely go away. Basically a mafia-style 'give us more money or something bad might happen to your store' type of extortion. Basically the tax office couldn't legally make him pay more tax, so they (some public servant) 'leaked' the story to force him to arrange his affairs in a less tax effective manner. Court cases have well established that legal principle that no-one has to arrange their affairs in a way to pay more tax than they legally have to, so this was a pretty low act by whatever public servant 'leaked' the information to the media.

He still doesn’t know the difference between legal tax avoidance and tax evasion.

Someone says you can pay less tax . Yes I'm in. Ask the politicians

the tax system is backwards. the more money you have, the better chance you have of paying less

I agree with "everyone should pay their fair share"...... HOWEVER, who decides what the "fair share" is suppose to be...... especially when you live in a country, where politicians are not handling your taxes responsibly AT ALL

I'm sure the government has done worse!!

HMRC need to start looking at MPs....

I have mental health issues. I had a severe panic attack in the concourse of Mexico City Airport. I keeled over, unable to breathe or speak. I dontnlike the persona of Jimmy Carr, but as a human being, I was impressed. He did well to describe something that is almost undesirable.

Ok so he didn't break the law, that's been established. So how is what he did immoral? The law says this is how we determine how much tax you pay. He paid it. There is no moral obligation to not arrange your affairs to pay the last tax.

Aren’t your personal taxes confidential? Aren’t they breaking the law by blabbing about it in public (assuming you haven’t been charged with a crime)?

Imagine thinking your government would use those taxes for anything productive

A line from the band Embrace: I feel like a fake when I feel any feeling

Hate him comparing these schemes to an ordinary person having an ISA. Such a misrepresentation.

I would've sued the shit out of the Accountant.

I hadn't looked into I only heard about it. Didn't realize whatever he was doing was totally legal at the time.

"The bit that knows" is called Buddho. Very interesting interview.

Jimmy Carr is a very bright individual, when your tax advisor/accountant talks about a scheme being 'aggressive', then the warning bells should immediately sound off, and I do not believe that he was unaware of how close to the line his tax affairs were, this decision in itself would fuel his anxiety, We have to take responsibility for our ethical and moral foundations, if we do, then managing issues such as depression and anxiety are less likely to be prominent aspects of your life.

I don’t blame him, but tax avoidance is not the same as an ISA! An ISA is a U.K. savings account where you not taxed on any profits your savings make. Its designed to encourage people to save.

When I get a panic attack it literally feels like I'm having a heart attack and dying

And people wonder why this country is in such a state

Is it just me or do Jimmy's eyes look weird in this video? Like they're pointing in different directions?

LOL! Yeah me putting £100 in an ISA is just the same Jimmy.

Ironically, I wasn’t very keen on Jimmy before the tax thing. I found him mean. But after the tax scandal I really liked him and was then able to ‘get’ him. Now he’s a favourite 😂 Also, Ayuasca for the win. Since completing my retreat, I’ve stopped crying, got the job of my dreams and the girl of my dreams. It unlocks your inner strength.

Best thing I've ever done for my anxiety and depression is doing writing exercises. I was reluctant forever but now that I'm consistently doing it I have less chronic pain and I can pull myself out of anxiety episode by doing the writing

Someone needs to tell him PTSD isn't war exclusive 😅

It’s all well and good using the accountant excuse and even if it was a legal scheme you knew what you were doing would ultimately result in less money for public spending

Tax avoidance is prudent money management.

Besides being incredibly funny, Jimmy Carr is olso incredibly intelligent guy.

He's a very smart person, if you're using complex financial processes to avoid tax, you have a responsibility know weather it is legal or not.

The fact is that he did nothing wrong legally or morally. Those who shamed him are themselves the ones that are morally wrong.

the real scandal is that all the rich do this....

It was not an aggressive tax avoidance scheme. He was pumping over £3 million a year into the K2 scheme and paying less than 2% tax. Everyone knows you don't pay less than 2% tax on £3 million. Once he normalised his tax affairs his company tax bill rose by over £500,000 with an additional personal liability on any earnings he took out. He was paying the same amount of tax on his £3 million as an employee on £140,000. That is not a mistake.

Tax avoidance! You did not do anything wrong.

I applaud him for not paying tax. In fact - people should avoid paying taxes. Our health system and energy sucks, roads suck, legal systems don’t work, neither do our education systems or transport systems and public servants are serious over paid for being corrupt. Yet we are being taxed at higher and higher rates for terrible results. And corrupt politicians make stupid decisions that we have to further pay for. Why would you want to contribute financially to this system. I do my best to pay as little tax as possible - legal is a point of view

I love this man.

Jimmy denying all responsibility and making himself the victim is not the outcome I expected when clicking on this video