Not strictly tea, but I sat near him in the audience of a show at the Edinburgh festival maybe eight years ago (the show was by Adam Riches, who was really funny: perhaps Jimmy was after stealing his jokes?).
Anyway, close up he is the weirdest looking bloke. Bizarre. It’s his skin: it has this really strange waxen look. Pale, clammy and opaque, not like normal skin at all. Combined with the brylcreemed hair it made him look really odd. Also, he seemed to be in character all the time, and just didn’t move or behave normally. It’s hard to describe, but it’s like he thought he was on telly even when he wasn’t. He had the air of somebody graciously bestowing his presence on the show. As the audience filed out I’d have expected him to approach the performer, just to say “well done” or something for solidarity between comedians. No. Out he strutted. Really unlikeable from what I saw.
As for his tax avoidance: I know exactly what scheme he used. Him and a load of other chancers who like to pretend to be left-leaning. Until they have to actually, you know, pay tax in order to support schools or the NHS or the homeless. Unwilling to put their money where their mouths are.