Juicy Crimes with Heather McDonald

Episode: When Punchlines Turn Deadly

Guest: Ed Hedges (Comedian, host of Wisecrack)
Date: December 3, 2025

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Heather McDonald welcomes British comedian Ed Hedges to share his extraordinary personal experience involving a real-life crime—one that puts a chilling twist on his comedic journey. Together, Heather and Ed explore how comedy and trauma can intersect, discuss the scars of childhood bullying, and examine the power of storytelling in healing. The episode balances dark real-life details with humor and warmth, making for a riveting listen for both true crime fans and those who enjoy behind-the-scenes insights into stand-up comedy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ed’s Stand-Up Journey & Early Years

• Heather introduces Ed: “You’re the perfect person for my show because you’re funny and you lived a true crime situation.” (03:15)
• Ed’s comedy origin: He was obsessed with stand-up from a young age, initially setting out to study veterinary science, but a teacher’s offhand suggestion—“go to London and put your name down for an open mic”—led him to pursue comedy instead. He quickly found success, winning ‘So You Think You’re Funny’ at 19.
  • “I think if people actually sat down and went, ‘Jon, this guy’s just crap,’ I would have, I would have jacked it in. But... I got really lucky.” (06:50)
• Heather’s parallel story: Heather also came from a supportive family, though she started comedy later, after college. She emphasizes the importance of working for a great first show to build confidence.
  • “If I had had a horrible, uncomfortable bombing situation, I don’t know if I would have continued.” (06:50)

2. Returning to the Hometown—Setting the Stage for a Crime

• Reluctance and nerves: Ed left his small village at 18 due to intense bullying and had avoided returning. But when offered a paid gig in his old village, he accepted.
  • “It was kind of like a pseudo spiritual thing… If I go back into that village, then I’m... acknowledging who I was before. So for me, it was a superstition. I never wanted to go back...” (13:16)
• Describes the strange thrill and anxiety of seeing posters with his face around the village. (14:39)

3. The Night of the Crime—A Real-Life Horror Story

• The Event: After the gig, Ed stays with his parents. That night, he’s woken by his mother standing at his bed, terrified, warning: “Whatever you do, don’t turn on the lights.” (24:51)
• Ed finds his father staring out at the front door from the upstairs window; someone is pounding furiously at the door.
  • “The whole thing feels like a movie… everything’s lit by moonlight...” (25:07)
• Ed thinks someone from the gig followed him home, but his parents insist he stay upstairs. The pounding continues; eventually, police helicopters and sirens arrive, illuminating their home.
  • “The person outside went around my house and kind of nearly got in a few times.” (27:53)
• Ed’s reaction: astonishingly, he returns to bed after the police arrive, choosing to distance himself from the chaos. Later, he considers how close he came to a deadly encounter.

Timestamp Milestone

• The night’s events: [24:13–30:35]

4. The Shocking Discovery—Who Was at the Door?

• The next day, Ed and his parents learn it was Ed’s childhood bully, David, who had just murdered his own mother and her friend—stabbed them over 110 times.
  • “He had killed his mum and his mum’s good friend, stabbed them both, a combined total of over 110 times. He was identified by his shoe print…” (31:03)
• The chilling realization: if Ed had come home later or lingered outside, he could have encountered a murderer at the door.
  • “If I’d have had two more drinks at the gig and then walked home, I would have met a murderer at my front door. That’s the thing that scares me.” (33:23)

Timestamp Milestone

• Discovery of the killer’s identity and crimes: [30:35–33:33]

5. Exploring Bullying, Isolation, and Confidence

• Ed reflects on the lifelong effects of bullying and being misunderstood due to learning differences.
• Childhood isolation in a tiny village contributed to both resilience and later, comedic success.
• Heather draws parallels to her son’s school struggles and shares personal anecdotes about team sports, family dynamics, and growing up feeling different.
  • “People don’t understand how crazy it is to never get a rosette until you’re a grown up.” —Ed (43:25)

6. Comedy as Healing: Turning Trauma into Art

• For Ed, crafting a narrative around his experience and performing it as stand-up has been the most effective, empowering form of “healing.”
  • “Talking to a room full of people every night, trying to make this story funny is the most healing thing possible... You completely kind of like disassociate with what happened that night and view it objectively... and now we're here.” (47:41)
• He and Heather discuss the responsibility and power of being the first to tell your story, especially when family dynamics are involved. Heather shares about making her ‘Serial Sister’ segment public before others could twist the narrative. (61:16)

Timestamp Milestone

• Comedy & storytelling’s importance: [47:41–56:24]
• Heather on sharing difficult family history: [59:11–63:36]

7. Aftermath: What Happened to the Killer?

• Ed’s bully, David, was found “mentally fine” by the courts, imprisoned, and ultimately strangled to death by cellmates who claimed they were told by God to end his suffering.
  • “He was strangled to death by two cell mates who were told by their separate gods that they should kill him and release him from his pain.” (66:06)
• Ed wrestles with grief for the boy he once knew and sharp critique of social systems’ failures to intervene and provide mental health support.
  • “As an untrained person, you can be like, well, the government should have stepped in here, here, here, and here. These are red flags. This is a sign of someone that’s going to kill some people. It’s obvious.” (68:39)

Timestamp Milestone

• The killer’s fate and reflections: [65:33–69:17]

8. Broader Themes—Masculinity, Mental Health, and Gun Control

• Ed sees the tragedy as an intersection of toxic masculinity, untreated mental illness, and institutional failure.
• Discussion veers to the cultural debates around gun control and self-protection, with both Heather and Ed lamenting how access to weapons or lack of safety nets can tip vulnerable situations into tragedy.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If I had had two more drinks at the gig…I would have met a murderer at my front door.” —Ed Hedges (33:23)
• “Talking to a room full of people every night, trying to make this story funny is the most healing thing possible.” —Ed (47:41)
• “If you have a story to tell, be the first one to tell it.” —Heather McDonald (62:53)
• “Please God, please don’t let me be normal and I fucking love that. Just don’t let me be like them.” —Ed (39:31)
• “There are always signs on what someone’s passion is…For me, the confidence came when I identified the thing that I was passionate about…” —Ed on building confidence (20:37)
• “That's when you need comedy the most…when people lose their lives, when you've got sick kids, when life is really shitty…to forgo comedy is dumb.” —Ed (49:31)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:15–06:50: Ed’s comedy and Heather’s parallel start
• 13:10–15:02: Returning to the village and confronting old ghosts
• 24:13–30:35: The night of the break-in and escalating tension
• 30:35–33:33: The shocking revelation: the killer at the door
• 43:25: On never being picked and the wounds of childhood
• 47:41–56:24: Comedy as healing after trauma
• 59:11–63:36: Heather on opening up about her dysfunctional sibling relationships
• 65:33–69:17: Fate of the killer and systemic failures

Tone & Takeaways

The conversation is rich with dark humor, honesty, and insight. Both Heather and Ed blend vulnerability with comedic timing, emphasizing that laughter is not just a coping mechanism but a vital tool for working through trauma. Ed’s story is a compelling reminder of life’s unpredictability and the power of being the narrator of one's own history—especially when the past is as dramatic as fiction.

Where to Find Ed Hedges

• Instagram: @eddhedges (with two D’s); new to the platform and appreciates followers! (74:58)
• Podcast: Wisecrack — a deep dive into his crime story and the comedy that grew from it
• Touring: Shows in the US in December and throughout 2026

A must-listen for anyone interested in true crime with a human twist, and comedians who make us laugh about the things that would otherwise break us.