Gareth Ellis, better known as Bippo the Clown, found a lifelong passion when he first experienced the circus tent at age four. Raised in a typical family from Manchester, his fascination with the circus was anything but ordinary—it became his calling. By the age of nine, his whole family had left their conventional jobs behind and joined the circus, with his mother working as an assistant and his father as a handyman.
By his early teens, Bippo was already performing as a clown, a role he has embraced ever since. Now 36, he travels across the UK, bringing joy to audiences of all ages. Yet, the reality of being a clown goes far beyond squirting flowers and juggling tiny bicycles.
In popular culture, clowns are often portrayed very differently from their true purpose. Rather than symbols of joy, media frequently depict them as sinister figures like Pennywise or tragic characters like Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker, stripping away the genuine happiness clowns aim to deliver. Even iconic figures like Ronald McDonald have faded from public view.
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Bippo reflects on this perception, noting how some parents inadvertently pass on fear to their children. “They come to the circus and warn their kids, ‘Look, there’s a clown, it’s going to get you!’” To counteract this, Bippo has developed ‘clownselling’ sessions—inviting those with coulrophobia (fear of clowns) to watch him apply makeup while engaging in relaxed conversations. This approach helps demystify the image of the clown and transform fear into understanding.
The art of clowning itself has shifted. Where once bright, exaggerated makeup and slapstick antics like pies in the face were standard, today’s smaller audiences call for subtler styles. Bippo’s makeup is carefully subdued, with white lips and eyebrows and modest rosy cheeks, reflecting more modern tastes.
Beyond entertainment, Bippo’s work often takes on deeper meaning. He has brought laughter to children recovering from unimaginable tragedies, including survivors of the 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis in Russia. Performing alongside colleagues in hospital wards, he witnessed firsthand the healing power of humor.
His connection to vulnerable children extends through his work with Circus Starr, supporting underprivileged youth across the UK. The emotional weight of these experiences stays with him privately because he must maintain a cheerful facade during performances—a personal struggle he calls ‘tears of the clown.’
Clowning is more than a profession for Bippo—it’s his identity. “I’ve never been anything else,” he shares. “Bippo got me this house, bought my car, and taken me around the world.” Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked other jobs but remained proudly Bippo the Clown.
Asked whether his own children might follow in his footsteps, Bippo offers a thoughtful perspective: in today’s social media-driven world, everyone is a performer of sorts. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube turn ordinary people into entertainers, constantly crafting personas and content to engage audiences. “We’re all clowns now,” he says with a smile. “The world is one big circus.”
Bippo will be performing at Wookey Hole on Friday, April 24.