Comedian Rhod Gilbert embarks on a journey to Stand Up To Shyness

Comedian Rhod Gilbert can stand up in front of twenty thousand people and make them laugh for two hours solid without breaking sweat.

But stick him in a room on his own with one of his fans and he’ll start perspiring, stare at the ground, and find it extremely difficult and uncomfortable to strike up a conversation.

That’s because off-stage, Rhod is painfully shy – and dealing with it is no joke. Rhod discovers that he is far from alone.

It is estimated that nearly half of the world’s population have some manifestation of shyness and social anxiety.

For many it is a minor irritation, for some it is a condition that can virtually destroy a life.

So Rhod tries to understand exactly what made him so shy, how it can be identified and, most crucially, what can be done to reduce its impact.

Rhod Gilbert: Stand Up To Shyness – Premieres Friday, 12 March at 8.30pm on SBS VICELAND