Woody Allen: A return to stand-up?

Woody Allen says he has toyed with the idea of returning to stand-up (Getty Images)

The comedian Woody Allen has said he is “toying with the idea” of making a return to stand-up comedy – after a hiatus of more than half a century.

The writer-director, who started his career in stand-up in the early 1960s, said he was inspired after seeing 86-year-old Mort Sahl in three shows. Mr Allen, 77, said: “Watching him, I had the same feeling now, in 2013, as I had when I saw him in 1950-something. Of ‘Hey, I’d like to get back on stage and do stand-up again’.”

He told The New York Times: “I’ve just been toying with the idea. I would love to see if I could.”

Mr Allen is promoting his latest film, Blue Jasmine, starring Cate Blanchett as a pampered wife who loses everything.