The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 4 plus 5 letter word FIRE EATER
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
F
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Hot-headed entertainer" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case hot-headed entertainer = fire eater.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does FIRE EATER mean?
FIRE EATER noun- A performer who pretends to swallow fire.
- A quarrelsome or belligerent person.
- An extreme partisan for the South before the US Civil War.