Walking The Dog with Emily Dean - Ed Gamble (Part One)

Episode Date: August 13, 2024

On a gloriously sunny day in East London - join Emily and Raymond for a stroll with the brilliant Ed Gamble. Ed is loved for his stand-up, as well as being a bit of a podcast king - he hosts Off Menu with fellow comic James Acaster, as well as The Taskmaster Podcast and The Traitors Uncloaked! He also is a judge on The Great British Menu. Is there anything this man can’t do? Ed and his wife Charlie have a cat - but he really got on well with Ray and even found us a (slightly unconventional) shady spot to escape the heat. We chat about Ed's changing relationship with food and how that has affected his life, we find out about the celebrity diabetes community and whether Ed has a ‘Dad At The Airport’ personality. Get your tickets for Ed’s 2024 tour Hot Diggity Dog at https://edgamble.co.uk/ Listen to Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster wherever you get your podcasts! Ed’s brilliant book Glutton is available in paperback and audiobook now - and we highly recommend it! Follow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If I find any angle that is slightly different to any other comedian, I'm jumping on it because the rest of my life and the rest of who I am is very well covered in comedy. I am basically the default for the comedy industry from the last 20 years. This week on Walking the Dog, Raymond and I went for an East London stroll with comedian Ed Gamble. Ed is, of course, a hugely popular stand-up and he's also a bit of a podcast in King. He co-hosts the award-winning off-menu podcast with James Acaster, the official taskmaster podcast and The Traitors Uncloaked. He doesn't have a dog, but I decided to forgive him because he's such a thoroughly lovely person to go for a walk with, and it turned out was quite won over by Ray.

But then come on, the man's only human. We met Ed on a gloriously sunny day. In fact, it was slightly too gloriously sunny for Ray. So Ed was quite the hero and found us a little shady area to sit in. so Ray could cool down. Adorable. We chatted about all sorts, from Ed's childhood to his break into comedy and meeting his wife Charlie, who I've got to say sounds like a bit of a diamond. We also talked about his book that came out last year, Glutton, the multi-course life of a very greedy boy, which could frankly also be the title of Ray's autobiography. But it's well worth a read,

so do treat yourself to a copy. And Ed is also touring his new show Hot Diggity, dog all around the UK this autumn and this man is just so brilliant live so I really urge you to go and book your tickets via ed gamble.co.uk. I'll stop talking now and hand over to the man himself. Here's Ed and Ray Ray. What do you think, Ed? He's gorgeous. He's gorgeous. I think he might be done for the day though. Well, he's going to have to think again. Come on. I mean, he's not built for the warm weather. Do you know what I'm not really Ed either? No me neither. Whenever it's raining or it's cold I'm complaining and then it gets like this and like why the fuck was I complaining it's this is rancid to me. What a start to the podcast I

know but you know I've had to put cream on. Come on Ray right Ed Gamble which way should we go we can if we walk up this way yes then there's a really nice path down here and it sort of keeps going gorgeous. this way. Oh look there's a lovely staffie and a Diamante Collar. Yeah, that's right you get bling dogs around here. Well I associate this area with dogs because of East 17. Yes, of course and well there's a big dog track as well. Very famous

dog tracks so. Have you been there Ed? Not been there, go past there a lot and I like the outside but I'm not sure I'm into dog track racing. I'm not sure it's my vibe or horse racing to be honest. We should say where we are. Yes, we're Waltham Stowe. Yeah. Sort of around near Walsam Stowe marshes,

walking up in the direction of keep going down this way, it's Hackney Marshes. This when I was running more, this is my running route. But I'm not running anymore. And I'm obviously with the wonderful Ed Gamble, there's some ewes. That's a good place for youths to gather Under a shady part where they can sit on a branch

Yeah but they look like nice youths Wholesome They have cycles Although in this sort of weather everything seems more wholesome I think Yeah I think we could be mugged and come out of it feeling all right What's going on? There's a man talking to the g-are you quite nosy

I will deliberately sit near loud conversations Just to pick up on what's going on There'll be times when my wife are sat near a conversation and we're both not saying anything because we know we're both basically put our brains on record so we can talk about it later. I think all comedians tend to be quite nosy. They have to be, don't they? Well, is that true or is it an excuse? I understand what you mean, like you're constantly looking out for things or you're trying to pick up new observations or get stories for the act, but also I do think that's a massive excuse for just being

being nosy. Yeah. And I am quite nosy. I love gossip. Oh yeah. See, I like a man who likes gossip. Gossip's brilliant. Who doesn't like gossip? Yeah. So many WhatsApp groups and text groups are different comedians.

Fantastic. Who's your favourite gossip? Oh, see, I feel like if I reveal who my favourite gossip is, then that in itself is gossip, but it's committed to tape. Oh, Ed, this is so lovely already. I know I'm going to love this walk. And I'm so thrilled that you've been able to fit us in and take us on a walk today.

Of course. I wanted to start off by asking what your sort of history with dogs is, because you don't have a dog. Don't have a dog, never had a dog. And that's not because I'm not anti-dogs. I'm anti the time management, and it requires to look after a dog. and not being able to sort of drop everything and go on holiday.

I have a cat. The cat suits me great because you can put his food down. You can go out for the day. You come back and he's there and he'll be like, all right. And then he might not be asked with you so he can just relax. He sounds like a lot of relationships. He's fantastic though because he can be very affectionate but then he just sort of goes into the other room and does his own thing.

And that's what I like, I think. Oh, he's got his cat cave. He's got his cat. I mean, the whole house is his cat. cave. It's not our house anymore. So if we leave anything out, he doesn't like lying on soft things. He likes lying on things that shouldn't be there. So if you leave anything out, he lies on it and we're talking like plugs. He'll lie on like a plug. He finds that comfortable, like acupuncture. But no, he's great, but I think having a dog might be a bit much with

my lifestyle and constantly being on tour and I never want to be one of those comedians who takes a dog with them on tour. Why not? I don't know. I just think it's a bad little. Look, you know, I'm not thinking of anyone specific because there's definitely more than one. But I just think turning up with your dog to a venue, you'd see the venue staff's hearts just sink. It's not for me. Yeah, I can understand that. Well, it's also, as you say, it's very much, it's one more thing to think about, isn't it? Yeah, exactly, yeah.

And the cat, you know, we just get a friend to come and stay. for on holiday and they can feed it, but it's not too much work. I do like the idea of having to go for a walk every day. I think that's good because I say this is nice because I very rarely walk just for the sake of it anymore. Really? Yeah, I'm always doing it to go somewhere else or I'm rushing. Like if I've got time in London, like in between stuff, I'll go for like, you know,

try and walk around in London a bit. But this is really nice because it's just a stroll, isn't it? I'll tell you what, we do have to walk at his pace, so don't we? Come on. Come on, Ray. Is this top speed for Ray? Come on, Ray. Show Ed, what you can do?

Yeah, this isn't so much walking a dog, is it? It's carrying a dog. Well, it would be, but it is the hottest day of the year. Yeah, bless him. The walking is a bit exhausting for him. Yeah. He's only got little legs, isn't he? He's only got little legs, but that's why I got him.

I wanted an animal who had shorter legs than mine. I don't want some doberman. who's basically like living with a man. It's like living with Greg Davis or something. And God knows nobody wants to do that. Do you know, he came on this podcast. He was a delight, as you know, having being a good friend of yours.

And at the end, I said, do you know what, Greg, I'd love this walk. I really hope you don't mind me saying so. I really like to be friends with you. He went, oh, I love that. Let's definitely be friends then. I never heard from him again. Well, to be fair to Greg, he is potentially the busiest man on the planet.

I know it is. I've forgiven him. We've been good friends, I'd say, for, you know, since 2010. I've been supported him on two tours and, you know, work with him on Man Down and all of that. I'd say he's impossible to contact for me. Okay, I like that. Oh, where are we now, Ed? So this is a bit where we go under a railway bridge. I've not been down here in ages actually.

This is a great walk because occasionally it just feels gross because you'll get a really industrial bit. But it's lovely. But then you come out over a little crest after this tunnel and it's really, really beautiful. Come on Ray. This is lovely Ed. This just reminds me of lockdown this whole area area because there's like, I did loads of running and walking around here and got into a real

rhythm of just coming here, like every day basically. So Ed, I want to go back to your childhood. You grew up in, was it Wimbledon you grew up in? Yeah, well, Rains Park, which is near Wimbledon. Estate agents call it West Wimbledon because they can add about 100 grand on the house prices. Come on, Ray. Come on, Ray. Yeah, so yeah, pretty nice. near Wimbledon and I went I went to school in Wimbledon yeah and it was you and your mum and your dad initially wasn't it yeah but I don't really remember that because it's basically been me and my mum the whole time so they split up when I was about four so yeah in from my memory pretty much all my growing up was done with me just me and my mum in the house

and seeing my dad regularly but yeah just me and my mum and your mum was a nurse am I right She was a nurse, but then for the majority of her career in the NHS, she was a health visitor. So, you know, visiting kids in the sort of early years to make sure everything's going all right and helping parents out and stuff. So, yeah, she sort of did that around Hammersmith and Fullum. Do you think that makes it easier? Because my parents split up when I was about, I guess, 11 or 12. Do you think not having a memory of it makes you sort of just adapt to that, It's kind of all you ever knew in a way.

So yeah, I think so. I mean, I have a memory of it sort of happening, but only very distant memory. And then I think it's just time, isn't it? You know, the more you get used to something, the easier it is. And also they did it very well, like I, you know, saw my dad all the time and stuff, and it never felt like it was a devastating thing in my life. But yeah, I'd imagine once you're getting towards 11 or 12, you're having more, more sort of thoughts.

And it's a little bit more, it's a little bit more, more, it's a little bit more difficult. And you're, is he a lawyer? He's supposed to be retired now, but I don't think he'll ever truly retire. He's doing all sorts of other things now. I don't even understand it.

Like he was a solicitor and then supposedly retired and now he's still sort of, you know, traveling for work. I'm like, what are you doing? But I think, to be honest, the rest of the family are quite grateful for that because when he's not working, he goes absolutely bonkers. Was he?

Yeah. I think he's just slightly terrified of stopping working and like the brain going dormant. And there's something to that, I think. We've all got to keep doing something, haven't we? Absolutely. He will go absolutely crazy if he stops working. And your dad is quite a character. I know this from your stand-up.

Yes, absolutely. I mean, I have talked about him a lot in my stand-up. Sort of stop doing it after a bit, not because I ran out of stuff. But because there was one incident I did the story years and years ago about him trying to order a loaf of bread and he kept calling it the boog and like really, you know, quite insistent to the shopkeeper that he wanted a boog. And it turned out it said 800 gram. Doing that for a while. Then I did it on TV. It was like my first ever TV slot on Russell Howd's Good News.

Yeah. And did the story. done this in the story before. I said his full name and job down the camera. And yeah, I said Andrew Gamble, he's a lawyer, and he went into work the next day and he was very important in his job, I think, he's quite senior and quite feared from gathering the vibe of what he was like at work. And someone put it on a big screen in a conference room. So I thought maybe let's leave off dad for a bit. But then I did do another big story about him

actually, but it just didn't, on that occasion, not say his full name and job, because I probably would have ended up giving out his address as well. So initially it was just you and your mum, and you were an only child. For the first, how many years of your life?

So my half-sister is, I'm so bad at ages, you know? I'm bad at ages and bad at birthdays. probably until I'm probably maybe seven years older than her. No, eight maybe. No, more than that. I'm, I've got a half brother and half sister and they're younger than me. That's all the information I could possibly give. And what sort of a kid were you, Ed? I always think it's interesting to think what would your friend's parents have said about you? What would they have said? Ed, he's a very, what little boy? I think cheeky but in a good way I think I always kept it on the right side of cheekiness I think I was quite polite

I think I did all the right things going over to friends' houses you know hungry yeah I think I was just a little funny kid just a little funny fat kid running around having a good time Was your mum quite hot on sort of teaching you manners

and please and thank you Yeah I guess she must have been because I did all of that Yeah But I think she must have done it in a really good way because I don't remember being like admonished for doing things wrong or being told this is what you have to do at other people's houses. Yeah, yeah.

I guess you just learn from example, right? And there must have been that conversation, but I don't remember it. But yeah, I think I was quite polite. I think that's quite a lovely combination, inherently in some ways. Yeah. Having a nurse and a solicitor. Yes, yeah, yeah. Do you what I mean?

Because you get all that, I'm not making assumptions here, but in my experience, what you get from nurses is, tons of empathy. They're generally people with quite a big social conscience, which is why they do that job. And then from the solicitor, you're getting, I suppose,

he was quite ambitious and disciplined and decisive. Yeah, definitely. I think you're probably right. I think it is quite a nice mix. You get a bit older and you're like, which direction is my personality going to go? and have to remember to try and keep that balance rather than swerve too far off in one day, well, in my dad's direction.

I think it would be fine if I swerved off towards my mum's personality. I think already from what I know of you, you do seem like a really lovely blend of both of those things. Oh, well, that's good, yeah. You know, some days I'm more my mum, some days I'm more my dad. I've read the book you wrote last year, wasn't it, Ed? Yeah, it came out last year, yeah, glutton. Which is brilliant because it's a memoir. But it's kind of all done through, I suppose,

through the prism of your relationship with food, essentially. Yes, yeah, yeah. Because I really resisted writing a memoir or even calling it a memoir. Why? I genuinely don't feel like I've had an exciting life or much going on in my life that feels like it deserves a memoir. I mean, I think most people probably think that when they're writing something like that. They're like, why would anyone care about this?

So the fact that I could talk about it through food and I could just make it about a universal topic I think really helped me write it as well as give me the reason to do it. Yeah. So, you know, I could be sitting down writing about food and that's what the focus would be in my mind and then I just end up remembering all of this stuff from growing up.

And you do talk really honestly about your relationship with food which has really kind of changed over the years, hasn't it? Yeah, definitely. It's definitely evolved. So in the book I talk about, you know, I was a lot bigger and then lost a lot of weight and then got a relationship with exercise and then, you know, I was quite a binge eater and now I probably enjoy food way more. So your relationship with food as you were growing up has sort of changed a lot? Yeah, definitely. I'd say now I would call myself a foodie, however much people resist that term. But weirdly that sort of obsession with food only came after I lost weight and sort of changed my... relationship with food in general. So I just used to sort of mindlessly eat and particularly good for me.

But now I mindfully eat a lot of nice food, which is a lot better. I thought you were very honest in your book because you talked about how you felt you sort of almost partly developed this personality that kind of related to your size and your weight. How did that manifest itself? I think certainly, you know when we're at school we're all looking for our place and trying to find our personality and almost you know craft personas for ourselves so we can slot into into things socially and because i was a bigger boy i think you sort of naturally know that it's either you're going to be made fun of or you make fun of yourself yeah and have a bit of a laugh about yourself i think people are a lot more accepting of that if that's the case. I'm not saying that's right or healthy in any way,

but that's certainly what you do to survive when you're at school. So I think that's sort of, as much of a cliche as it is, sort of honed my sense of humour a little bit as well and certainly my self-deprecating sense of humour. Yeah. Did you find, were you popular at school? Yeah, I think so. Not like, I wasn't like the most popular, but I was maybe on the fringes of the popular group because you know I was the character I think I was good fun but yeah not not super duper popular but certainly not I wasn't an outcast in any way were you academic at it I mean I was at a very academic school mm but I wasn't the I wasn't the top of the class I think some things I scraped through and some things I was you know middle of the class I was for a long

time like I'd say when I was a lot younger when I was at the school before I went second school I was like topping everything then went to a very academic school and rather than go right I'm going to ascend to meet the challenge yeah I thought right just slack off for a bit now I reckon this seems too hard like anyone I loved the things that I was naturally good at and when it came to the things that I wasn't particularly good at rather than work hard at them I just thought well head down put the blinkers on I'm not going to have to do maths when I leave. It's interesting that sort of knowing your funny thing.

It's quite powerful when that first hits you. When do you think that did first strike you that this was something sort of in your locker? I don't think there's a particular moment, but probably very, very young, you know, where I don't know what it is. I don't know whether it's like it was indulged by people around me in terms of, you know, laughing at stuff I did. But then I think every kid has that right at a certain point where where their parents or family members or friends or laugh at something silly they do

and it's such a wonderful moment when you're a kid because you're completely free in that moment. You almost don't have shame or embarrassment. I see being a comedian is letting go of that completely. Yeah, that's so interesting. I wonder if there is an element of that. You know, when you become a comic you are returning to it is a sort of eternal state of childishness in a way.

Definitely. I think you need that because it is play, it is silliness. Like you're on stage in front of people and your only job is to make them laugh. It just feels like stomping into the living room and putting on a stupid show for your family. I'm sure the fact that my mum laughed at what I did and my dad laughed at what I did

is key to the fact that I'm a comedian now. Yeah. Because if they turned around and went to stop being silly, that's ridiculous. it would probably introduce that element of embarrassment. And I'm not sure I would have followed up on it. And they never did that, presumably? Well, I don't think so. I don't think so.

I mean, you know, I'm sure I got on their nerves a huge amount at points. So they probably did have to turn around and go shut up. At what point, really, did you start actually thinking, oh, I think I'm going to be a comedian? It was probably when I was at university. Well, I say that. That's when I started doing comedy. But I think I always used to say I wanted to be an actor when I was a kid.

But yeah, I feel like I just didn't know comedian was a job. So I used to go to stand-up comedy nights when I was like 15 or 16 in Wimbledon and go and sit in the audience and go to like open spot nights. And I used to watch quite a lot. But didn't really have a sense of it. It's something that you could just start. doing. Like you just see professional comedians and think, oh, they, you don't think about the career path or how they started or anything like that. So when I went to university,

there was a sketch group that were holding auditions and I thought, well, that's a way in. At least I can see how someone gets into comedy that way. And then through doing that and then going to the Edinburgh fringe and performing, I think it just starts to become more of a realistic ambition. And I think that's when I discovered that it's something that I I genuinely wanted to do. And you did philosophy at Durham? I did. I mean, yeah, I barely did it.

Did you? I was just, I was doing a lot of comedy, so I was doing a lot of stuff with the sketch group and writing a lot of comedy and spending all day rehearsing with them and all of this stuff. And then, you know, the bare minimum when it came to the course, even though I'd love to do the course now. I do think we go to university at the wrong time of our lives. I do.

I've started to realise. didn't teach me what I thought it was going to teach me. Interesting. I didn't learn a great deal about English literature. Yeah. I sort of realized the point of it was to make me autonomous from my parents. Yeah. I mean, I'm trying to think if it actually did that for me because of my first, after my first

term, my mum came to pick me up from accommodation and had to take all my dirty washing back. I literally didn't do anything. This is nice and cool. There you go. I'm going to hang out here for a bit. Oh, we could do it. That's a really good idea.

Here, Ray's getting a bit overheated and Ed's found a lovely shape. This is perfect, Ed. I mean, it's not the most picturesque bit of the walk, but... I quite like it. We could sit on this bit here, Ed. How would you describe this little part of the walk? I'd describe it as sort of the, maybe the cover of 90s rap album, but not a very good one. Okay, Ed, come on, sit down. It's a bit weird, I know. Ray, where am I going to sit, mate? Where am I going to sit, buddy?

Can you let Ed sit down, please? People think we're a bit odd because we sat down here. Yes, well, we look mad. That's why. And we've turned this sort of urban waistline. Yeah. Into, we're pretending it's a lovely picnic spot. We are basically the front cover for gentrification right now.

This could be on Real Housewives of Clapton. Oh, dear. I'm getting the impression I would have liked. Ed Jr. Yeah, I think Ed Jr. was all right. Was he? Yeah, I think he was all right. It's only now, and I found in Glouston that was really interesting reading about that,

that it's only with that perspective looking back, that at the time, as you said, you were happy, but it's only looking back now that you realise possibly there might have been something, I guess you used the word, disordered maybe, around the way you would eat food. The way I would use food and the way I would treat food. treat food in a sort of more of an emotional way I guess but then also I really wanted in Glutton to not make it some sob story of like oh I was binge eating and you know crying into a big cake because that that wasn't my life and I don't think that is life for a lot of people but that is the sort of stereotyped way

of talking about being bigger and I just didn't I didn't want to do that I think after you left university you were you had decided to become a comic couldn't you? Yes, yeah, yeah. I think that was my, certainly my plan. And you were gigging, and I remember you were starting to get TV work, and was that one of the things that sort of slightly incentivised you, just from a practical career perspective, just like, oh, well, it's just easier if I'm... I don't think I ever thought that, you know, honestly. There was, there was a moment where, so it was on Russell Howard's Good News again, that I did with my double act, and I thought, you know, I've got three months until this slot, why don't I,

I was at my biggest at that point, so I thought, why don't I try and lose a little bit of weight just so I can sort of feel a bit better when I go on TV or have some sort of a bit more self-confidence. And it turns out you can do it. That is always my advice for people if you want to lose weight. Definitely get to the biggest you could ever get. And then it is way easier.

You know, because then just any lifestyle change helps you lose a bit of weight. And how much weight did you lose it? I think it ended up being about, It was about six stone, I think, six or seven stone, yeah. Because I was, yeah, I was 19 stone at my heaviest and dropped down to like 12. 1 half. I'm not that now, but that's the interesting thing as well. I lost that weight and then people start going, are you all right?

You've lost a lot of weight. What do you want from me? That's when you decide you just got to do it for yourself. You've just got to do it for yourself because I hate that. I hate comments. Any comments about people's bodies is just so annoying. And it's never, even compliments, if you think you're complimenting someone,

you never know what's going on. So just leave it. A hundred percent. I think anything that feels intrusive in that sense is just leave it alone. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. I mean, I hate, you look tired is my worst thing.

Oh God, it's the worst. And I see people do that. other people. I'm like, what are you doing? Do you not understand how socially trained have you been that you don't feel that atmosphere in a room change when you say to someone, you look tired? Or you look healthy, that's another one. It's supposed to be a compliment, but no one takes that as a compliment. What are you going to call me next, jolly? Yeah, exactly. After you've lost the way, people would come up to you, wouldn't they, and say, oh my God, I didn't realize you were so handsome? Yeah, I got that question. a lot as well. It's like, so what we... I just didn't, I hated the idea that they were all

qualitatively judging me silently before and then suddenly they feel like they can give me a compliment. Like, I absolutely hate it. But even that, like, just don't say it. If you find that, if you know me and you find out from me, I was actively trying to lose weight and trying to, you know, eat more nutritiously and, you know, start trying to exercise. By all means say, oh, that seems like it's going well. But going, I didn't know. I didn't know. I didn't know. I didn't know. you were handsome under all that was always the implication under that big old jumper of a body you were wearing. Yeah, it's a complicated thing, isn't it? Because I think what happens sometimes is people get very attached to an idea of us, whatever that may be, and you

know, and you describe it in Glutton as the funny fat friend. Yeah. And so then what happens is, oh, now I've got to now, I've got to think of you about, hang on, you're not fitting in with the idea I'd mentally stored away with you. Yeah, the persona that you created for yourself, exactly. But I just don't see why I have to hear about that. They can deal with that weird thing themselves, can't know, that internal struggle. And do you think as well, because you discovered when you were, were you 13 when you discovered you had diabetes?

Yes, yeah, yeah. Your mum discovered that, which was, because she was a nurse. Yeah, she was the one who basically took me in for the tests straight away when she spotted some of the symptoms. Because so many people when they're diagnosed, it only gets found out when they're admitted to hospital or they have an emergency situation. But I never had that, thankfully.

I just got to go to the GP and have some tests, and that's how we found out. And you've got type 1. Yes. And I know all about this because I'm such a fan of yours, Ed, that somewhat tragically, I've watched a video of you and James Norton addressing a diabetes panel.

That is amazing. you've watched that. I would say that is for diabetics, to interest diabetics only, and even then, I would say most of them probably would turn off halfway through. To be honest, Ed, my algorithm knows me. James Norton. I was going to say, James Norton and Ed Gamble. Look, that was a very funny thing. It was for, so we're both involved with a company called Dexcom who do these constant glucose monitors.

So, you know, we get all the glucose readings through to our phone. And this is for JDRF as well. You know, we're both very involved in the diabetes scene. I stop boasting. We did this chat and this Q&A. And then I'd say 70% of the questions are about Happy Valley. And the first one came up was about the Happy Valley finale. I'll take this one, James.

Thanks for asking. And there was this doctor, these very eminent doctors. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I just want to say, I know this is a bit about Happy Valley. value at the end. It was brilliant though, but you know what? I genuinely found it really interesting because I realised there's so much ignorance around it. Just from a practical point of view, you know, I didn't actually know when you and James Norton,

do you still like it when I said you and James Norton? He's your celebrity friend. He's my celebrity friend. But I met James years ago at the Edinburgh Festival. Yeah, we've known each other for ages on and off. And now he is a proper celebrity. You and James Autumn were talking about just performing and how presumably, I mean, it is, fortunately, it's much more manageable now, isn't it? But there's still, is there a little bit of planning and preparation that goes along with it?

Yeah, definitely. I mean, it's, you know, I'd say it a lot, but, yeah, being diabetic is an extra sort of 24-hour job because you're having to, you know, keep checking your blood glucose, making sure. That's all at a safe level and then always thinking about what you eat and injecting insulin and doing all of this stuff. So it's just a lot of balance. And some days it's very easy and some days it's massively difficult. Performing on top of that makes it slightly more difficult. I'd say James was having a much harder job.

That play he was doing because he was on stage for about four hours and it was quite physical. Whereas I am on stage for maximum 75 minutes. So basically I just need to check that my glucose levels are fine before I go on and then sometimes adrenaline can affect them. gets so specific and so tedious. You've done a lot of stand-up on it as well. Yeah, as soon as if I find any angle that is slightly different to any other comedian, I'm jumping on it because the rest of my life and the rest of who I am is very well covered in comedy.

I am basically the default for the comedy industry from the last 20 years. So that was a big moment for you. You've done comedy as you say. at Durham when you met people like Nish Kumar. Am I right in thinking Nick Muhammad was there as well? He actually left Durham before we got there, but then we met him because he was at Cambridge and felt like stuff and there was sort of a big crossover. We used to do shows together and stuff.

So, yeah, I knew Nick from those days as well. Yeah, there's a whole bunch of people. And was what was the big, you know, that sort of sliding doors moment, I suppose, in your career when you think that sort of changed everything? Do you think going on Russell Howard's show was a big... No, because I was already doing it. I was already being, you know, paid to be a comic, and that's all I wanted.

I think... I really don't think many people have that sliding doors moment, especially in comedy, because it's about building. It's about, you know, it's about, you know, you do your first unpaid gig, then, you know, you slowly keep doing it, and then you just do more and more and more, and it just sneaks up on you. And there's not, like, a gig where you're like, this is it.

this is my job, it just very slowly happens. And then you take a look around and it's been 15 years, you know. Well, you do, because I get the sense that you have really put the hours in. Yeah, because I enjoy it as well. It's the same thing we were talking about the way I was at school. I think if I enjoy something and I think I've got a bit of a natural talent for it, I will put the hours in because it doesn't feel like work, you know. I do get the sense that you.

did slightly, you had a bit of a reset, didn't you, a moment? I think when you were saying you'd lost all this way and I feel like this discipline came with it somehow. Do you think, like your life became a bit more ordered and... Yeah, I think, no, I think you are probably right there. Yeah, I definitely became more ordered because I was a bit of a disaster right up and, you know, even after I left uni, I was a bit of a tip. But yeah, definitely I think there was, there was a moment where I was like, right, let's try and get some things in order. You know, even when it's like eating, exercise, and I think things naturally follow after that

and then focusing on my career a little bit more. But it's not cool to say as a comedian, is it? What do you mean? Being a British comedian, you're not allowed to, you're not allowed to sort of give any sense that you're a careerist or have any ambition, because people will, audiences will stop thinking you're funny. I think there's only like two British comics maybe

who've ever managed to give that opinion and look like they're ambitious and more in that American model. American comics seem to be much more comfortable with that idea of what work for this and yeah I'm going to drive a fancy car and yeah it's that whole American dream thing isn't it? It's the you know I'm working every hour God sends

and now I get to do arenas and look at my big watch whereas I don't think... My shoes, my... Carmar Cray. There's none of that in UK comedy. You know, there's plenty of very rich comedians just, you know, walking around in rubbish trainers because that's the look. And that's what I think audiences connect with here.

No one wants a genuine show off. It's the same with like most comedians here are self-deprecating. And you go to the States and then the majority of comedians, their stories, they win all their stories. That's what it feels like. Your stand-off is self-deprecating. 100% that's like I can't write any differently. I just don't see how not being self-deprecating is funny. Well you always like that was that your family style when you were growing up? You

kind of skewer it, for example, your dad in a way that feels so fabulously British because it's also it's so deeply affectionate. Yeah. It's an old thing that it's like your, the fact that you have a really lovely relationship still comes over. Yes, well that's good. That's always Even when you're sort of shit-talking. Yeah, I think so. No, it's never genuinely poisonous. But I think that's a relationship most people have with their dads, to be honest,

is he's the silly man over there, but I respect him in a way. There's something very British in that sort of traditional. Like, for example, he's got a thing about middle names. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Some of the middle names So, yeah, my middle name is Stevenson.

I talk about that in the show. And then my sister's middle name is Montgomery, which is a massive source of consternation to her, I think. Why is she called Montgomery? It's not afterfield Marshall Montgomery, but I think I might say in the show it is. I definitely, look, if you met my dad, I don't think you'd be slightly disappointed in that I definitely overdo it.

Like, I do make him sound. like a sort of army general in the show. He's also a deeply silly man and is not, you know, is not completely shouting and walking around like it's, like he's a drill sergeant all at the time. But it's just funnier that way, in it? But I think that's also to do within the way that your persona on stage isn't you. Necessarily, it is you.

Yeah, yeah. But it's like you ramped up to 11. Diled up all the time. Yeah, yeah. And you're not like that all the time. Yeah. And you're not like that all the time. No, God, man. It would be so tiring.

Imagine. It'd be terrible to hang out with if I was like I was on stage all of the time. Who did you look at, when you first started going into comedy, did you have any sort of mentors that you looked up to comedically and thought, you know, I don't know, like Jonathan Ross always said to me, he would ask himself, what would let him do? Right, okay, interesting. I don't think so. I don't think I was ever that focused. I really liked a lot of American stand-ups.

The first comedy I ever saw live when I was 13, it was Steve Coogan. I really liked character comedy. But then sort of slowly came to the conclusion that that wasn't my thing. And then when I started doing gigs, I met Greg very early on. So that was when I was touring with Greg Davis was a big thing because you sort of look at the shows he's doing and the size of venues and you think this would be incredible. If I could do, you know, tours this size, that's got to be the main ambition. And sort of happened. That was when you first came onto my radar, I think, because that was Greg's firing cheeseballs.

Yeah, that was the first show. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I supported him on that tour. And the second one, which was back on my mum's head. That was the support on that as well. And that's just such an amazing thing to be asked to be the support on the tour like that. Mainly because you just go around and you get all your hotels paid for you and stuff. And you get sit in the car.

You're not paying travel. You're not paying accommodation. You only have to do 20 minutes. It's not your show, so it's very low pressure. And then you get paid for it. Joyous. I'm seeing this side to Ed, which is quite, you get your hotels paid for, which is quite dad at the airport.

Oh, yeah. With one of those sort of holster wallets. Yeah, definitely an iPhone wallet. Yeah, yeah. I travel. I've got the passports here, everyone. I do travel practically. Is there that side to you?

Definitely. Yeah, that's from your dad, I think. Yeah, I think so. Well, I don't have one of the wallets yet, But they are a good idea, aren't they? I saw a man at an airport, and he was very, well, older listeners, might be familiar with an act called Richard Breyers,

who I associate with those kind of sitcom dads. You know, he was like, write everyone. And he just opened, and he had a sort of jule, obviously. Yeah, yeah. But then under it, there was like a holster around his sort of shoulder, and it was some, you can tell you put a great deal of thought of it. It was sort of leather, and it had everything in it, like passports, because it was trapped under his shoulder.

And he'd obviously thought, well, that way they get you, see. They can't get you and there's a zip and it's got... And you strike me as someone who's quite meticulous and methodical. I tell you why I like that idea of this shoulder halster, which I'm going to look up when I get back. I do check for my passport quite a lot when it's in my backpack. So having it close to my body, at least then I can feel it. So I wouldn't need to...

I'm checking all the time, you know. No, I'm definitely... There is that element to me. When we were on our honeymoon, we were in Vegas for some of it. And I put on shorts, a Hawaiian shirt, had a bum bag around the middle, and my new balanced shoes. And I sort of did it for a joke for a photo. But then when we were walking around, I was like, this is practical. It doesn't feel good.

Like proper dad look. So, Ed, the show that you did with Greg, that really sort of helped break you through in some ways. Or it certainly got you exposed to a bigger audience. Yeah, I think so, yeah. And Mock the Week was also a big part of your career. Yeah, for sure. That was huge. Did you like doing that? Yeah, I did, definitely.

I mean, it always got a bad rap, not the week, for being very sort of competitive and, you know, a bit of a bun fight, you know, and it's comedians all just trying to shout their jokes over each other. And there was an element of that, but I think by the time I joined the Foles, a lot of that competitive element had died down, and it was a lot more about cooperation and banter,

and there was a lot less of that, people stumping all over each other. I think Dara enjoyed the cooperative nature of it as well. Like he likes keeping the ball in the air and likes riffing. So no, it was fun. I mean, terrifying. Was it? Yeah, absolutely terrifying.

Even like after I'd done it like 10 times, I was still sat there when the music comes on and you're going, oh, what am I doing here? You feel like you're watching it when the music comes on and then suddenly it's starting and you've got to say something funny. And it's that moment we have to say the first thing you've said in an episode and you sort of know if it doesn't fly, you're really working uphill for the rest of the thing.

You see, it's interesting you mention that because to most people, that is literally the definition of an anxiety dream. It's not far from that for me, to be honest. So why do it? It was good exposure. It was fun most of the time. I mean, comedy in general.

Comedy in general. I think it's interesting that you... Some people say they don't get nervous. I'm interested in that thing that separates comics that everyone finds that kind of stuff nerve-wracking. And comics will often say to you, yeah, but you know, I wanted to go back. And I thought, yeah, but that's what separates you.

Yeah, definitely. It's why would you go back and do it again? Yeah. I don't know, it's sort of, it's a weird mix between needing affirmation from strangers and also when you don't get it, feeling fine about that. Or at least being like, well, I have to go back and try.

and get it next time. It's sort of sheer desperation to the to the point of lack of self-respect. Because that never stops as well. There's never a moment where you're like, the next gigs are going to be brilliant every single time. There's always that worry that it's just around the corner. Really? Yeah. I mean not a full death. I think it's been a long time since I've had a full, a full silent crowd. Does it get easier because you're pretty well known now and once you start selling out gigs, which you do. And we should say your tour. Hot digitty dog.

We've got a hot digdy dog right here actually. We have got a hot dog. Very hot digity dog. It should be on your tour poster. You're touring all of, all this year basically. Yeah, so I did February to June and then I'm back on tour late September to end of November. Okay. Yeah, so big old tour.

And can people still see you because you sell out pretty quick? Yeah, no. We booked big rooms. Yeah. So there's always some seats knocking around. And so when you're approaching, I just think it's interesting, you know, when you're doing gigs like that, is it easier because the people that have come to see, you've got, you're known now.

And I guess you've won people over a little bit before you even get on stage. Does that make it easier? In the first five minutes it does. Yeah. For sure, because when you start doing comedy, the gigs are the worst they'll ever be. It's like being a woman. No, but it is in terms of you've got to prove yourself. Yeah, yeah, yeah, totally.

I mean, it's in terms of, yeah, but imagine being a woman starting comedy. That's the worst possible situation for proving yourself. The gigs are terrible. There's like two people in a pub. You don't know what you're doing. The audience doesn't really want to be there. It's Britain, so everyone doesn't want you to do well. And it's weird that that's when you start, when they're the most difficult.

You build yourself up to doing nicer gigs where the audience is full, the room's good, so you have a bit more of a chance then. Then hopefully you get to the point where people are coming specifically to see you. And there is that excitement as you come on. So you can ride that excitement for about three to four minutes. But you better have something to back it up with because you're in trouble then because then they just become a normal audience. Once they get used to seeing you on stage and realise, oh, there he is.

Once they've got used to that novelty, then it is. is like, well, come on then. They go back to being a British audience again. And also they're comparing you. Well, he's not as good as he was last time. I saw him on that you've got a body of work. You've got the expectations of hire, aren't they? They're comparing you to everything and everyone.

Yeah. And also, they've come out of their house. I don't know about you, but if I've gone out in my house to see something, it's got to be good. I really hope you love part one of this week's Walking the Dog. If you want to hear the second part of our chat, it'll be out on Thursday. So whatever you do, don't miss it.

And remember to subscribe so you can join us. on our walks every week.