I was terrible student. I was capable, but I never like being told what to do, so I was always in the bottom class at school. In Australia, a lot of students study to the end of year 10, but don't go on to the final year, and I was asked to leave the school because they just thought I wasn't performing well enough. I used to sneak off to play piano, and defy the rules of the school.

I feel like I'm so normal. So normal it's boring.

I was sure 'Summer Heights High' would be a cult ABC thing; I had no idea it would be such a big hit.

I think it just really excites me, the idea of delving so far into a character that people actually believe it's real, and I start to believe it's real. It's a strange thing to say, but it's the thrill of getting all the details right and being so absorbed in the character that people go along with the illusion.

I just do what I think is funny and what's exciting to me.

You can't get any better than TV on HBO, ABC and BBC3.

I didn't do very well academically; I was always in the bottom class.