I like the purity of stand-up because it is all about whether people laugh at your jokes. Either they laugh or they don't.

When I was at school you got an overall general education, on many things, even just basic facts.

So, my style has hopefully changed over the years and it is more relaxed, and I do tend to smile and have more than one expression these days hopefully - which I didn't at the beginning.

I think there's a far more general audience now because I've done more populist stuff on telly.

When you get to know someone, you find there's something nasty in their woodshed.

I tend to think the world is a bit of a miserable place, so anyone who can add to people's optimistic, cheerful side is doing a good job, which is what I hope I'm doing.

Having done a normal job for 10 years, as a psychiatric nurse dealing with emergencies, I know what terrible, hopeless lives some people have. So in many ways, it's great to be able to wield the financial power that I can, and do gigs, fundraisers or give money. I feel lucky I can help out.