If the Royal Variety Show was put in a matter transportation machine with the Royal Institution Christmas lectures, this is what you'd get.

To be paid, to be employed to be an enthusiast and be excited about existence is fantastic.

I have spent a reasonable percentage of my life in libraries - I like the hush.

Once you start looking at the world rationally, it becomes much more exciting.

I'm glad the universe is pointless. It means if I get to the end of my life, the universe can't turn to me and go, 'What have you been doing, you idiot? That's not the point!

One idea I explore in my stand-up show is whether, if you try looking at the universe rationally and avoid coping mechanisms like mysticism or religion, you can still be happy knowing you are going to die after a brief time on this spinning ball.

I have a theory that evolutionary biologists are more vain than particle physicists.