There are lots of actors, and you need a way to stand out. Writing comedy sketches was a way of doing that.

I'm a sheep when it comes to opinions; I will change my mind and jump on the bandwagon.

I'll cry anywhere because I can do it quite subtly. Walking, that's a good time to have a cry.

I despise shows that present friendship where you're always there for each other and really strong because I don't know anyone like that. I mean, I've got great friends, but I can go months without seeing them because I think, 'I just can't deal with having to give you anything.

I started writing sketches with Dennis Kelly, who I ended up writing 'Pulling' with. We entered a BBC competition and did quite well, then started writing bits for other people's shows. You wheedle your way in, write pilots and eventually you end up writing a sitcom.

I think the best comedy is tragicomic. Yeah, I suppose if you were to look at everything I've done, there is a bit of a black streak through all of it. It's not deliberate: it's what makes me laugh, and there's a fine tradition of it, especially in Ireland.

Comedy is helping a lot at the moment. It also seems to be getting under Trump's skin and revealing a lot about the kind of thin-skinned fool that he is.