Ellie Taylor interview

Ellie Taylor has made a name for herself via the live stand-up circuit, and can also be seen on TV shows like Fake Reaction. She's just signed up to present a new show on FUBAR Radio, so we caught up with her to find out more.

Hi Ellie, how're things going?

Great thanks. I'm just having a banana and then heading up to Leicester to do a work-in-progress show at the festival up there.

You first came to prominence via ITV's Show Me The Funny. Looking back, has that show given you a long-term career boost or would you be where you are today anyway?

It definitely helped. For starters it forced me to quit my day job, which is always a definitive moment for any comic. It means that there's no turning back. Hopefully, anyway. It also gave me a little bit of profile - before the show I had never been paid for a gig so it's fair to say it gave me a pretty big hand up.

You appeared in the sitcom Family Tree. Is acting something you'd be keen to do more of?

Yes, absolutely. Acting is where I started out and is the root of all my showing-off tendencies. Family Tree was a HBO/BBC collaboration and was an amazing thing to film - being directed by Christopher Guest and playing opposite Chris O'Dowd makes for a pretty good day at the office. Especially as it was all improvised and allowed me to unleash my ultimate inner weirdo.

You've presented quite a few series of BBC Three's Snog Marry Avoid? now. Who would you pick if you had to name comedians against those options?

Snog: Jim Davidson

Marry: Jim Davidson

Avoid: Jim Davidson

The main reason we're talking today is you're now a presenter on FUBAR Radio. What can people expect if they tune in?

I'm really excited about Fubar. It's a radio station just for comedy via the web or an app on your phone, meaning that there is no censor. We can do or say whatever we want. Except for being libellous. That's still a no-no sadly. Yawnsville.

You co-present the show with fellow comedian Simon Fielder. How did the two of you decide to work together?

I knew I wanted a co-host who I'd have good hashtag banter with, and Si and I have always got on really well when we've knocked round the circuit together. He's a top comic, a great human plus he works very hard which means we can share all the laborious preparation it takes to create our highly researched show. AKA, he reads The Metro and I read Heat.

You've just presented the first show... how did it go?

Alright I think. My mum texted me to say she thought were doing a good job but that she hated all the music. So I think that's a win.

Aside from continuing to host the radio show, what are your plans for the rest of the year? It sounds like you're working on a new live show?

Yes, a new show for Edinburgh - it'll be my first hour which is exciting and terrifying in equal measures. I've also got some more acting stuff lined up for later in the year which I'm really looking forward to doing. It's shaping up to be an interesting year. Maybe I'll celebrate with another banana.

Thanks for your time Ellie, and all the best with the new shows.

FUBAR Radio is the UK's first digital network dedicated to broadcasting uncensored talk radio and comedy - it is available for download exclusively on iOS via the App Store for two weeks from 20th February, before also becoming available on Android. For more info, please visit www.fubarradio.com

To find out more about Ellie visit www.ellietaylorcomedy.com