Joe Lycett interview

A quick interview with rising stand-up star Joe Lycett...

Hi Joe. It's been a while since we've spoken - two hairstyles in fact. How is life?

Hi British Comedy Guide! As well as having a few haircuts since we last spoke, I have been enjoying performing stand-up comedy, doing a few bits of television work and my first holiday in five years to Lanzarote! I am now busy writing my next solo show, performing last year's show at The Soho Theatre and have started an intense romantic relationship with Jerry Sadowitz.

We must admit we're trying to forget that Jerry Sadowitz interview. So, swiftly moving on, as you allude to, you'll be performing Some Lycett Hot at the Soho Theatre - the Edinburgh show for which you received a best newcomer nomination. It's been a while since the summer now - do you still remember it all?

It's funny you should ask this as I was only just asking Jerry for his advice on how to remember the show and he said, 'what kind of fucking question is that? Just remember it and stop wasting my time.' I think I am going to listen to a couple of recordings of the show and I'm also doing a performance in Manchester so I should have a handle on it by the time I get to Soho.

Ha ha. It's your debut hour long show. How many years did you have that 'Some Lycett Hot' title in mind?

I actually only came up with that last year. There were a few names on the table but that felt like the best idea.

We like the way you are marketing your gigs on Twitter. We will be expecting all those promises to come true when we buy a ticket now of course!

Jerry just came in. He looks mad. He's asking me what I'm doing. I just showed him this and he said, 'that isn't even a question'. Sorry about this.

Eek! Talking of Twitter, you've managed to get yourself a blue 'tick' on there, a bit like Barak Obama and Justin Bieber. How did you sort that?

Jerry keeps saying, 'the country's falling apart' over and over. I don't quite know how I got the blue tick, it just happened one day. My mum was really impressed. Jerry wasn't.

Perhaps it was your agent that sorted that. Has signing with Chambers Management had any noticeable impact on your career?

Signing with Chambers was undoubtedly a good decision, mainly because they are all lovely people who understand the industry. But none of my career could have been possible without Jerry's guidance.

You've popped up on various TV shows (Buzzcocks, 8 Out Of 10 Cats etc), how are you finding these panel shows? It looks like you've taken them very much in your stride?

I feel I'm getting better at these things. The first panel show I did was 8 Out Of 10 Cats and I felt like a rabbit in the headlights. But I now feel much more comfortable on them. It's a learning curve and a skill, much like stand-up. Jerry gets kind of mad when I do them though cause he knows I only get on cause I'm middle class and bisexual.

Final question: are you still in touch with Peter Dickson, the X Factor announcer guy who you sometimes mimic?

Not since I met Jerry. He gets very jealous. I should also say that I do not mean Jerry Sadowtiz the comedian but someone else with the same name. I've got to go now, Jerry's started biting the bannister.

Joe perfrom 'Some Lycett Hot' at the Soho Theatre from 6th - 9th February 2013. Details