Glenn Moore

As near as comics come to an overnight success - usually that means 'gigging for under a decade' - Glenn Moore made his stand-up debut by accident and was a So You're Think You're Funny? finalist about five minutes later. He and Matt Stevens skipped a few stages when they did their first live show as the sketch duo Thünderbards too; all is revealed below.

Given the prodigious schedule, it's a little surprising that Moore is only just about to do his first solo Edinburgh hour, Glengarry Glenn Glenn. Londoners can catch him previewing that show at the Bloomsbury Theatre on Saturday, and performing bits of it while compering Late Night Laughs at the Elgar Rooms on Friday.

Right, plugs done, back to that debut debut.

First gig?

2011, in Sheffield - I was helping a friend run a comedy night when I was at university there, and about an hour before the gig started, the compere called in sick. We didn't really have any choice but for me to step in, and without any material planned it was a bit of a baptism of fire/crap gig.

Favourite show, ever?

The first time I did a show as part of my sketch duo Thünderbards was probably my favourite. When people start in comedy they usually begin with a five minute or ten minute performance somewhere, but we were pretty naive about comedy, so booked ourselves in to do an hour-long show. If I watched it back, I'd probably have very different opinions about it, and it really was just a gig above a pub in Sheffield, but at the time, doing a show that long in a packed room with very little experience really made me want to do it for a very long time indeed.

Worst gig?

When I was just starting out, I once got a Megabus to Newcastle for a gig, and I was supposed to be on just before the headliner. When it was my turn to go on, the compere accidentally called the headliner's name instead of mine, so he went onstage and closed the night. I asked the compere if I could go on afterwards and he said no. At the time, I was too polite to cause a fuss, so I just accepted it and went home. To London. So pathetic.

Who's the most disagreeable person you've come across in the business?

Probably that compere.

Weirdest gig?

This was in equal measure a bad and weird gig: the show was going very badly, and the host appeared to have lost all faith in the event. At the interval, he vanished for about an hour, and neither the acts nor the audience knew if the show was supposed to recommence. Eventually the venue staff came upstairs and said 'Oh, are you all still here? We closed half an hour ago'. Turns out the compere had just given up and driven home. They had to unlock the venue to let the audience out.

Judging from this interview, it looks like most of my weirder experiences have been quite compere-based.

Is there one routine/gag you loved, that audiences inexplicably didn't?

I've got one joke which I stopped telling because I think it just isn't 'me', but I was admittedly proud of it: my next door neighbour used to be a MILF, until her son died.

I mean, it's really horrible isn't it.

What's your best insider travel tip, for touring comics?

If you can't get a train, Megabus over National Express, every time. They're always cheaper, have more leg room, and don't have as many people just permanently being sick.

The most memorable review, heckle or post-gig reaction to your stuff?

My parents came to a gig I did about two years ago, having never seen me do it before, and asked me afterwards where I got my jokes from. As in, if I used Lee Mack's jokes for my set, or if I used Michael McIntyre's. I still don't know if they think I don't write my stuff. It's insane.

How do you feel about where your career is at, right now?

I'm very much enjoying myself at the moment, but I'm always looking to take the next step - I'm looking forward to doing my first Edinburgh show in August, and hopefully working towards more opportunities after that. There you go: a real, sensible, professional answer.

Glenn is doing Glengarry Glenn Glenn at Just the Tonic at the Edinburgh Fringe from 4th -28th August (not 15th). Details and tickets

On Saturday he's previewing it at London's Bloomsbury Theatre (double-header with Steve Williams): thebloomsbury.com

And on Friday he hosts Late Night Laughs at the Elgar Rooms: royalalberthall.com