My family originally hailed from Leigh-on-Sea and Westcliff-on-Sea on the sunny Essex peninsula.
By the time I popped out of mum we were living in North London. I was raised, and at the same time paradoxically lowered, on the lovely councilly streets of Brimsdown, Enfield.
After uninspiring drug-assisted exam failures, I ended up working in a shop. Then I thought: ‘Sod this, what’s Nineteenth Century Realism like?’ and went and got a gleaming First in English.
After that I worked in an office for bit – and that’s when it happened…
A dare. A curiosity. A one off. A ‘let’s see what’ll happen’.
And I had a go at stand-up comedy.
Before I knew it, I was out of a proper job and performing monkey antics all over the world. I’ve won the two biggies in stand-up: The Edinburgh Comedy Award (used to be called The Perrier), and Australia’s prestigious Barry Award. I do a national tour every year. I wrote a play which went to the Soho theatre and even got staged at the RSC… Oh, I’ve also written a novel.
That’s fucked up isn’t it? Who taught chavs to read?
I live, back where I belong, in Essex, with my cats Keith and Wayne and my pug Captain Colin. Currently banging a fittie called Lindsey from Manchester.
I love cheese, anything curried, and the minimalist writings of Haruki Murakami.
My favourite word is defenestration.
