1 00:00:00,900 --> 00:00:03,510 Ian: I accidentally nearly walked in front of Eddie Izzard as he's run into 2 00:00:03,510 --> 00:00:05,969 Ian: the Jonathan Ross Studios. It was like mad. The first 3 00:00:05,970 --> 00:00:09,000 Ian: series was pretty bad really, if I'm being honest. I think we nearly got sent 4 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:12,360 Ian: home, true story, after about three, four weeks because it 5 00:00:12,630 --> 00:00:16,259 Ian: wasn't working, the voiceover. Sometimes Laura would notice me like 6 00:00:16,259 --> 00:00:19,019 Ian: doing essentially a gig in the kitchen while where we were making dinner 7 00:00:19,020 --> 00:00:20,970 Ian: and she'd be like, you need to go on Twitch 8 00:00:20,970 --> 00:00:21,959 Ian: or do a gig or something. 9 00:00:22,350 --> 00:00:25,050 Alex: This is Show on the Road brought to you by 10 00:00:25,380 --> 00:00:29,190 Alex: Autotrader. We're driving famous faces on a personalized road trip, 11 00:00:29,610 --> 00:00:32,610 Alex: visiting the places that help shape them and hearing how 12 00:00:32,610 --> 00:00:35,969 Alex: the locations turn them into who they are today. We've 13 00:00:35,969 --> 00:00:39,510 Alex: matched each celebrity with a car chosen specifically for them. 14 00:00:39,810 --> 00:00:43,890 Alex: So join me, Alex Legouix as we get this show 15 00:00:43,890 --> 00:00:46,979 Alex: on the road. Chances are you'll know my next guest 16 00:00:46,979 --> 00:00:50,309 Alex: the moment you hear him speak. He has one of 17 00:00:50,309 --> 00:00:55,530 Alex: the most recognizable voices in the country, thanks to his 18 00:00:55,650 --> 00:01:00,120 Alex: amazing, very funny commentary on hit reality show Love Island. 19 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:04,319 Alex: It is, of course, Ian Sterling who is a critically 20 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:08,339 Alex: acclaimed comedian. So we are very lucky that he had some time 21 00:01:08,340 --> 00:01:11,010 Alex: to take a drive with us, and we're about to 22 00:01:11,010 --> 00:01:14,160 Alex: visit some of the London haunts that have been key 23 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:18,900 Alex: locations in Ian's life. And I am so excited to 24 00:01:18,900 --> 00:01:25,229 Alex: show him this car. It's small, classic, 1972 classic, with 25 00:01:25,230 --> 00:01:29,310 Alex: an amazing modern twist. So we've matched Ian with this 26 00:01:29,369 --> 00:01:34,530 Alex: MGB GT that has been fully converted to an electric 27 00:01:34,530 --> 00:01:38,399 Alex: by frontline. MGs played a huge part in Ian's life, 28 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:41,490 Alex: so I'm very excited to show him this little lady 29 00:01:41,550 --> 00:01:42,750 Alex: and see what he thinks. 30 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:51,840 Ian: Oh, wow. Oh, she's a classic. So much smaller than 31 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:54,330 Ian: I remember. Look at it. 32 00:01:55,050 --> 00:01:56,010 Alex: What do you think? 33 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:57,480 Ian: This is amazing. 34 00:01:57,540 --> 00:01:58,169 Alex: Isn't it? 35 00:01:58,260 --> 00:02:02,309 Ian: Oh my God. My dad will be so jealous that I get to have a go in this. 36 00:02:02,309 --> 00:02:04,560 Ian: The color's lovely as well. 37 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:04,980 Alex: Yeah. 38 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:08,130 Ian: And I even remember the fold down boot at the back. 39 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:08,519 Alex: Yeah. 40 00:02:08,610 --> 00:02:10,710 Ian: Has it technically got some seats in the back, have you- 41 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:11,429 Alex: Well. 42 00:02:11,669 --> 00:02:14,910 Ian: I mean you'd have to be double- jointed really, to 43 00:02:14,910 --> 00:02:18,988 Ian: use them. Oh my God, it's gorgeous. It really is. 44 00:02:19,889 --> 00:02:21,569 Alex: And it's fully electric. 45 00:02:22,379 --> 00:02:23,490 Ian: This is fully electric? 46 00:02:23,490 --> 00:02:23,550 Alex: Yeah. 47 00:02:23,970 --> 00:02:24,988 Ian: Oh, is it like a rebuild? 48 00:02:25,020 --> 00:02:25,410 Alex: Yeah. 49 00:02:25,410 --> 00:02:28,500 Ian: Who would've thought you'd have saw the day? Look at 50 00:02:28,500 --> 00:02:33,240 Ian: it. I just love it. It's just the shape's just timeless. 51 00:02:34,050 --> 00:02:34,680 Ian: Should I try and get in? 52 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:35,100 Alex: Yeah. 53 00:02:36,389 --> 00:02:39,929 Ian: Look at it. Oh my God. 54 00:02:40,139 --> 00:02:42,059 Alex: I think we can safely say that he likes it. 55 00:02:42,449 --> 00:02:43,828 Ian: Oh, it's got a lot of legroom. 56 00:02:44,370 --> 00:02:55,201 Alex: Surprisingly, right? Let's go going shall we? 57 00:02:55,201 --> 00:03:00,450 Ian: Can I just say, as someone that's not from London originally, London in 58 00:03:00,690 --> 00:03:03,690 Ian: the sunshine, especially when you're near the water, all the 59 00:03:03,690 --> 00:03:07,170 Ian: big buildings, I will be 90 and I will still 60 00:03:07,350 --> 00:03:08,880 Ian: be blown away by the fact that I live here. 61 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:10,168 Alex: Yeah, agreed. 62 00:03:10,260 --> 00:03:13,410 Ian: Every time I go over any of the bridges, which 63 00:03:13,410 --> 00:03:17,309 Ian: I always sort of recognize from the Eastenders birds eye 64 00:03:17,309 --> 00:03:24,090 Ian: view. I just always think, imagine living here. I came here 65 00:03:24,270 --> 00:03:27,060 Ian: once with my family like a holiday, I remember thinking, 66 00:03:27,450 --> 00:03:30,720 Ian: it must so mad to live here. 67 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:30,721 Alex: Yeah. 68 00:03:30,721 --> 00:03:33,690 Ian: It still blows my mind that I do. It's incredible. 69 00:03:34,410 --> 00:03:37,770 Ian: And they just think everything through so much and that, 70 00:03:37,770 --> 00:03:42,690 Ian: there's all the skyline, is so iconic, like Oxo Tower, 71 00:03:42,690 --> 00:03:45,900 Ian: Gherkin, all those sorts of things, you just imagine you 72 00:03:45,900 --> 00:03:48,870 Ian: can just casually wander past them. And then down on 73 00:03:48,870 --> 00:03:52,109 Ian: the Embankment as well here, I spent so much time 74 00:03:52,109 --> 00:03:55,770 Ian: down this way when I first moved to London anyway, 75 00:03:55,770 --> 00:03:59,880 Ian: which is wild. I literally walking, this is the walkup 76 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:02,580 Ian: from the tube stations, so I remember this walk, doing it 77 00:04:02,700 --> 00:04:03,509 Ian: so many times. 78 00:04:03,510 --> 00:04:09,000 Alex: And I guess this is because you'd be walking to comedy venues, right? 79 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:13,080 Ian: Yes. Yes. So there's a low round here. On the embankment, one 80 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:15,210 Ian: of the is called the Tattershall Castle. 81 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:18,839 Alex: Yeah, that's great. 82 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:21,839 Ian: And I think it is still called this. They do weekend gigs on Fridays and Saturdays called the 83 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:25,950 Ian: Boat Show. And it was run at the time, and 84 00:04:25,950 --> 00:04:27,659 Ian: I think it might still be, it was run by 85 00:04:27,660 --> 00:04:31,500 Ian: a guy called Christian Knowles, who's a brilliant guy. He 86 00:04:31,890 --> 00:04:36,419 Ian: represents Mickey Flanagan and stuff and he's really big in 87 00:04:36,420 --> 00:04:39,750 Ian: the comedy world, but lovely lad. And I came down 88 00:04:39,750 --> 00:04:42,870 Ian: here, and when you first start doing standup in comedy 89 00:04:42,870 --> 00:04:45,029 Ian: and stuff, you have to do tryout spots. We'd do 90 00:04:45,029 --> 00:04:48,240 Ian: like five, 10 minutes unpaid. And I'd done a spot 91 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:50,160 Ian: down here. I'd been gigging in Scotland for a year 92 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:51,540 Ian: and I came down here and done a gig at 93 00:04:51,540 --> 00:04:54,419 Ian: the Tattershall Castle and it went really well. And then he 94 00:04:54,420 --> 00:04:55,890 Ian: came up to me after the gig and he was 95 00:04:55,890 --> 00:04:57,988 Ian: like, he went, " I can't not pay for that." And he gave me 30 96 00:04:57,988 --> 00:05:02,969 Ian: quid. And that was the first time I've ever been 97 00:05:02,969 --> 00:05:08,099 Ian: paid to do comedy. And it was mad. It was 98 00:05:08,100 --> 00:05:11,580 Ian: just absolutely mad. And then for a man that high up in 99 00:05:12,180 --> 00:05:14,250 Ian: the show to do that. And then I ended up, 100 00:05:14,250 --> 00:05:16,319 Ian: he booked me for weekends and getting weekends is quite 101 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:18,659 Ian: hard. So I ended up doing weekends there. 102 00:05:18,928 --> 00:05:19,498 Alex: Wow. 103 00:05:19,500 --> 00:05:21,660 Ian: Long before I was doing any paid work anywhere else, 104 00:05:21,690 --> 00:05:23,940 Ian: which sometimes didn't necessarily work out. 105 00:05:24,330 --> 00:05:26,250 Alex: So you grew up in Edinburgh? 106 00:05:26,580 --> 00:05:30,989 Ian: Edinburgh, yeah. It's the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, I don't 107 00:05:30,990 --> 00:05:31,770 Ian: know if you know that about it. 108 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:33,960 Alex: The Glaswegians. 109 00:05:34,020 --> 00:05:37,020 Ian: A lot of people think it's Glasgow. Glasgow is actually, 110 00:05:37,469 --> 00:05:41,488 Ian: it's got a larger population, Glasgow. I'm quite apologetic in 111 00:05:41,490 --> 00:05:46,680 Ian: sort of... unsure of myself in many ways, aspects of 112 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:51,389 Ian: my personality and my myself. But then weirdly, the Scottish 113 00:05:51,389 --> 00:05:55,109 Ian: thing is this thing that I'm incredibly, unfailingly proud of, so it's really 114 00:05:55,380 --> 00:05:58,260 Ian: nice to have that string to your bow. Yeah. I 115 00:05:58,260 --> 00:06:00,359 Ian: like telling people that I'm Scottish, talking to Scotland. I 116 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:02,580 Ian: love coming from a country where if you meet another 117 00:06:02,580 --> 00:06:04,770 Ian: person with your accent in another country, it sort of 118 00:06:04,770 --> 00:06:08,819 Ian: feels like this really exciting thing has happened. I don't 119 00:06:08,820 --> 00:06:10,860 Ian: know if English people have that quite as much. If 120 00:06:10,860 --> 00:06:11,640 Ian: you meet a Scottish- 121 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:12,089 Alex: No way. 122 00:06:12,150 --> 00:06:15,839 Ian: Yeah, if you meet a Scottish accent in Spain, you 123 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:20,370 Ian: sort of are almost expecting it. Ultimately, I think if 124 00:06:20,370 --> 00:06:25,469 Ian: someone Scottish finds success then they are a Scottish success story. 125 00:06:26,130 --> 00:06:26,219 Alex: Yes. 126 00:06:26,490 --> 00:06:31,589 Ian: Which I quite like. Do you know what I mean? Like comedians, Kevin Bridges for example, is 127 00:06:31,589 --> 00:06:35,580 Ian: quite obviously from Glasgow or surrounding areas, but everyone in 128 00:06:35,580 --> 00:06:39,060 Ian: Scotland just sees him as this Scottish guy that's done good. Billy Connolly. 129 00:06:39,089 --> 00:06:39,779 Alex: Yes. 130 00:06:39,990 --> 00:06:40,950 Ian: Andy Murray. 131 00:06:41,339 --> 00:06:42,210 Alex: Yes. Of course. 132 00:06:42,299 --> 00:06:47,940 Ian: Technically from... well near enough Edinburgh. He supports Hibs, that does it 133 00:06:47,940 --> 00:06:54,419 Ian: for me. But yeah, all Scottish. So that is a thing that we're all 134 00:06:54,420 --> 00:06:55,080 Ian: very proud of. 135 00:06:56,250 --> 00:06:57,990 Alex: What was little Ian like? 136 00:07:00,150 --> 00:07:04,529 Ian: What was I like? So a bit odd, quiet I guess. Very 137 00:07:04,529 --> 00:07:09,569 Ian: sporty. I loved sport but I couldn't sit and watch 138 00:07:09,570 --> 00:07:13,050 Ian: it. I loved my golf and if I was watching 139 00:07:13,050 --> 00:07:17,040 Ian: golf on telly, for whatever reason, I'd have to watch 140 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,260 Ian: it through the window while I was in the garden hitting 141 00:07:19,260 --> 00:07:22,260 Ian: a ball around because I couldn't... Feel quite active, I 142 00:07:22,260 --> 00:07:25,589 Ian: guess. Done lots of different things. Sort of jack of 143 00:07:25,590 --> 00:07:27,239 Ian: all trades, master of none sort of thing. 144 00:07:29,339 --> 00:07:31,290 Alex: You weren't like the class comedian. 145 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:36,120 Ian: Absolutely not. No. I suppose now I know that I'm into 146 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:40,469 Ian: sort of doing standup and that obviously I've discovered that I sort 147 00:07:40,469 --> 00:07:43,409 Ian: of performing and that sort of thing. But that really wasn't 148 00:07:43,410 --> 00:07:47,160 Ian: an option where I grew up. So just where I 149 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:49,050 Ian: grew up, people wouldn't be into the music I was 150 00:07:49,050 --> 00:07:53,190 Ian: into or dress how I would want to dress and 151 00:07:53,850 --> 00:07:55,740 Ian: do the things I wanted to do. I sort of 152 00:07:55,980 --> 00:07:59,520 Ian: liked rock music and pop, that sort of early noughties 153 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,070 Ian: pop punk like Offspring and Blink 182 and all that 154 00:08:02,070 --> 00:08:04,350 Ian: sort of stuff. It just wasn't a vibe in my school. 155 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,590 Ian: So I was just sort of never really had anyone in my school that 156 00:08:07,590 --> 00:08:09,630 Ian: I was like, oh I like this thing. So I don't think 157 00:08:09,630 --> 00:08:11,610 Ian: I met my sort of tribe, if you know what I 158 00:08:11,610 --> 00:08:16,020 Ian: mean, until... Then I got to university and then I discovered 159 00:08:16,020 --> 00:08:20,339 Ian: people that like to work, study hard and drink booze. 160 00:08:20,370 --> 00:08:23,099 Ian: So then I met all those people and then I sort of feel like... then 161 00:08:23,099 --> 00:08:25,860 Ian: I was like, oh I can just be myself now. And then I got into, 162 00:08:26,220 --> 00:08:28,590 Ian: as a result, I got into performing and doing all that because 163 00:08:28,590 --> 00:08:29,429 Ian: I felt confident enough to do it. 164 00:08:30,059 --> 00:08:32,640 Alex: But you didn't do performing at uni, you did Law. 165 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:34,830 Ian: I don't think there was a big game plan with it. I 166 00:08:34,830 --> 00:08:36,870 Ian: think it's just one of those things, I'm sure a 167 00:08:36,870 --> 00:08:39,359 Ian: lot of people feel the same. I basically didn't like 168 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:43,080 Ian: anything at school enough to do it. There was no 169 00:08:43,110 --> 00:08:45,030 Ian: subject at school that I thought, oh my God, I want to do 170 00:08:45,390 --> 00:08:49,470 Ian: this five days a week every day. And then I just so 171 00:08:49,470 --> 00:08:51,809 Ian: happened to have the sort of exam results that meant 172 00:08:51,809 --> 00:08:56,189 Ian: I could do law. So I thought be mad not to do law. No one my 173 00:08:56,190 --> 00:08:59,399 Ian: family had been to uni or anything, so it was quite exciting 174 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,429 Ian: to be the first person from your family to not 175 00:09:02,429 --> 00:09:04,468 Ian: only go to university but then for that to be 176 00:09:04,470 --> 00:09:08,520 Ian: law school. It felt sort of too good a opportunity to 177 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:09,540 Ian: pass up sort of thing. 178 00:09:10,050 --> 00:09:11,250 Alex: You were the bright one. 179 00:09:11,700 --> 00:09:15,269 Ian: Yeah, well I think it was more just my mom 180 00:09:15,270 --> 00:09:19,110 Ian: and dad just encouraged that aspect of me. Where mom 181 00:09:19,110 --> 00:09:21,300 Ian: and dad grew up, it was sort of, you left 182 00:09:21,300 --> 00:09:22,858 Ian: school when you could to get a job. Do you 183 00:09:22,859 --> 00:09:23,250 Ian: know what I mean? 184 00:09:23,699 --> 00:09:24,450 Alex: Yeah, of course. 185 00:09:24,570 --> 00:09:28,260 Ian: Education wasn't looked on with the same importance. My mum 186 00:09:28,260 --> 00:09:30,660 Ian: and dad are a hundred percent more intelligent to me. Jesus, 187 00:09:30,660 --> 00:09:35,279 Ian: I'm a borderline idiot sometimes. My sister's definitely more intelligent 188 00:09:35,279 --> 00:09:35,669 Ian: than me. 189 00:09:40,590 --> 00:09:45,330 Alex: So how did you go from law at uni to comedy? 190 00:09:45,690 --> 00:09:48,689 Ian: At Edinburgh, they have the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 191 00:09:48,690 --> 00:09:48,780 Alex: Yes. 192 00:09:49,349 --> 00:09:51,479 Ian: The biggest part of the Fringe Festival now is the comedy. 193 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:54,870 Ian: So the comedy side of it is more than half 194 00:09:54,870 --> 00:09:57,570 Ian: I think now, or at least a good third plus. 195 00:09:58,470 --> 00:10:00,809 Ian: So I went to see loads of comedy shows all 196 00:10:00,809 --> 00:10:04,380 Ian: through the summer every year when I was really young. 197 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:07,260 Ian: And I'd done a few, wrote my own... again because 198 00:10:07,500 --> 00:10:10,199 Ian: there was no theater groups where I grew up, man, 199 00:10:10,379 --> 00:10:12,480 Ian: none of that. Do you know what I mean? Nobody 200 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:17,370 Ian: was practicing their plays on the estate or anything. So 201 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,010 Ian: me and my mate just wrote some sketches. We were sort 202 00:10:20,010 --> 00:10:22,468 Ian: of obsessed with Little Britain and Monty Python and stuff 203 00:10:22,469 --> 00:10:24,630 Ian: like that. And we just put on some shows at the 204 00:10:24,630 --> 00:10:27,030 Ian: Fringe and that gave me my first taste of it. 205 00:10:27,030 --> 00:10:29,249 Ian: But I never knew what I could do with that. 206 00:10:29,250 --> 00:10:31,800 Ian: And then when I went to uni, there was an improv 207 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:35,760 Ian: class thing called the Edinburgh Improverts. So I joined that 208 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:37,710 Ian: and then from there a few of those guys were doing standup, 209 00:10:38,370 --> 00:10:40,409 Ian: so then I went a few standup gigs. And then 210 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:43,169 Ian: I sort of assumed, again even back then, because I 211 00:10:43,170 --> 00:10:46,378 Ian: didn't know, I thought standup you just were like, I just assumed that you 212 00:10:46,379 --> 00:10:48,720 Ian: were a professional comedian. You'd done comedy. I sort of didn't think 213 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:51,360 Ian: there was like, do you mean open mic nights and 214 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:54,270 Ian: places you could train. So then I found all them and 215 00:10:54,270 --> 00:10:56,728 Ian: then I went to Norway in my third year of 216 00:10:56,730 --> 00:10:59,729 Ian: uni and then I couldn't do improv and stuff, so 217 00:10:59,730 --> 00:11:01,679 Ian: I started writing standup a lot. And then when I came 218 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:03,330 Ian: back from my final year of uni, I started doing 219 00:11:03,509 --> 00:11:05,790 Ian: standup. I just had written all this material. 220 00:11:07,890 --> 00:11:08,160 Alex: That's it there, isn't it? 221 00:11:08,940 --> 00:11:12,000 Ian: That's the Tattershall right there. The Tattershall Castle. Look, they've 222 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,099 Ian: even got a little poster up for the comedy and it's 223 00:11:14,099 --> 00:11:15,989 Ian: right in the bottom at the front of the boat. 224 00:11:16,020 --> 00:11:18,659 Ian: That's where it is. And then sometimes if a wave hit or 225 00:11:18,660 --> 00:11:21,660 Ian: something, literally during the gig a wave might hit the boat 226 00:11:21,929 --> 00:11:25,170 Ian: and you'd sort of rock. So I can't remember who 227 00:11:25,170 --> 00:11:28,260 Ian: it was, it might've been Charlie Baker, one of the regular 228 00:11:28,260 --> 00:11:31,440 Ian: hosts there, he used to say a reference of it 229 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:33,809 Ian: was only gig in the country where the more drunk 230 00:11:33,809 --> 00:11:35,670 Ian: you get, the more steady you got on your feet. 231 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:38,909 Ian: If you were so drunk you would sort of naturally 232 00:11:38,910 --> 00:11:41,219 Ian: counteract the sort of sway of the boat. So that 233 00:11:41,220 --> 00:11:48,210 Ian: was it. Yeah, honestly I think that's probably up there, easily 234 00:11:48,210 --> 00:11:51,599 Ian: the top two or three venues, the many times I've 235 00:11:51,599 --> 00:11:52,140 Ian: gigged in there. 236 00:11:52,620 --> 00:11:54,750 Alex: Who at the time then when you were starting off 237 00:11:54,750 --> 00:11:58,320 Alex: would've been your sort of comic idols or influences? 238 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:02,730 Ian: Russell Howard was like... There's Russell Howard. I don't think 239 00:12:02,730 --> 00:12:05,850 Ian: he'd done it intentionally, but he single- handedly led the, 240 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:09,540 Ian: and he'll hate the term because he's not really him. 241 00:12:09,540 --> 00:12:12,300 Ian: But there's this sort of, in the comedy world, there's this sort 242 00:12:12,300 --> 00:12:16,410 Ian: of phenomenon known as the T- Shirt comedian. Because before 243 00:12:16,410 --> 00:12:20,490 Ian: Russell Howard, yeah, there was never someone that was young and optimistic 244 00:12:20,490 --> 00:12:24,540 Ian: and sort of good- looking in a sort of geeky, 245 00:12:24,540 --> 00:12:28,920 Ian: quirky way. And he would wear ripped jeans and his 246 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:30,960 Ian: traders were a bit scuffed and he'd come on and 247 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:34,020 Ian: do his stuff. So yeah, Russell sort of gave birth 248 00:12:34,020 --> 00:12:36,540 Ian: to this sort of generation of... I guess it's one 249 00:12:36,540 --> 00:12:38,640 Ian: of those things, that's why representation is so important on 250 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:41,368 Ian: television because for us it was all these, as a 251 00:12:41,370 --> 00:12:44,130 Ian: young guy, you would just look at him like, oh that's like me 252 00:12:44,130 --> 00:12:45,809 Ian: and I want to do comedy like that. I never knew 253 00:12:45,809 --> 00:12:48,540 Ian: comedy could be sort of like, I love this thing. 254 00:12:49,469 --> 00:12:50,880 Ian: So yeah, Russell was massive. 255 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:54,208 Alex: That's interesting, like it's accessible for people. You see someone 256 00:12:54,208 --> 00:12:54,809 Alex: like that then- 257 00:12:54,809 --> 00:12:56,190 Ian: Yeah, that's why you need that. That's why you need it. You need to see 258 00:12:56,190 --> 00:12:59,220 Ian: yourself. You need to yourself echoed in whatever you do. It's 259 00:12:59,550 --> 00:13:03,060 Ian: really, really important. But then before that, that was Russell was a person I thought, oh 260 00:13:03,630 --> 00:13:07,140 Ian: I could do something like that. But in terms of 261 00:13:07,980 --> 00:13:11,430 Ian: influences, it's pretty, especially being from Scotland, it's obviously Billy 262 00:13:11,460 --> 00:13:14,850 Ian: Connolley. He's just undeniable. He's just the greatest. 263 00:13:15,510 --> 00:13:20,640 Alex: Were you nervous before, and are you now? 264 00:13:20,670 --> 00:13:23,309 Ian: No, not now. If I'm being completely honest, it's nearly 265 00:13:23,309 --> 00:13:26,909 Ian: 15 years. If anything, I wish I could get more nervous because 266 00:13:26,910 --> 00:13:29,069 Ian: I might actually do some more writing and stuff before 267 00:13:29,069 --> 00:13:31,949 Ian: I do gigs. There's certain gigs I get nervous for. 268 00:13:31,950 --> 00:13:33,840 Ian: There's ones that you know are going to be quite tricky 269 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:37,770 Ian: or ones that are filmed or if they're particularly quiet or particularly 270 00:13:37,770 --> 00:13:42,210 Ian: busy. But generally speaking, it's like a job, a really fun 271 00:13:42,210 --> 00:13:46,139 Ian: job. So I don't get that nervous. At the start, I'd 272 00:13:46,139 --> 00:13:48,059 Ian: get right really bad. You'd have it all day. You'd 273 00:13:48,059 --> 00:13:50,700 Ian: wake up in the morning and be like, I've got a gig. And it was like hang 274 00:13:50,700 --> 00:13:53,400 Ian: over your head. It sort of made me realize, I sort 275 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:57,570 Ian: of messed up uni my final year because I fell 276 00:13:57,570 --> 00:14:00,030 Ian: in love with standup and I was doing it every night. But then 277 00:14:00,030 --> 00:14:03,208 Ian: actually thinking about it, even on a subconscious level, my 278 00:14:03,210 --> 00:14:07,020 Ian: brain having a gig in the evening, that takes up so 279 00:14:07,020 --> 00:14:09,270 Ian: much of your mental capacity when you're first gigging. So 280 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:11,460 Ian: the fact I was in lectures and the whole time 281 00:14:11,460 --> 00:14:13,380 Ian: in my head I was going, oh no, what if 282 00:14:13,380 --> 00:14:15,449 Ian: this gig goes badly? What if it goes well? What am 283 00:14:15,450 --> 00:14:17,790 Ian: I going to say to people? So I think there is a 284 00:14:17,790 --> 00:14:22,350 Ian: lot of that, the sort of low level of stress caused 285 00:14:22,350 --> 00:14:24,240 Ian: by knowing I was gigging at night probably did have 286 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,360 Ian: an impact as well on how well I could read things 287 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:28,590 Ian: and learn things and stuff. 288 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:29,821 Alex: Yeah, that makes sense, doesn't it? 289 00:14:29,821 --> 00:14:32,249 Ian: Well that's the excuse I'm going to use to my 290 00:14:32,250 --> 00:14:32,970 Ian: mom why I got a 2:2. 291 00:14:32,970 --> 00:14:38,339 Alex: Are you still waiting for that sit down- 292 00:14:38,370 --> 00:14:39,000 Ian: I'm still waiting. 293 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:43,140 Alex: Conversation where she's like, now darling, why didn't you continue 294 00:14:43,170 --> 00:14:43,890 Alex: down that route? 295 00:14:43,980 --> 00:14:46,050 Ian: I'm still waiting for the letter from Edinburgh Uni going, 296 00:14:46,050 --> 00:14:53,581 Ian: we made a huge error. It's a 2:1. 297 00:14:53,581 --> 00:14:53,582 Alex: Yeah. 298 00:14:53,582 --> 00:14:53,670 Ian: Oh, there's parliament. 299 00:14:53,670 --> 00:14:54,570 Alex: Such a cool building. 300 00:14:54,809 --> 00:14:56,699 Ian: Mad that we're just driving past. But you know what I mean, that's what 301 00:14:56,700 --> 00:15:00,931 Ian: I think about London. We're just driving past parliament. It's like mad. 302 00:15:00,931 --> 00:15:01,801 Alex: Yeah, it's great, isn't it? 303 00:15:01,801 --> 00:15:06,570 Ian: The flags are out. Whenever I see flags it just makes me 304 00:15:06,570 --> 00:15:08,880 Ian: realize how dumb I am. I don't know- 305 00:15:09,990 --> 00:15:12,331 Alex: No, what's that one there? That looks like Pokemon up there. 306 00:15:12,331 --> 00:15:20,940 Ian: That was Pokemon. That's Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, perhaps Cyprus. 307 00:15:20,940 --> 00:15:21,270 Alex: Well more than I do. 308 00:15:21,270 --> 00:15:25,080 Ian: Nigeria, Malaysia. Oh my god. Cameroon. 309 00:15:26,250 --> 00:15:27,420 Alex: How are you doing this? 310 00:15:27,420 --> 00:15:34,289 Ian: It's because I play FIFA a lot. That's not Wales. Pakistan, Ireland, South 311 00:15:34,289 --> 00:15:37,230 Ian: Africa. Oh my god. New Zealand. 312 00:15:37,470 --> 00:15:38,369 Alex: Listen to you. 313 00:15:38,370 --> 00:15:43,200 Ian: Australia, Canada, Britain. This is incredible. But the only problem 314 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:44,639 Ian: is you can't see the flag, so I can just 315 00:15:44,639 --> 00:15:46,560 Ian: be saying any country I want. 316 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:48,270 Alex: Yeah, and I don't know any of them. 317 00:15:48,420 --> 00:15:56,520 Ian: Where's Aubameyang from? That's his one. I can't remember that. Oh my god. That was exhilarating. That's the most intelligent 318 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:58,410 Ian: I think I've ever felt. I'm not even joking. 319 00:15:58,470 --> 00:16:01,050 Alex: There's no one assessing you. I can't assess you. You 320 00:16:01,050 --> 00:16:01,650 Alex: could've just got them all wrong. 321 00:16:01,650 --> 00:16:05,219 Ian: Look, I'm being very honest. I'd like to make that 322 00:16:05,219 --> 00:16:07,289 Ian: very clear to everyone. I'm being incredibly honest. 323 00:16:10,289 --> 00:16:17,580 Alex: What is the atmosphere like backstage when you are at a gig where 324 00:16:17,580 --> 00:16:18,630 Alex: there's a few of you? 325 00:16:18,630 --> 00:16:22,229 Ian: Yeah, now it's very much more workman- like but in a lovely 326 00:16:22,230 --> 00:16:26,460 Ian: way. Everyone sort of arrives before their gig and they 327 00:16:26,460 --> 00:16:27,779 Ian: normally have to get home. And also I'm at the 328 00:16:27,780 --> 00:16:30,209 Ian: age where people are now going home for... They've got to get home 329 00:16:30,209 --> 00:16:33,210 Ian: to relieve the babysitter and stuff like that. Or just to 330 00:16:33,210 --> 00:16:34,920 Ian: walk... The dog's been home for too long. 331 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:36,390 Alex: How times have changed. 332 00:16:36,390 --> 00:16:41,549 Ian: I know, we used just to go out party, now it's like, oh, I could do with a lie in actually, it would be lovely. 333 00:16:42,270 --> 00:16:45,750 Ian: So yes, the vibe's pretty cool. Pretty chill actually. I do 334 00:16:46,199 --> 00:16:49,860 Ian: feel sorry sometimes the occasional punter will get, especially nowadays, 335 00:16:49,860 --> 00:16:51,660 Ian: will get backstage, especially when we're gigging at a time. 336 00:16:51,660 --> 00:16:53,100 Ian: So there's like three or four comics at a time. So 337 00:16:53,100 --> 00:16:55,380 Ian: we're all trying to work out and get drive back or 338 00:16:55,380 --> 00:16:58,650 Ian: what hotel we're staying in, and a drunk audience member will get 339 00:16:58,650 --> 00:16:59,220 Ian: into the- 340 00:17:00,269 --> 00:17:00,690 Alex: Oh really? 341 00:17:00,690 --> 00:17:04,740 Ian: Backstage area. They might find it accidentally. Sometimes they're literally behind a curtain 342 00:17:05,459 --> 00:17:08,070 Ian: or they'll just walk into the room by mistake. Or 343 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:12,300 Ian: maybe they've just drunk and they burst in, and I think they're expecting seven 344 00:17:12,300 --> 00:17:18,749 Ian: jesters like juggling balls and having a laugh and shotting tequila and they just 345 00:17:18,749 --> 00:17:22,830 Ian: get four guys discussing how you pay your toll road 346 00:17:22,830 --> 00:17:26,010 Ian: fine and what M- road is best, quickest back there 347 00:17:26,010 --> 00:17:27,719 Ian: to London and stuff. So they are a bit like, 348 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:28,800 Ian: oh this isn't what I was expecting. 349 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:30,391 Alex: Well you're not all funny all the time. 350 00:17:30,391 --> 00:17:34,049 Ian: No, I mean some of us aren't even funny half the time, to 351 00:17:34,049 --> 00:17:34,679 Ian: be honest. 352 00:17:35,010 --> 00:17:38,129 Alex: Is it much harder now because you have to be 353 00:17:38,130 --> 00:17:41,519 Alex: so much more careful with what you do and don't say? 354 00:17:41,609 --> 00:17:45,000 Ian: It's difficult, because do you have to be more careful? I don't 355 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:47,910 Ian: really think you do. I think you'll get pulled up on stuff 356 00:17:47,910 --> 00:17:51,210 Ian: more by people that don't like it. But then those people 357 00:17:51,210 --> 00:17:54,750 Ian: just have a voice now, as in the same people didn't 358 00:17:54,750 --> 00:17:56,158 Ian: like your stick back then. 359 00:17:56,909 --> 00:17:57,569 Alex: Yeah, that's so true. Just didn't a platform for it. 360 00:18:00,540 --> 00:18:06,750 Ian: I would say I am more offense averse now, but 361 00:18:06,750 --> 00:18:10,200 Ian: that's only because I wouldn't want to put something out that 362 00:18:10,290 --> 00:18:12,238 Ian: I couldn't stand by because I know people pull me 363 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:15,780 Ian: up on it and that isn't actually necessarily a bad thing. I 364 00:18:15,780 --> 00:18:17,490 Ian: think this whole, you can't say anything these days is 365 00:18:17,490 --> 00:18:20,550 Ian: actually nonsense and you can say whatever the hell you 366 00:18:20,550 --> 00:18:25,500 Ian: like, literally you can say whatever the hell you like. But 367 00:18:25,500 --> 00:18:27,990 Ian: you've got to accept that people might object to that 368 00:18:28,109 --> 00:18:30,179 Ian: and they're allowed to say whatever the hell they like. 369 00:18:30,179 --> 00:18:30,269 Alex: Yes. 370 00:18:30,329 --> 00:18:33,809 Ian: Do you know what I mean? So the way I 371 00:18:33,809 --> 00:18:36,029 Ian: look at it is there's one of two arguments is you 372 00:18:36,029 --> 00:18:40,619 Ian: either are willing to take on that criticism and then 373 00:18:40,619 --> 00:18:44,760 Ian: you also make sure that what you're joking about you 374 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:47,369 Ian: can justify in your own head and you can justify, 375 00:18:47,369 --> 00:18:49,350 Ian: so you can put those justifications forward. 376 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:54,688 Alex: Are there any things that you look back on, not necessarily like this 377 00:18:54,690 --> 00:18:57,570 Alex: where it's offensive, but any gigs where you've looked back 378 00:18:57,570 --> 00:19:00,090 Alex: on it and be like, why the fuck did I say that? 379 00:19:00,180 --> 00:19:09,418 Ian: Oh, hundreds, hundreds. When I was new I was an idiot, you 380 00:19:09,420 --> 00:19:12,449 Ian: do these corporate bookings that are private bookings, black tie events, 381 00:19:12,990 --> 00:19:17,490 Ian: and I've come out swearing using a ridiculous language and 382 00:19:17,550 --> 00:19:19,590 Ian: getting told to get off the stage after like five minutes, because 383 00:19:19,590 --> 00:19:23,760 Ian: I'm just like, what was I thinking? I didn't know any better. 384 00:19:24,150 --> 00:19:24,780 Alex: Yeah. 385 00:19:25,109 --> 00:19:27,900 Ian: And yeah, there's definitely bits of material that I don't stand 386 00:19:27,900 --> 00:19:32,400 Ian: by now, a hundred percent. But I guess time's changing, 387 00:19:32,970 --> 00:19:35,490 Ian: that's fine. I think that's fine. I think what I 388 00:19:35,490 --> 00:19:38,910 Ian: would love is... I would love... The one thing I 389 00:19:38,910 --> 00:19:44,369 Ian: think is, like offense and comedy or anything like that. I think the biggest 390 00:19:44,369 --> 00:19:48,630 Ian: issue for me anyway at the minute, is not that 391 00:19:48,630 --> 00:19:53,310 Ian: you can't say anything, because I don't believe that's true. I'm 392 00:19:53,310 --> 00:19:59,908 Ian: a straight white guy, believe me, we're pretty bulletproof at 393 00:19:59,910 --> 00:20:01,920 Ian: the minute. As much as some people like to think 394 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:06,359 Ian: that's not the case, but we're a very privileged area. But what 395 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:09,510 Ian: I would like to happen is there just to be 396 00:20:09,510 --> 00:20:12,720 Ian: a more open, to be able to allow... At the 397 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:16,410 Ian: minute arguments don't allow for nuance in the discourse. This 398 00:20:16,410 --> 00:20:19,138 Ian: is why we've got such a polarized, especially on social 399 00:20:19,138 --> 00:20:22,080 Ian: media, it's such a polarized standpoint on so many issues 400 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:23,938 Ian: at the minute, because you've sort of feel that you've 401 00:20:23,940 --> 00:20:26,940 Ian: got to pick a team. A comedian is either offensive 402 00:20:26,940 --> 00:20:29,640 Ian: and canceled or you can say whatever the hell you 403 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:32,668 Ian: like and you're a bastion of free speech. Is there 404 00:20:32,670 --> 00:20:35,610 Ian: not a gray era? Is there not a middle ground 405 00:20:35,820 --> 00:20:38,549 Ian: where people can say what they like but they have 406 00:20:38,549 --> 00:20:41,039 Ian: to be pulled up, held to account and then maybe 407 00:20:41,039 --> 00:20:42,720 Ian: it goes, you know what? Now you've made your point, 408 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:44,820 Ian: I'm not going to say that that way anymore. That 409 00:20:44,820 --> 00:20:48,240 Ian: just feels like a much more useful discourse to me 410 00:20:48,300 --> 00:20:54,148 Ian: rather than canceled, or a comedy legend. Someone that's saying 411 00:20:54,150 --> 00:20:56,668 Ian: it like it is, because also I don't think there's a 412 00:20:56,670 --> 00:20:59,910 Ian: comedian alive that wants to be known... That definitely doesn't 413 00:20:59,910 --> 00:21:01,619 Ian: want to be canceled, and they certainly don't want to 414 00:21:01,619 --> 00:21:04,650 Ian: be the bastion of free speech and known as the 415 00:21:04,650 --> 00:21:06,359 Ian: one person that can say offensive things. 416 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:06,360 Alex: Yeah. 417 00:21:06,360 --> 00:21:08,790 Ian: Because you don't want to be that person either. 418 00:21:08,790 --> 00:21:08,908 Alex: No. 419 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:13,648 Ian: So yeah, I think, I hope as social media moves on and 420 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:17,218 Ian: algorithms and all that sort of stuff, we can't open 421 00:21:17,219 --> 00:21:19,770 Ian: the world up to... This guy does not know what 422 00:21:19,770 --> 00:21:20,010 Ian: lane he's in, does he? 423 00:21:20,010 --> 00:21:20,161 Alex: Not at all. 424 00:21:20,161 --> 00:21:24,478 Ian: He does not know what lane he's in. Come on 425 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:28,168 Ian: buddy. And they're now going to the other lane. He was right, 426 00:21:28,170 --> 00:21:30,898 Ian: middle, right, middle, left. Unlucky. 427 00:21:31,138 --> 00:21:32,700 Alex: Got this, you got this. 428 00:21:33,660 --> 00:21:35,849 Ian: Yeah. So I just think hopefully we'll get to a 429 00:21:35,850 --> 00:21:39,480 Ian: stage once there's been this overcorrection or get to a place 430 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:44,580 Ian: where... And so basically an answer, the 10- minute summation 431 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:47,428 Ian: answer to your question is you can say what you 432 00:21:47,429 --> 00:21:50,489 Ian: want, but you've got to accept the fact that there's 433 00:21:50,490 --> 00:21:52,619 Ian: a chance you will be pulled up on what you 434 00:21:52,619 --> 00:21:56,130 Ian: say, rightly or wrongly. And you've got to decide there 435 00:21:56,130 --> 00:21:59,070 Ian: and then whether you are the wrong or if you're 436 00:21:59,070 --> 00:22:02,369 Ian: going to stand up for yourself. And that's where we're at, basically. 437 00:22:02,429 --> 00:22:10,049 Alex: That makes sense, doesn't it? What was it like when 438 00:22:10,049 --> 00:22:12,600 Alex: you very first started, or, well, when you very first 439 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:17,190 Alex: had a heckler, can you remember that left? 440 00:22:19,590 --> 00:22:25,259 Ian: Well, hecklers are funny ones, because it's actually quite a 441 00:22:25,259 --> 00:22:29,850 Ian: rare thing to happen. But as a comedian, it's like 442 00:22:30,330 --> 00:22:34,198 Ian: the first thing anyone, if you ever meet a comedian 443 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:37,740 Ian: in the street, don't say this only because it's boring. If you want 444 00:22:37,740 --> 00:22:40,349 Ian: to seem a bit more interesting, the most number one 445 00:22:40,349 --> 00:22:42,869 Ian: thing anyone says to me goes, " Oh, I'm going to 446 00:22:42,869 --> 00:22:45,750 Ian: come to one of your shows and I'm going to heckle." Which 447 00:22:45,750 --> 00:22:47,850 Ian: is, if you think about it, and they're not being 448 00:22:47,850 --> 00:22:50,790 Ian: nasty, but what a weird thing to say something. Because 449 00:22:50,790 --> 00:22:52,470 Ian: that's like going, " Oh, what do you do for a living?" 450 00:22:52,470 --> 00:22:54,060 Ian: Someone's like, " Oh, I'm a plumber." You're going to go, "I'm going to 451 00:22:54,570 --> 00:22:56,161 Ian: come to your job and take a shit in your toilet." 452 00:22:56,161 --> 00:22:57,359 Alex: Yeah, yeah. 453 00:22:57,690 --> 00:22:58,888 Ian: It's weird, right? 454 00:22:58,888 --> 00:22:58,948 Alex: Yeah. 455 00:23:00,209 --> 00:23:02,310 Ian: It's weird, "I'm a nurse." " Oh well I'm going to come to your-" 456 00:23:02,310 --> 00:23:02,311 Alex: Slate your- 457 00:23:02,311 --> 00:23:06,839 Ian: " I'm going to come to your work and spread 458 00:23:06,900 --> 00:23:13,710 Ian: a disease." But then also heckler can be really fun. But then 459 00:23:13,980 --> 00:23:16,440 Ian: the annoying thing is most of the time hecklers are 460 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:19,380 Ian: someone that's quite drunk and they'll just say a city, 461 00:23:19,469 --> 00:23:22,948 Ian: you'll mention Coventry and someone go, " Yeah," because they're also from 462 00:23:22,949 --> 00:23:28,500 Ian: there. So yeah, most heckler stories are just that really, just 463 00:23:28,500 --> 00:23:32,880 Ian: like people being drunk. But I've had some absolute beauties, 464 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:37,320 Ian: like when I filmed my special, at Alexandra Palace, Ally Palley 465 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:41,069 Ian: in London, actually, this lad went to the toilet, but 466 00:23:41,070 --> 00:23:44,129 Ian: he was being really sweet. But the funny thing was 467 00:23:44,130 --> 00:23:47,458 Ian: is because it's being filmed, we had to sort of stop the 468 00:23:47,460 --> 00:23:49,230 Ian: filming until they came back in the room because it disturbed 469 00:23:49,710 --> 00:23:52,379 Ian: the gig, him leaving. But I didn't want start and have 470 00:23:52,380 --> 00:23:54,869 Ian: to stop. But he then felt bad for disturbing the 471 00:23:54,869 --> 00:23:56,880 Ian: gig. So he was waiting outside? 472 00:23:57,809 --> 00:23:57,810 Alex: No. 473 00:23:57,810 --> 00:23:59,609 Ian: So then we were waiting for 10 minutes and eventually some 474 00:23:59,609 --> 00:24:02,398 Ian: people from the venue ran around the venue, found him 475 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:03,388 Ian: and brought him back here. 476 00:24:03,420 --> 00:24:04,859 Alex: That's brilliant. Did you have that whole room of awkwardness? 477 00:24:04,859 --> 00:24:08,490 Ian: Well I was like, " We've been waiting for you." 478 00:24:09,180 --> 00:24:09,181 Alex: What's this dude doing? 479 00:24:09,181 --> 00:24:11,730 Ian: And I was like, " He's back," and the whole room giving him 480 00:24:11,730 --> 00:24:14,400 Ian: a stand of it. And then this guy, imagine this guy, 481 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:18,900 Ian: what a night, he's thought he's going to a comedy gig, he's 482 00:24:18,900 --> 00:24:21,210 Ian: ended up going for a wee and then come back 483 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:23,940 Ian: to 1500 people applauding him in the room. 484 00:24:24,810 --> 00:24:26,130 Alex: And he's made it to the special 485 00:24:26,130 --> 00:24:30,090 Ian: And oh, it's on the special. You can watch it. It's literally 486 00:24:30,809 --> 00:24:31,500 Ian: him, walks out. 487 00:24:33,388 --> 00:24:34,890 Alex: Talk to me about Taskmaster. 488 00:24:35,010 --> 00:24:37,530 Ian: Oh, yes please. My favorite thing I've ever done, probably. 489 00:24:38,940 --> 00:24:38,941 Alex: What a cool show. 490 00:24:38,941 --> 00:24:45,330 Ian: Yeah, what an amazing thing to do. My only regret, and 491 00:24:45,330 --> 00:24:50,129 Ian: it's very small, is that I'd done Taskmaster, it was 492 00:24:50,130 --> 00:24:54,060 Ian: in this sort of real height of Love Island blowing up. 493 00:24:54,810 --> 00:24:59,730 Ian: So I'd gone from doing 60 seater rooms that I 494 00:24:59,730 --> 00:25:05,280 Ian: couldn't really fill to gigging some evenings, but not really, 495 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:08,609 Ian: and then having a day to myself. To going on this 496 00:25:08,609 --> 00:25:13,260 Ian: tour, selling it out, going to bigger rooms, people wanting 497 00:25:13,260 --> 00:25:17,790 Ian: to interview you, do podcasts, telly shows. Not a criticism, 498 00:25:17,790 --> 00:25:20,580 Ian: but I mean then Taskmaster was this mad thing that I 499 00:25:20,580 --> 00:25:24,869 Ian: fitted in around all that madness. And now looking back on it 500 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:28,559 Ian: and knowing what a special show it was and what amazing time it 501 00:25:28,559 --> 00:25:30,810 Ian: was, I wish I'd had a bit more time to, 502 00:25:31,650 --> 00:25:33,958 Ian: the day after I filmed Taskmaster, just to think, " Oh, 503 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:35,129 Ian: I filmed Taskmaster yesterday." 504 00:25:35,129 --> 00:25:37,321 Alex: Yeah, to actually be in it, experience it properly. 505 00:25:37,321 --> 00:25:42,330 Ian: Whereas it sort of felt like, which I think it's reflected in 506 00:25:42,330 --> 00:25:44,400 Ian: the way I'd done a lot of the tasks, you can 507 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:48,000 Ian: tell that I am in a very stressful part of 508 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,100 Ian: my life when that show is happening, 509 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:51,090 Alex: One foot out. 510 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:54,240 Ian: So I'm sort of always a bit like, just run 511 00:25:54,240 --> 00:26:02,399 Ian: into things and I'm not very measured. I don't take my 512 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:04,229 Ian: time and think about things. I just sort of rush 513 00:26:04,230 --> 00:26:06,869 Ian: in. Because I think at that point in my life, everything 514 00:26:06,869 --> 00:26:08,670 Ian: was like, we need to keep up with this, this 515 00:26:08,670 --> 00:26:11,220 Ian: mad thing's happened. And I was sort of adjusting to that. 516 00:26:11,700 --> 00:26:15,599 Ian: So I think if I'd done Taskmaster now, a few 517 00:26:15,599 --> 00:26:18,508 Ian: years older, it'd be a different thing. But that is 518 00:26:18,509 --> 00:26:20,549 Ian: such a small thing because, I mean, just what I 519 00:26:20,549 --> 00:26:23,579 Ian: show. You would just, let's say 10, 12 days of your 520 00:26:23,580 --> 00:26:26,580 Ian: year, you would just go to the house, you would 521 00:26:26,580 --> 00:26:28,590 Ian: sit in a room on your own. They would come 522 00:26:28,590 --> 00:26:30,928 Ian: in, they'd say, " Right, come and do this task." Alex would give 523 00:26:30,930 --> 00:26:32,820 Ian: you a task, you'd do it, you'd go back into the 524 00:26:32,820 --> 00:26:35,580 Ian: room, they'd set up another one, do the task, back 525 00:26:35,580 --> 00:26:37,589 Ian: into the room. And it was just that. 526 00:26:37,589 --> 00:26:37,590 Alex: Wow. 527 00:26:37,590 --> 00:26:40,740 Ian: And then that would be over the course of six months. 528 00:26:41,789 --> 00:26:44,700 Ian: And the best thing about that show is when you 529 00:26:44,700 --> 00:26:48,060 Ian: watch the tasks being done back, not only are you 530 00:26:48,060 --> 00:26:50,730 Ian: watching how other people have done them, but because you do 531 00:26:50,730 --> 00:26:55,738 Ian: like 50, 60 in a series, you probably remember three or 532 00:26:55,740 --> 00:26:57,300 Ian: four that you think you've done well. 533 00:26:57,300 --> 00:26:57,780 Alex: Yeah. 534 00:26:58,230 --> 00:27:01,710 Ian: But the rest of them, you completely, oh God, I'd done that. You completely 535 00:27:01,710 --> 00:27:04,800 Ian: forget. And the funniest thing is the three or four that 536 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:07,770 Ian: you think you've done well, you watch two other people 537 00:27:07,770 --> 00:27:11,908 Ian: do it, and you realize I've absolutely... I think there 538 00:27:11,910 --> 00:27:14,250 Ian: was one we done where we had to find a 539 00:27:14,250 --> 00:27:16,859 Ian: horseshoe or something and I managed to run around the 540 00:27:16,859 --> 00:27:20,369 Ian: house and find a horseshoe in the house. And I remember thinking, I've got five 541 00:27:20,369 --> 00:27:24,270 Ian: points, I'm absolutely smashed. I found it. And then when they 542 00:27:24,270 --> 00:27:27,300 Ian: showed the video, the first two people they showed was 543 00:27:27,300 --> 00:27:29,638 Ian: Joe and Paul who are in my series, and they 544 00:27:29,638 --> 00:27:32,158 Ian: noticed that there was a horseshoe hanging from above our head. 545 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:32,220 Alex: No. 546 00:27:33,179 --> 00:27:36,178 Ian: So within seven seconds I realize not only is it 547 00:27:36,180 --> 00:27:38,129 Ian: not gone well, but I know they've kept my video 548 00:27:38,130 --> 00:27:40,350 Ian: to the end because I'm the idiot that didn't spot the 549 00:27:40,350 --> 00:27:41,609 Ian: thing that was right in front of me. 550 00:27:41,609 --> 00:27:48,869 Alex: You do a lot on Twitch, don't you? 551 00:27:48,929 --> 00:27:53,039 Ian: My friend and comedian, Alfie Brown, described it the best. It's basically 552 00:27:53,039 --> 00:27:56,369 Ian: long form social media, meaning it's just a live- streaming 553 00:27:56,369 --> 00:27:59,700 Ian: platform so you can do whatever you want. The reason I like it is because 554 00:27:59,820 --> 00:28:02,428 Ian: you're live for an elongated amount of time, so I think it's 555 00:28:02,429 --> 00:28:04,200 Ian: the most true representation of yourself. 556 00:28:04,230 --> 00:28:06,359 Alex: Yeah, I was just about to say that. People actually 557 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:06,720 Alex: get to see- 558 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:07,200 Ian: You. Good and bad. 559 00:28:07,740 --> 00:28:11,070 Alex: You and probably you get to be able to just be 560 00:28:11,070 --> 00:28:12,631 Alex: you good and bad. And that's okay. 561 00:28:12,631 --> 00:28:16,590 Ian: Instagram, I feel that you've got to make everything look so nice, 562 00:28:16,650 --> 00:28:18,988 Ian: that's changing a bitt, but you know what I mean. Your reels, you've got 563 00:28:18,990 --> 00:28:21,510 Ian: to make things a reel and put music to it and 564 00:28:21,510 --> 00:28:26,398 Ian: make it perfect. And then yeah, with TikTok... with Twitch- 565 00:28:26,398 --> 00:28:26,638 Alex: Twitch. 566 00:28:26,638 --> 00:28:33,600 Ian: I'm getting so old, man. With Twitch you can just log on and 567 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:33,751 Ian: be yourself. 568 00:28:33,751 --> 00:28:34,231 Alex: Twist Twost. 569 00:28:35,220 --> 00:28:39,599 Ian: With the Twitch-Twotches. Yeah, I just feel you can just be yourself. It's really 570 00:28:39,599 --> 00:28:44,130 Ian: nice. I like it. I really like it. It's my favorite 571 00:28:44,130 --> 00:28:46,770 Ian: platform. The only problem with it is a live- streaming platform and 572 00:28:46,770 --> 00:28:49,050 Ian: it's quite a lot of technology to get it up 573 00:28:49,050 --> 00:28:51,870 Ian: and running. The main game I play is FIFA and 574 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:58,199 Ian: sometimes I'm really chill and sort of articulate and we 575 00:28:58,199 --> 00:29:01,500 Ian: talk about some stuff that's personal to me. Other times I was an idiot, 576 00:29:01,650 --> 00:29:03,870 Ian: 35 year old man that should know better screaming at 577 00:29:03,870 --> 00:29:06,269 Ian: pixels on a screen because the game's not gone the 578 00:29:06,270 --> 00:29:06,900 Ian: right way. 579 00:29:07,470 --> 00:29:11,160 Alex: Do you find as a result of who you are and 580 00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:13,740 Alex: what you do, that there is a sort of a 581 00:29:13,740 --> 00:29:16,469 Alex: social pressure to be that version of you when you're 582 00:29:16,469 --> 00:29:18,361 Alex: out and about at dinner parties or whatever? 583 00:29:18,361 --> 00:29:22,260 Ian: Yeah, well I suppose that's another element of keeping the right 584 00:29:22,260 --> 00:29:25,560 Ian: people around you. So now, my closest friends and family 585 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:27,840 Ian: obviously wouldn't really give a damn about that sort of 586 00:29:27,840 --> 00:29:30,360 Ian: thing. And whereas in the past I might have gone 587 00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:32,429 Ian: somewhere else, people would be like, oh yeah, be that guy. 588 00:29:32,429 --> 00:29:35,130 Ian: And I might have tried to do it because I didn't want to let 589 00:29:35,130 --> 00:29:38,219 Ian: people down or because I want to impress people. Now, I 590 00:29:38,220 --> 00:29:40,590 Ian: would sort of maybe say something like, "Do you know what? Not 591 00:29:40,590 --> 00:29:42,600 Ian: today mate, I can't. I'm just having a sort of 592 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,209 Ian: chill one. Thanks very much." I think it's quite important to be 593 00:29:45,210 --> 00:29:49,170 Ian: able to just, I don't feel that need to... You're 594 00:29:49,170 --> 00:29:51,059 Ian: never going to impress everyone. I think that's something you 595 00:29:51,059 --> 00:29:54,269 Ian: learn as you get older. So I'm still not easy, 596 00:29:54,270 --> 00:29:56,549 Ian: but I've become much more accepting of that fact, I think. Yeah. 597 00:30:00,029 --> 00:30:03,480 Alex: I wonder if the pressure is higher as well as 598 00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:04,710 Alex: a comedian. 599 00:30:05,970 --> 00:30:09,150 Ian: Well, I suppose so. I definitely find that the most 600 00:30:09,150 --> 00:30:11,879 Ian: nervous I've ever been is doing best men's speeches and 601 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:14,520 Ian: stuff. Because I suppose, one, people think you're going to 602 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:16,170 Ian: be funny, but two, it's that sort of thing, people are, 603 00:30:16,170 --> 00:30:18,839 Ian: I bet you're going to destroy it. And when I'd done 604 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:21,180 Ian: my best friend, Greg's, best man speech, I was like, 605 00:30:21,450 --> 00:30:23,850 Ian: me and Greg have been friends for so long and 606 00:30:23,850 --> 00:30:27,240 Ian: that's just not really our vibe. So I was like, I'm not really do that, because I know he 607 00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:30,030 Ian: wouldn't want that. I like his family and all that. I 608 00:30:30,030 --> 00:30:32,520 Ian: wouldn't want to cause anyone any... So yeah, I don't 609 00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:38,220 Ian: think it's a huge thing, but I definitely think comedian more than 610 00:30:38,220 --> 00:30:42,630 Ian: like... There's other jobs, you wouldn't expect the person to 611 00:30:42,630 --> 00:30:44,460 Ian: do their job at the dinner party. 612 00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:45,300 Alex: Yeah. 613 00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:46,500 Ian: Do you know what I mean? 614 00:30:46,500 --> 00:30:47,551 Alex: Yeah, that's true isn't it? 615 00:30:47,551 --> 00:30:51,150 Ian: But with comedy, there's some weird thing where people go, go 616 00:30:51,150 --> 00:30:53,639 Ian: on then. But I do get it. Don't get me 617 00:30:53,639 --> 00:30:55,770 Ian: wrong, I absolutely get it. If someone tells me they're 618 00:30:55,770 --> 00:30:59,400 Ian: a magician and we're a dinner party, I absolutely would love 619 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:01,530 Ian: a card trick. I would love one. 620 00:31:02,190 --> 00:31:02,461 Alex: That's true. 621 00:31:02,461 --> 00:31:06,810 Ian: But it's not always the right time and place, is it really? 622 00:31:06,810 --> 00:31:07,080 Alex: No. 623 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:10,349 Ian: But I've always had that weird thing where I'm constantly 624 00:31:10,350 --> 00:31:13,860 Ian: think to myself this, forever, could I do this forever? 625 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:17,700 Ian: And I've just never been good enough at anything else really. 626 00:31:18,420 --> 00:31:20,909 Ian: I think that's the difference, because you find a lot in 627 00:31:20,910 --> 00:31:24,690 Ian: standup, you'll get people who do standup who are really great and they'll do it 628 00:31:25,020 --> 00:31:26,700 Ian: for two years and then when they've got to start 629 00:31:26,700 --> 00:31:33,390 Ian: to drive from Edinburgh to Durham for like 60 quid 630 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:36,210 Ian: and they just start going, I don't want this to 631 00:31:36,210 --> 00:31:39,870 Ian: be my life. Whereas, that's the difference, people always say that, oh, 632 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:42,240 Ian: do you feel like you were the funniest guy in your school 633 00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:45,960 Ian: or whatever like that. I'm never that, but I think the actual comedians 634 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:47,759 Ian: that stay the distance aren't the ones that just think 635 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:51,630 Ian: they're funny, it's the ones that need to be funny. We 636 00:31:51,630 --> 00:31:56,010 Ian: sort of want that attention and want that, what's the word? 637 00:31:56,460 --> 00:31:56,461 Alex: Validation. 638 00:31:56,461 --> 00:32:02,939 Ian: Validation, yeah. Basically that's it. We need it, we crave it. 639 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:06,210 Ian: As opposed to being like, oh, I'm quite a funny guy and this is 640 00:32:06,450 --> 00:32:10,140 Ian: a laugh, because it's just not, those people don't tend 641 00:32:10,140 --> 00:32:11,219 Ian: to stick it out. 642 00:32:11,219 --> 00:32:12,959 Alex: And it's not a big enough motivation. 643 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:16,170 Ian: No, no. And also if you're funny down the pub, 644 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:19,110 Ian: just be funny down the pub. Don't come to the King's 645 00:32:19,110 --> 00:32:21,090 Ian: Theater at Glasgow and do it there. 646 00:32:21,750 --> 00:32:26,070 Alex: So we are on the outskirts of Shepherds Bush. What 647 00:32:26,070 --> 00:32:27,361 Alex: does this mean to you? 648 00:32:27,361 --> 00:32:30,810 Ian: Shepherds Bush was my original sort of stomping ground. Because 649 00:32:31,260 --> 00:32:36,329 Ian: when I graduated university, I've luckily landed a job on 650 00:32:36,389 --> 00:32:39,929 Ian: kids TV, the home of which is sort of around the 651 00:32:39,929 --> 00:32:43,560 Ian: Shepherd's Bush area. So Shepherd's Bush was basically the first 652 00:32:43,560 --> 00:32:47,250 Ian: place I properly moved to, this is the first place 653 00:32:47,250 --> 00:32:51,540 Ian: I called home in London. And it's the first place 654 00:32:51,540 --> 00:32:54,960 Ian: I ever lived in London that had, what I find 655 00:32:54,960 --> 00:33:02,820 Ian: is quintessentially London in the sense that it's got really old, small, 656 00:33:02,850 --> 00:33:07,680 Ian: niche, weird shops that you don't know how they financially exist. 657 00:33:07,980 --> 00:33:11,580 Ian: And it's also got the Shepherd's Bush Empire and Westfield 658 00:33:11,580 --> 00:33:14,729 Ian: Shopping Center and all these big massive things that are 659 00:33:14,730 --> 00:33:22,200 Ian: so quintessentially London, mixed them with little small Chinese takeaways and launderettes. 660 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:27,389 Ian: And you've got high rise council flats next to really 661 00:33:27,389 --> 00:33:33,719 Ian: expensive central London townhouses and stuff. And it's just this mad eclectic melting 662 00:33:33,719 --> 00:33:38,910 Ian: pot that sort of... It's when I went, I love this because that's like me. It's 663 00:33:38,910 --> 00:33:43,530 Ian: sort of where I grew up, as in the middle 664 00:33:43,530 --> 00:33:47,369 Ian: of this big city of stuff. So yeah, I've always 665 00:33:47,370 --> 00:33:50,370 Ian: felt like, yeah, it doesn't know what it is, Shepherd's Bush. 666 00:33:50,429 --> 00:33:52,139 Ian: And I'm sort of feel like I'm that a little 667 00:33:52,139 --> 00:33:52,769 Ian: bit as well. 668 00:33:54,180 --> 00:33:59,910 Alex: And we're about to pass the sewing machine shop. 669 00:33:59,940 --> 00:34:00,360 Ian: Yes. 670 00:34:00,360 --> 00:34:01,500 Alex: I mean, why? 671 00:34:01,770 --> 00:34:06,420 Ian: This is one of those places that genuinely I remember most because I used 672 00:34:06,420 --> 00:34:11,489 Ian: to live in Shepherd's Bush. Two men, Dan Clarkson and 673 00:34:11,489 --> 00:34:15,569 Ian: Phil Fletcher, and Phil Fletcher is a puppeteer, still is. 674 00:34:15,989 --> 00:34:20,970 Ian: And he mainly plays Hacker the Dog on CBBC, that's what 675 00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:26,790 Ian: he's most famous for. But I remember his excitement when 676 00:34:26,790 --> 00:34:28,589 Ian: he realized we lived next to a sewing shop because he 677 00:34:28,590 --> 00:34:32,370 Ian: builds puppets as well. That's what he does as a 678 00:34:32,370 --> 00:34:35,010 Ian: living. So he'd go in that sewing shop all the 679 00:34:35,010 --> 00:34:37,380 Ian: time. And I remember thinking, the first time I saw that 680 00:34:37,380 --> 00:34:41,130 Ian: sewing shop was like, how can a sewing shop financially 681 00:34:41,130 --> 00:34:46,080 Ian: survive in this sort of fairly central London location? And 682 00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:48,539 Ian: then he saw it and just thought what a genius 683 00:34:48,540 --> 00:34:52,500 Ian: thing to have. And then we lived two doors up 684 00:34:52,500 --> 00:34:55,950 Ian: from that sewing shop. We had so many funny memories 685 00:34:55,950 --> 00:35:01,170 Ian: of nights out. I remember my single days, because he 686 00:35:01,170 --> 00:35:04,020 Ian: builds puppets, we always had puppets in my house. So 687 00:35:04,020 --> 00:35:07,830 Ian: in my single days, I remember I met a girl, we went for a 688 00:35:07,830 --> 00:35:09,000 Ian: bit of dinner with her, we were coming back to 689 00:35:09,000 --> 00:35:12,479 Ian: mine for a drink, 10 at night, nine at night, 690 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:16,710 Ian: something like that. And we walk into the flat and my friend 691 00:35:16,710 --> 00:35:20,940 Ian: Phil is there with five other members of BBC and they've all 692 00:35:20,940 --> 00:35:25,529 Ian: got puppets on and they're all watching Muppets Christmas Carol 693 00:35:25,889 --> 00:35:28,740 Ian: and they're just acting out the film. And this girl 694 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:31,319 Ian: genuinely must have thought I was member of a cult 695 00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:35,400 Ian: or something. She just blasted on and she just left. 696 00:35:35,910 --> 00:35:38,340 Ian: And I just ended up hanging out with these nutters and 697 00:35:38,340 --> 00:35:42,329 Ian: these puppets. So that sewing shop is sort of really closely tied 698 00:35:42,330 --> 00:35:44,580 Ian: to those sorts of memories there. Look Olympic- 699 00:35:44,580 --> 00:35:44,670 Alex: There it is. 700 00:35:44,969 --> 00:35:51,120 Ian: Sewing machines, it's there, it's there. Where many iconic puppets have been 701 00:35:51,120 --> 00:35:55,169 Ian: built there. And you literally go, look, there's this church, 702 00:35:56,460 --> 00:36:00,149 Ian: there's this hairdressers, and then boom, that's our flat. That's 703 00:36:00,150 --> 00:36:02,910 Ian: how close we were to it. We must be the only 704 00:36:02,910 --> 00:36:05,700 Ian: people who live near to sewing machine who actually regularly 705 00:36:05,700 --> 00:36:09,809 Ian: needed sewing machines every day. That's my old flat. We're 706 00:36:09,809 --> 00:36:12,180 Ian: in the top floor. Incredible stuff. 707 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:13,290 Alex: What a cool place to live. 708 00:36:13,710 --> 00:36:16,080 Ian: It was really good, actually. And there's a Chinese takeaway 709 00:36:16,080 --> 00:36:18,899 Ian: near this, that's mind blowingly brilliant. 710 00:36:18,929 --> 00:36:21,780 Alex: That's important to have in walking distance. 711 00:36:21,780 --> 00:36:24,899 Ian: So important to have, and a few decent pubs as well, obviously. Shepherd's Bush 712 00:36:24,900 --> 00:36:26,189 Ian: greens, great for pubs. 713 00:36:26,250 --> 00:36:27,239 Alex: Defectors. 714 00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:32,340 Ian: Defectors Weld, great. And then there was Ginglik, which is the old converted 715 00:36:32,340 --> 00:36:33,390 Ian: public toilets. 716 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:35,729 Alex: Ginglik was legendary. 717 00:36:35,850 --> 00:36:40,110 Ian: Christian Knowles, the guy that put me at that Tattershall Castle, 718 00:36:40,110 --> 00:36:42,540 Ian: he ran comedy gigs in there. And when he booked 719 00:36:42,540 --> 00:36:44,849 Ian: me to do a gig there, one of the first ones 720 00:36:44,849 --> 00:36:46,920 Ian: I ever done was with... And I remember this is where you're like, 721 00:36:46,920 --> 00:36:49,799 Ian: London's mad. Because I used to just do gigs in Scotland 722 00:36:49,799 --> 00:36:54,268 Ian: with other Scottish acts and whatever. And then the first Ginglik one I'd done, 723 00:36:54,450 --> 00:36:58,020 Ian: Harry Hill headlined it. He'd done a ventriloquist act weirdly, 724 00:36:58,410 --> 00:37:03,030 Ian: with a puppet, so loving it. But yeah, he'd done 725 00:37:03,030 --> 00:37:05,219 Ian: it. That was the first thing he ever done. So 726 00:37:05,219 --> 00:37:05,311 Ian: I was like, this is amazing. 727 00:37:05,311 --> 00:37:11,578 Alex: For people listening who don't know Ginglik, it is, was, I'm assuming 728 00:37:11,580 --> 00:37:14,910 Alex: it's not open anymore, although I don't know for certain, 729 00:37:15,330 --> 00:37:18,661 Alex: it's a converted underground toilet, isn't it, right by Shepherd's Bush station. 730 00:37:18,661 --> 00:37:21,420 Ian: There's an old public toilet that I think it was 731 00:37:21,420 --> 00:37:24,270 Ian: part of the old Shepherd's Bush station that they then converted 732 00:37:24,270 --> 00:37:28,139 Ian: into a sort of bar and nightclub. But it was mad 733 00:37:28,139 --> 00:37:28,920 Ian: busy back in the day. 734 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:33,870 Alex: And just very artsy. I always had really interesting conversations down there. 735 00:37:34,380 --> 00:37:36,690 Ian: Yeah, you'd never remember them, but you'd have them. 736 00:37:36,690 --> 00:37:45,449 Alex: No, no. So we are now heading up to the BBC. 737 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:45,780 Ian: Yeah. 738 00:37:46,650 --> 00:37:50,970 Alex: TV studios. What were you doing before you started with BBC? 739 00:37:51,030 --> 00:37:53,460 Ian: Literally university. I got the job at the BBC while 740 00:37:53,460 --> 00:37:54,090 Ian: I was at uni. 741 00:37:54,420 --> 00:37:54,870 Alex: Really? 742 00:37:54,870 --> 00:37:59,219 Ian: Yeah. So I had my last exam on Thursday. I moved 743 00:37:59,219 --> 00:38:01,589 Ian: to London on Sunday and I'd done my first bit 744 00:38:01,590 --> 00:38:04,529 Ian: of telly on the Monday, here. I was actually late. 745 00:38:04,529 --> 00:38:07,169 Ian: So the first day I ever done it was... Well the first 746 00:38:07,170 --> 00:38:10,620 Ian: day of live TV, they said like you're on camera 747 00:38:10,620 --> 00:38:12,660 Ian: at nine o'clock, but they meant live. Now, I've only 748 00:38:12,660 --> 00:38:15,120 Ian: ever had normal jobs. So after that meant get there 749 00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:17,790 Ian: at nine and I was like three, four minutes late. So 750 00:38:17,790 --> 00:38:20,940 Ian: I missed my first ever live link on telly because 751 00:38:22,650 --> 00:38:25,530 Ian: they were like, it's live at nine, meaning, they were like, 752 00:38:25,530 --> 00:38:28,020 Ian: get here for half seven, hair and makeup, bring your 753 00:38:28,020 --> 00:38:30,930 Ian: script. But I didn't know any of that stuff. So I 754 00:38:30,930 --> 00:38:32,670 Ian: just showed up in three minutes past nine, I missed 755 00:38:32,670 --> 00:38:33,480 Ian: the first link. 756 00:38:33,989 --> 00:38:33,990 Alex: Wow. 757 00:38:33,989 --> 00:38:37,320 Ian: It was a bit of a disaster really. But then they sort of realize, oh 758 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:41,100 Ian: maybe we should have told this 21 year old kid that's literally four 759 00:38:41,100 --> 00:38:47,250 Ian: days ago was sitting his corporate law exam how telly 760 00:38:47,250 --> 00:38:50,880 Ian: works. But yeah. And then honestly I look back at this time 761 00:38:50,880 --> 00:38:53,790 Ian: so fondly and I'm so fortunate that I got to 762 00:38:53,790 --> 00:38:57,509 Ian: work in this place walking through, there's the donut, which 763 00:38:58,109 --> 00:39:01,259 Ian: if you're my generation was the round building in Live 764 00:39:01,260 --> 00:39:03,480 Ian: and Kicking, the little bouncy ball spun around at the 765 00:39:03,480 --> 00:39:06,719 Ian: end and flew up, and there's loads of funny like... 766 00:39:06,719 --> 00:39:10,739 Ian: There's a little walkway still there that when Alan Partridge 767 00:39:10,739 --> 00:39:13,229 Ian: didn't get his second series and he's walking down going, 768 00:39:13,500 --> 00:39:16,589 Ian: you're all on the BBC gravy train, I wish I was, 769 00:39:16,590 --> 00:39:20,040 Ian: with his wheel of cheese on a fork. That's literally 770 00:39:20,040 --> 00:39:22,260 Ian: that little road down there. Although what is it now? 771 00:39:22,260 --> 00:39:26,579 Ian: It's like a really posh coffee shop or whatever now. But this used 772 00:39:26,580 --> 00:39:30,300 Ian: to always be buildings, and that iconic television center sign. 773 00:39:30,900 --> 00:39:32,429 Ian: The fact I got to... and this used to have a 774 00:39:32,429 --> 00:39:35,129 Ian: massive gate across it, you'd have to tap your BBC 775 00:39:35,129 --> 00:39:37,560 Ian: pass and every day I'd tap my BBC pass, and 776 00:39:37,560 --> 00:39:40,260 Ian: even young, I remember thinking how lucky I was that I get to 777 00:39:40,260 --> 00:39:42,840 Ian: come into this building every day. And we used to 778 00:39:42,840 --> 00:39:45,090 Ian: be just up there, West Tower it was called. It's 779 00:39:45,090 --> 00:39:47,730 Ian: now been totally brought down. It all had asbestos in it at 780 00:39:47,880 --> 00:39:50,669 Ian: the end so they had to rip it all out. But yeah, I used 781 00:39:50,670 --> 00:39:54,750 Ian: to be in this building here and then television center in there. 782 00:39:54,750 --> 00:39:57,660 Ian: And I remember having so many mad stories, like once 783 00:39:57,660 --> 00:40:01,350 Ian: I was coming out the lift of the bar and 784 00:40:01,350 --> 00:40:03,300 Ian: we got rugby tackled by a floor manager, me and 785 00:40:03,300 --> 00:40:06,450 Ian: my friend Phil, and Eddie Izzard ran past as he 786 00:40:06,450 --> 00:40:09,149 Ian: was doing, remember these 50 marathons. And then he ran 787 00:40:09,150 --> 00:40:12,000 Ian: into do Jonathan Ross and I accidentally nearly walked in 788 00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:14,340 Ian: front of Eddie Izzard as he's run into the Jonathan Ross Studios. It was 789 00:40:14,340 --> 00:40:15,030 Ian: like mad. 790 00:40:15,030 --> 00:40:17,759 Alex: No. It is such a cool building. 791 00:40:18,420 --> 00:40:21,810 Ian: Honestly it's so beautiful. And I think it's listed so 792 00:40:22,290 --> 00:40:24,329 Ian: there's all this new building around it, but the actual 793 00:40:24,330 --> 00:40:27,989 Ian: circular BBC buildings remained unchanged. So it's really cool that 794 00:40:27,989 --> 00:40:32,399 Ian: that's... I love that I was so ingrained in such a big 795 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:34,650 Ian: bit of history. All the Children in Needs were there, 796 00:40:34,650 --> 00:40:37,710 Ian: I obviously worked BBC so we would just wait after 797 00:40:37,710 --> 00:40:41,489 Ian: work even though we don't have the passes because we'd be in the building. So 798 00:40:41,489 --> 00:40:43,979 Ian: then as about nine o'clock, because we're already in the building, we'd 799 00:40:43,980 --> 00:40:46,679 Ian: get to go Children in Need and Comic Relief and 800 00:40:46,680 --> 00:40:48,960 Ian: just sort of blag our way to the bar areas 801 00:40:48,960 --> 00:40:50,940 Ian: and stuff. It was so nice. It was great. 802 00:40:51,180 --> 00:40:55,799 Alex: Were there any parallels between that TV work and the work 803 00:40:55,800 --> 00:40:57,479 Alex: you do now on Love Island? 804 00:40:58,380 --> 00:41:00,810 Ian: Well I guess it's right into speck I guess. Do 805 00:41:00,810 --> 00:41:05,069 Ian: you know what I mean? With kids' TV, you've got the parameters 806 00:41:05,070 --> 00:41:06,750 Ian: of what you can talk about and the language you 807 00:41:06,750 --> 00:41:08,370 Ian: can use and all that sort of stuff. And then 808 00:41:08,610 --> 00:41:12,690 Ian: I guess with Love Island, you've not got the visuals 809 00:41:12,690 --> 00:41:15,510 Ian: and you've got to be very economic with your word 810 00:41:15,510 --> 00:41:17,610 Ian: uses, because you can only really write two lines, and 811 00:41:17,610 --> 00:41:19,559 Ian: you've got to do a joke and tell the story 812 00:41:19,559 --> 00:41:23,459 Ian: of what's happening. So they're both within quite strict... like 813 00:41:23,459 --> 00:41:25,980 Ian: doing comedy within strict parameters, I feel like I've always 814 00:41:25,980 --> 00:41:29,070 Ian: done that, which is sort of quite mad. But yeah, 815 00:41:29,070 --> 00:41:32,009 Ian: so they are very different things. 816 00:41:32,130 --> 00:41:32,881 Alex: Did you enjoy kids TV? 817 00:41:32,881 --> 00:41:36,059 Ian: Yeah, I loved it. I really loved it. I sort of look back and 818 00:41:36,599 --> 00:41:38,669 Ian: I think it was probably the best TV I made 819 00:41:38,670 --> 00:41:40,769 Ian: as well because it was live every day, we were sort 820 00:41:40,770 --> 00:41:43,620 Ian: of left to our own devices. There's loads of clips 821 00:41:43,620 --> 00:41:46,920 Ian: online that I was just really proud of. It would go wrong and we'd 822 00:41:46,920 --> 00:41:49,170 Ian: always get way around it. And Norm was telling us 823 00:41:49,170 --> 00:41:53,129 Ian: what to do really. We were sort of left at it, and me and Phil, who was 824 00:41:53,130 --> 00:41:57,059 Ian: Hacker the Dog, we worked together for every day, five 825 00:41:57,059 --> 00:41:58,500 Ian: days a week, for three years. So we sort of 826 00:41:58,500 --> 00:42:01,289 Ian: knew each other inside out by the end. So yeah, I'm 827 00:42:01,290 --> 00:42:04,379 Ian: really proud of it. It was a really fun time actually. Really lucky to 828 00:42:04,380 --> 00:42:06,390 Ian: have started that way. It was great. 829 00:42:07,980 --> 00:42:12,751 Alex: Do you write all of your script on Love Island, or? 830 00:42:12,751 --> 00:42:16,379 Ian: Yeah. Yeah. I write it with a guy called Mark who's 831 00:42:16,379 --> 00:42:18,719 Ian: a really cool guy. So I write it with Mark 832 00:42:18,810 --> 00:42:23,910 Ian: and he actually came up with a format as well. 833 00:42:24,060 --> 00:42:26,639 Ian: So every year Love Island does well, it's like a little Brucey 834 00:42:26,639 --> 00:42:29,099 Ian: Bonus for him as well. But yeah, we write it 835 00:42:29,099 --> 00:42:33,000 Ian: together, we've always written it. They didn't really ask me 836 00:42:33,000 --> 00:42:35,489 Ian: to write at the start, but they also didn't really... 837 00:42:36,029 --> 00:42:37,770 Ian: At the start of Love Island they just didn't really 838 00:42:37,770 --> 00:42:40,259 Ian: know what to do with me, and not in the 839 00:42:40,260 --> 00:42:43,380 Ian: sense that I just showed up to Spain to record 840 00:42:43,380 --> 00:42:45,899 Ian: it. And that was only my job. But it felt 841 00:42:45,900 --> 00:42:49,110 Ian: mad to go all the way to Spain to record 842 00:42:49,110 --> 00:42:52,649 Ian: something for an hour to then go home. So yeah, 843 00:42:52,650 --> 00:42:54,989 Ian: I ended up just going early and sitting with Mark and me 844 00:42:54,989 --> 00:42:58,529 Ian: and Mark really got along and then just recorded it all. So it 845 00:42:58,530 --> 00:43:05,910 Ian: felt really nice. We made each other laugh and obviously... 846 00:43:06,270 --> 00:43:08,969 Ian: The first series was pretty bad, if I'm being honest. I think 847 00:43:08,969 --> 00:43:12,299 Ian: we nearly got sent home, true story after about three, 848 00:43:12,300 --> 00:43:15,480 Ian: four weeks because it wasn't working, the voiceover. But then 849 00:43:15,480 --> 00:43:17,218 Ian: they sort of managed to keep us for whatever reason. 850 00:43:17,219 --> 00:43:21,149 Ian: And then after about 2, 3 series, they were always 851 00:43:21,150 --> 00:43:23,040 Ian: really funny at it first, at the start, because we'd 852 00:43:23,040 --> 00:43:25,830 Ian: obviously do these lines of voiceover. We were like saying 853 00:43:25,830 --> 00:43:28,830 Ian: the show wasn't very good, it was a bit silly and they 854 00:43:28,830 --> 00:43:32,489 Ian: were like a voiceover can't do that. But then people 855 00:43:32,489 --> 00:43:37,440 Ian: seem to like it. So now they let us say whatever we want really. So it was quite a natural progression. 856 00:43:37,950 --> 00:43:41,610 Alex: And do you find that when you, I don't know what 857 00:43:41,610 --> 00:43:43,920 Alex: the process is, but do you find that you see 858 00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:46,920 Alex: or get to know the cast and then think, oh yeah 859 00:43:46,920 --> 00:43:49,109 Alex: this one's going to be a fun one, this season. 860 00:43:50,280 --> 00:43:52,259 Ian: We deliberately get to know them as we're getting to 861 00:43:52,260 --> 00:43:54,900 Ian: know, the same as the viewers, I don't know anything. 862 00:43:55,440 --> 00:43:58,620 Ian: The show, at time of recording, the show starts on Monday, 863 00:43:58,620 --> 00:44:01,530 Ian: I don't even know the names of the people or what 864 00:44:01,530 --> 00:44:03,509 Ian: they're doing. And I'll only find out when I watch 865 00:44:03,509 --> 00:44:06,209 Ian: the episode, because I sort of want to find out about the cast in the same 866 00:44:06,209 --> 00:44:09,239 Ian: way as a punter does. That's really important. You could 867 00:44:09,239 --> 00:44:11,460 Ian: also say it's lazy cause it means I don't have to do any 868 00:44:11,460 --> 00:44:16,919 Ian: work beforehand. But I do think it is definitely useful to 869 00:44:17,160 --> 00:44:19,079 Ian: be as much as a punter as possible. 870 00:44:19,259 --> 00:44:22,469 Alex: I guess as well, times must have changed. I mean 871 00:44:22,590 --> 00:44:24,899 Alex: do you still fly out to Spain or wherever it 872 00:44:24,959 --> 00:44:25,888 Alex: is? It's not always Spain. 873 00:44:25,889 --> 00:44:27,810 Ian: Yeah, I used to, until very recently, I think like 874 00:44:27,810 --> 00:44:31,080 Ian: a lot of people, I worked from home in lockdown 875 00:44:31,080 --> 00:44:33,059 Ian: and it just became very apparent that that was very 876 00:44:33,059 --> 00:44:36,929 Ian: doable. So then it felt like, especially because there's two 877 00:44:36,929 --> 00:44:40,019 Ian: of them a year now, it'd be like four months away from home, 878 00:44:40,020 --> 00:44:43,710 Ian: so it's just sort of not really an option. Yeah, I used 879 00:44:43,710 --> 00:44:47,880 Ian: to, first six series, I went to South Africa, I 880 00:44:47,880 --> 00:44:51,718 Ian: went Spain, it was great. Really lovely. And I still 881 00:44:51,719 --> 00:44:53,700 Ian: go out now because obviously I know the team so 882 00:44:53,700 --> 00:44:55,859 Ian: well and we all get along so well. So we went 883 00:44:55,860 --> 00:44:59,039 Ian: out as a family, it was really cool. It was nice. Also, the 884 00:44:59,039 --> 00:45:01,560 Ian: mad thing is I've lived in Spain for over a 885 00:45:01,560 --> 00:45:03,870 Ian: year of my life. I go for two months every 886 00:45:03,870 --> 00:45:06,779 Ian: year and that was for seven years. So was literally 887 00:45:06,780 --> 00:45:09,360 Ian: 14 months of my life spent in Spain. But in 888 00:45:09,360 --> 00:45:14,219 Ian: very, well short- ish, two months, but it shortish dribs 889 00:45:14,219 --> 00:45:15,419 Ian: and drabs. It's mad. 890 00:45:16,289 --> 00:45:19,140 Alex: I mean technically, you should speak Spanish. 891 00:45:19,770 --> 00:45:22,259 Ian: I should be fluent. It's very, again, how very British 892 00:45:22,260 --> 00:45:24,000 Ian: of me that I actually don't speak a lick of 893 00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:26,009 Ian: Spanish despite being there 14 months. 894 00:45:26,190 --> 00:45:27,450 Alex: I bet you can order a beer though. 895 00:45:28,410 --> 00:45:30,750 Ian: Yeah, two. I know know how to order two, but I 896 00:45:30,750 --> 00:45:31,170 Ian: don't know how to order one. 897 00:45:31,170 --> 00:45:41,190 Alex: Is there anything that's happened on Love Island that didn't happen on the show, but you 898 00:45:41,190 --> 00:45:43,440 Alex: can tell us that we wouldn't have known? 899 00:45:44,760 --> 00:45:48,839 Ian: An islander turning their phone back on after two months. 900 00:45:48,839 --> 00:45:52,289 Ian: If you think how many texts they had alone, which 901 00:45:52,289 --> 00:45:54,449 Ian: is just their friends, the day they appear on the 902 00:45:54,449 --> 00:45:56,160 Ian: show going, oh my God, I can't believe you're on the 903 00:45:56,280 --> 00:46:00,060 Ian: show. And they've had two months of texts and calls. 904 00:46:01,530 --> 00:46:05,100 Ian: One guy that was on, I can't remember who it was, but their 905 00:46:06,000 --> 00:46:09,029 Ian: phone crashed three times as they were turning it back 906 00:46:09,030 --> 00:46:11,909 Ian: on because there was just so much traffic going through the phone. It just 907 00:46:11,910 --> 00:46:16,140 Ian: literally crashed. So yeah, it was wild. So that's pretty cool. I 908 00:46:16,140 --> 00:46:18,480 Ian: think that'd be a cool thing, but obviously who would want 909 00:46:18,480 --> 00:46:20,730 Ian: their phone filmed as they were turning it on for 910 00:46:20,730 --> 00:46:21,750 Ian: the first time in two months? 911 00:46:21,930 --> 00:46:22,411 Alex: Yeah, that's true. 912 00:46:22,411 --> 00:46:26,250 Ian: Got mates sending some stupid texts or whatever. So yeah, no, I 913 00:46:26,250 --> 00:46:31,049 Ian: see the final, which is really mad and them interacting 914 00:46:31,049 --> 00:46:35,520 Ian: with the presenters and just the way the reality of 915 00:46:35,520 --> 00:46:40,080 Ian: what's happening dawns on them is really interesting. But in terms of stuff that happens off in 916 00:46:40,080 --> 00:46:42,210 Ian: the show, there's not really been much, I mean I'll 917 00:46:42,210 --> 00:46:44,520 Ian: see the occasional bit, but the annoying thing is obviously 918 00:46:44,520 --> 00:46:47,789 Ian: the stuff that doesn't make the edit is normally the 919 00:46:47,789 --> 00:46:49,170 Ian: most boring stuff. 920 00:46:49,590 --> 00:46:49,860 Alex: Yeah. 921 00:46:49,890 --> 00:46:51,660 Ian: Do you know what I mean? So yeah, I don't 922 00:46:51,660 --> 00:46:55,860 Ian: really see that much. I would like to see to them 923 00:46:55,860 --> 00:46:59,309 Ian: spice up that final week, as in maybe do some 924 00:46:59,309 --> 00:47:03,509 Ian: more coupley challenges maybe. Do you know what I mean? Live an actual couple. 925 00:47:03,509 --> 00:47:06,059 Ian: We've got the babies and you've got the meet the 926 00:47:06,059 --> 00:47:08,340 Ian: parents and all that. But I'd love them to just have 927 00:47:08,340 --> 00:47:15,060 Ian: to do each other's washing, or even set up, I don't know, 928 00:47:16,200 --> 00:47:20,279 Ian: take a photo shoot to announce the relationship or modern 929 00:47:20,280 --> 00:47:23,639 Ian: day things you've got to do. You know how people soft 930 00:47:23,639 --> 00:47:26,160 Ian: launch their relationship now on the internet? 931 00:47:26,340 --> 00:47:28,950 Alex: Yeah. Maybe they've got set up a soft launch for announcing 932 00:47:29,580 --> 00:47:30,660 Alex: they're a couple and stuff. 933 00:47:30,690 --> 00:47:31,320 Ian: Yeah. 934 00:47:31,320 --> 00:47:34,740 Alex: I just think there's lots of interesting things you can do with 935 00:47:34,860 --> 00:47:36,929 Alex: a new couple that they don't really do on the 936 00:47:36,929 --> 00:47:39,450 Alex: show yet, which I'd like to see them doing. This 937 00:47:39,450 --> 00:47:41,550 Alex: is London's best kebab by the way, just in case you're wondering. 938 00:47:41,550 --> 00:47:44,400 Alex: I love it when they... It's probably next to the 939 00:47:44,400 --> 00:47:46,830 Alex: best chicken and they just took the words off. 940 00:47:46,890 --> 00:47:49,230 Ian: London Best Kebab. I think they've also had to say 941 00:47:49,230 --> 00:47:52,649 Ian: London Best Kebab for legal reasons. It's not London's. 942 00:47:55,139 --> 00:48:05,190 Alex: Oh yeah. It's always freshly made. So your daughter has an 943 00:48:05,190 --> 00:48:10,559 Alex: Irish mother and a Scottish father. How important is it 944 00:48:10,559 --> 00:48:11,970 Alex: that she knows about her heritage? 945 00:48:12,480 --> 00:48:14,310 Ian: I think it's nice when you've got little ones to 946 00:48:17,310 --> 00:48:21,570 Ian: give them... I think being Scottish, I'm sort of very 947 00:48:21,570 --> 00:48:25,770 Ian: proud of my background anyway, so it's nice to instill 948 00:48:25,770 --> 00:48:29,308 Ian: that into your kids and stuff. So I think that 949 00:48:29,309 --> 00:48:30,929 Ian: is really important. I think it also helps them get 950 00:48:30,929 --> 00:48:34,140 Ian: a better understanding of what you're about, if you know what I mean. 951 00:48:34,140 --> 00:48:34,410 Alex: Yeah. 952 00:48:34,889 --> 00:48:38,400 Ian: So that feels really nice as well. So yeah, it's 953 00:48:38,910 --> 00:48:41,279 Ian: really important to us actually. And we try to go back 954 00:48:41,790 --> 00:48:44,069 Ian: to Ireland and Scotland as much as possible. It's also nice for 955 00:48:45,179 --> 00:48:47,340 Ian: the grandparents, nice for us. 956 00:48:47,520 --> 00:48:47,910 Alex: Yeah. 957 00:48:48,660 --> 00:48:51,960 Ian: And Scotland, I love it. I do generally love it there. So 958 00:48:52,619 --> 00:48:55,589 Ian: I want the people closest to me, Laura as well, it's 959 00:48:55,590 --> 00:48:59,100 Ian: nice going up to Scotland so Laura can see Scotland 960 00:48:59,100 --> 00:49:01,500 Ian: and meet my friends from uni that I knew growing 961 00:49:01,500 --> 00:49:03,930 Ian: up and all the rest of it. So yeah, really important. 962 00:49:04,290 --> 00:49:07,950 Alex: Do you see... Is London home? 963 00:49:09,120 --> 00:49:11,579 Ian: Yeah, it's a good question. And yeah, I would say 964 00:49:11,580 --> 00:49:15,030 Ian: so. I think basically the thing for me I think is 965 00:49:15,300 --> 00:49:18,719 Ian: I probably thought there's a world in which I would 966 00:49:18,719 --> 00:49:22,679 Ian: end up back in Edinburgh, back in Scotland. And then I 967 00:49:22,679 --> 00:49:25,109 Ian: think if I'd met an English person, I think that might have 968 00:49:25,110 --> 00:49:29,339 Ian: happened. But I think what happened was, Laura obviously has 969 00:49:29,340 --> 00:49:32,609 Ian: such strong connections to Ireland and her family and everything. 970 00:49:33,570 --> 00:49:36,900 Ian: And then when she took me to Ireland, I loved 971 00:49:36,900 --> 00:49:40,019 Ian: Ireland so much and then I think she saw how great 972 00:49:40,020 --> 00:49:44,038 Ian: Scotland was, so I think we both maybe thought at some point 973 00:49:44,040 --> 00:49:47,639 Ian: we'd end up moving back to our own countries, but 974 00:49:47,639 --> 00:49:52,379 Ian: then it became this thing of like, well, we both actually love 975 00:49:52,380 --> 00:49:55,799 Ian: where we're originally from. So I don't think Laura knew 976 00:49:55,800 --> 00:49:57,899 Ian: that I probably couldn't go like to Ireland full time and 977 00:49:57,989 --> 00:50:00,660 Ian: she couldn't come to Scotland full time. So we just sort of had to strike 978 00:50:00,660 --> 00:50:02,910 Ian: up this deal where it was like, well I guess 979 00:50:02,910 --> 00:50:06,119 Ian: London is the base that we can get to Scotland and 980 00:50:06,119 --> 00:50:09,690 Ian: Ireland from relatively easily. That was a general vibe. I 981 00:50:09,690 --> 00:50:11,430 Ian: feel like if either of us had met an English 982 00:50:11,430 --> 00:50:14,969 Ian: person, we probably could have sold them, you know what I mean, Dublin 983 00:50:14,969 --> 00:50:18,420 Ian: or Edinburgh as a place to live. But because Dublin and 984 00:50:18,450 --> 00:50:20,610 Ian: Edinburgh is so great, we were both like, all right, fair 985 00:50:20,610 --> 00:50:23,190 Ian: play, London. But then also we love London. I just 986 00:50:23,190 --> 00:50:25,080 Ian: love, like we've said before, I love the mixture of 987 00:50:25,590 --> 00:50:27,839 Ian: people. And also funny thing about being in London is, 988 00:50:28,230 --> 00:50:30,480 Ian: you meet as many Irish people in London as you 989 00:50:30,480 --> 00:50:33,030 Ian: do in Dublin. There's such a melting pot here that, 990 00:50:33,239 --> 00:50:35,909 Ian: yes, you see such an array of people. People always 991 00:50:35,910 --> 00:50:39,299 Ian: say to me, oh our nursery's all full of... There's 992 00:50:39,299 --> 00:50:41,909 Ian: everything. So it's such a nice mix. So I quite 993 00:50:41,910 --> 00:50:44,130 Ian: like being in and amongst that mix as well. 994 00:50:44,670 --> 00:50:47,340 Alex: You were in London for lockdown, right? 995 00:50:47,430 --> 00:50:50,969 Ian: Yeah, it was sort of madness really. Me and Laura were 996 00:50:50,969 --> 00:50:56,040 Ian: in the house. It's sort of weird because it was 997 00:50:56,040 --> 00:51:01,679 Ian: so tricky and obviously as a standup, work sort of 998 00:51:02,700 --> 00:51:08,880 Ian: finished for two years really because we are literally professional 999 00:51:08,880 --> 00:51:13,679 Ian: social gatherers, which obviously became very illegal, social gathering. So 1000 00:51:13,679 --> 00:51:16,020 Ian: lots of my friends were out at work and there was lots of 1001 00:51:16,020 --> 00:51:19,890 Ian: elements of it that were so tough for so many people. There 1002 00:51:19,890 --> 00:51:23,400 Ian: was something about living through an era that will be 1003 00:51:24,150 --> 00:51:28,229 Ian: like era defining. It's sort of funny actually doing things, 1004 00:51:29,099 --> 00:51:32,910 Ian: when you're standing outside clapping the NHS thinking this will 1005 00:51:32,910 --> 00:51:36,479 Ian: be in modern study textbooks not long from now, and I 1006 00:51:36,480 --> 00:51:39,570 Ian: lived it. There was a nice stillness about it as well. 1007 00:51:41,340 --> 00:51:43,950 Ian: The idea of having nothing to do that day and 1008 00:51:43,950 --> 00:51:47,190 Ian: actually knowing, not only were you doing nothing that day, 1009 00:51:47,190 --> 00:51:50,519 Ian: but the guilt- free knowledge of nobody was doing anything 1010 00:51:50,520 --> 00:51:51,120 Ian: that day. 1011 00:51:51,809 --> 00:51:51,810 Alex: Is so true. 1012 00:51:51,810 --> 00:51:56,160 Ian: Sort of mad. There was a real calmness that came with 1013 00:51:56,160 --> 00:51:59,310 Ian: that I really miss to this day. 1014 00:51:59,310 --> 00:51:59,759 Alex: Me too. 1015 00:51:59,759 --> 00:51:59,760 Ian: Yeah. 1016 00:51:59,760 --> 00:52:04,830 Alex: Did you find that you guys sort of slotted into a routine and stuff? 1017 00:52:04,920 --> 00:52:07,170 Ian: Yeah, I was doing Twitch. I was doing the Twitch 1018 00:52:07,170 --> 00:52:09,299 Ian: thing. And then the most important thing about the Twitch thing 1019 00:52:09,299 --> 00:52:11,910 Ian: was, one, it gave me an outlet for performing. Because 1020 00:52:11,910 --> 00:52:14,880 Ian: I remember sometimes a lot of Laura would notice me 1021 00:52:15,060 --> 00:52:17,219 Ian: doing essentially a gig in the kitchen while we were 1022 00:52:17,280 --> 00:52:19,410 Ian: making dinner and she'd be like, you need to go 1023 00:52:19,410 --> 00:52:20,939 Ian: on Twitch, do a gig or something. 1024 00:52:21,509 --> 00:52:22,080 Alex: Do something. 1025 00:52:22,590 --> 00:52:23,880 Ian: Just be a performer somewhere else. 1026 00:52:23,880 --> 00:52:24,360 Alex: Stop talking to the saucepans. 1027 00:52:25,380 --> 00:52:29,489 Ian: Not while we're making a steak and ale pie. So 1028 00:52:29,489 --> 00:52:31,950 Ian: there was that. And then also I would do it 1029 00:52:31,950 --> 00:52:34,710 Ian: in the morning. So it sounds really bleak doesn't it, 1030 00:52:34,710 --> 00:52:37,319 Ian: but it was literally a reason to get out of 1031 00:52:37,320 --> 00:52:41,820 Ian: bed, which is really important. So yeah, we sort of got a bit... And 1032 00:52:41,820 --> 00:52:45,420 Ian: also we were very lucky working from home and stuff. 1033 00:52:45,630 --> 00:52:51,840 Alex: The speed that our creative industry adapted, I found quite 1034 00:52:51,840 --> 00:52:59,820 Alex: fascinating. Everyone was switching to Zoom, doing live things, interviews, 1035 00:52:59,820 --> 00:53:03,240 Alex: podcast. Was it there that your crime podcast was born? 1036 00:53:03,239 --> 00:53:07,230 Ian: We actually done that long after lockdown, because I was doing Twitch, 1037 00:53:09,540 --> 00:53:12,299 Ian: I didn't do a podcast and there's a bit of 1038 00:53:12,300 --> 00:53:14,219 Ian: me that thinks maybe we should have done something in 1039 00:53:14,219 --> 00:53:16,439 Ian: that time that was sort of podcast related. Lots of 1040 00:53:16,440 --> 00:53:19,169 Ian: my friends done podcasts and they had so much fun 1041 00:53:19,170 --> 00:53:23,969 Ian: making them. But yeah, no, that was after. But we don't 1042 00:53:23,969 --> 00:53:26,700 Ian: really work together all that much. Even in Love Island, we 1043 00:53:26,700 --> 00:53:31,200 Ian: weren't really in a room together working, we're doing very different 1044 00:53:31,200 --> 00:53:36,659 Ian: jobs. So yeah, in lockdown we didn't do any... I think 1045 00:53:36,660 --> 00:53:39,929 Ian: as well with lockdown, I think that thought of working with someone 1046 00:53:39,929 --> 00:53:42,600 Ian: that you were living with in lockdown seems a bit 1047 00:53:42,600 --> 00:53:47,040 Ian: mad because it was obviously, it's nice to get a 1048 00:53:47,040 --> 00:53:49,320 Ian: bit of downtime, do you know what I mean? Yeah, 1049 00:53:49,320 --> 00:53:51,239 Ian: no, we didn't do it in lockdown. Maybe we should have 1050 00:53:51,239 --> 00:53:56,099 Ian: done it. But we love doing that, those podcasts and stuff now. It's so much fun. 1051 00:53:56,580 --> 00:54:00,268 Alex: Partners in crime. So how do you go about working 1052 00:54:00,270 --> 00:54:03,210 Alex: together and living together? 1053 00:54:04,500 --> 00:54:06,419 Ian: We've been together for so long now, we've also been 1054 00:54:06,420 --> 00:54:09,839 Ian: through so much. It's really easy actually. It came really naturally. 1055 00:54:10,170 --> 00:54:12,420 Ian: We just got into this sort of habit of doing it 1056 00:54:12,420 --> 00:54:17,729 Ian: and do you know what the main thing is, genuinely, it sounds really, we really enjoy 1057 00:54:17,730 --> 00:54:21,180 Ian: doing it and actually we really enjoy that it's true 1058 00:54:21,180 --> 00:54:23,550 Ian: crime. We're sort of not doing that thing where we 1059 00:54:23,550 --> 00:54:26,279 Ian: do a podcast where we talk about what it's like 1060 00:54:26,279 --> 00:54:29,489 Ian: to be a couple or whatever. I feel like that's really been done 1061 00:54:29,489 --> 00:54:32,730 Ian: and done well by other people. And we are still 1062 00:54:32,730 --> 00:54:34,679 Ian: quite private people so we don't really want to talk 1063 00:54:34,680 --> 00:54:38,190 Ian: about our private situation too much. True crime are perfect, because 1064 00:54:38,190 --> 00:54:40,529 Ian: that is what we used to do with our time 1065 00:54:41,129 --> 00:54:44,190 Ian: is we'd sit and watch Netflix documentaries or true crime, 1066 00:54:44,489 --> 00:54:46,679 Ian: listening to true crime podcasts and all that. So it just feels an 1067 00:54:46,679 --> 00:54:49,529 Ian: extension of the conversations we would normally be having anyway, 1068 00:54:49,860 --> 00:54:53,459 Ian: if that makes sense. It's like we literally would be sitting talking 1069 00:54:53,459 --> 00:54:56,429 Ian: about true crime in our house and then we end 1070 00:54:56,429 --> 00:54:57,419 Ian: up doing that and recording it. 1071 00:55:00,150 --> 00:55:01,920 Alex: So what's next then for Ian? 1072 00:55:03,090 --> 00:55:07,169 Ian: Well, I'm going to look into buying an MG, I'll tell you that 1073 00:55:07,170 --> 00:55:11,219 Ian: for free. If I can afford one. And just do 1074 00:55:11,219 --> 00:55:15,359 Ian: more standup really. Me and Laura are going to hopefully 1075 00:55:15,630 --> 00:55:21,630 Ian: look into doing more true- crime podcasts after taking a 1076 00:55:21,630 --> 00:55:25,380 Ian: bit of time, when we had children and stuff, I 1077 00:55:25,380 --> 00:55:28,679 Ian: took a bit of time off the evenings, so I'm now 1078 00:55:28,799 --> 00:55:31,859 Ian: just slowly getting back into gigging and building up new 1079 00:55:31,860 --> 00:55:33,989 Ian: material and writing a new show and I'll go on 1080 00:55:33,989 --> 00:55:38,790 Ian: tour in 2024. That'll be the plan. And CB in 1081 00:55:38,790 --> 00:55:39,960 Ian: front of audiences again. 1082 00:55:40,260 --> 00:55:40,769 Alex: That'd be nice. 1083 00:55:40,830 --> 00:55:43,530 Ian: Yeah, really nice. Yeah. And I always think, oh I 1084 00:55:43,530 --> 00:55:45,059 Ian: don't know, this is what I want to do anymore. 1085 00:55:45,059 --> 00:55:47,069 Ian: And then I get in front of an audience, I'm 1086 00:55:47,069 --> 00:55:50,489 Ian: like, oh yeah, this is actually what I... I was cut out for 1087 00:55:50,489 --> 00:55:53,220 Ian: this, sort of thing. This is what I was born to do or this, so it's nice. 1088 00:55:54,330 --> 00:55:55,411 Alex: How has it been going to your London haunts? 1089 00:55:55,411 --> 00:56:02,820 Ian: Do you know what, it's been really lovely actually. Especially Shepherd's Bush, because Shepherd's Bush 1090 00:56:02,820 --> 00:56:05,340 Ian: was a sort of drinking hole, so to speak, for 1091 00:56:05,340 --> 00:56:07,709 Ian: me. And then you sort of just see it as 1092 00:56:07,709 --> 00:56:09,239 Ian: a sort of night out thing, but then you look, 1093 00:56:09,239 --> 00:56:10,860 Ian: go back and you think, oh yeah, that was actually 1094 00:56:10,860 --> 00:56:15,120 Ian: really rather important to my development. I met so many 1095 00:56:15,120 --> 00:56:19,050 Ian: lovely people there. And also like BBC, I still fortunately go there 1096 00:56:19,290 --> 00:56:21,209 Ian: quite a lot, but it's nice talking about it. And 1097 00:56:21,210 --> 00:56:25,080 Ian: it's former glories before it had private members clubs and 1098 00:56:25,080 --> 00:56:28,380 Ian: hotels attached to it. When it was just a car park 1099 00:56:28,380 --> 00:56:33,420 Ian: and some asbestos laden buildings, that's when it was in. And ironically, that's when 1100 00:56:33,420 --> 00:56:35,880 Ian: a lot of people think it was in it's heyday. So yeah, it 1101 00:56:35,880 --> 00:56:37,530 Ian: was nice. It's nice to have a little trip down 1102 00:56:37,530 --> 00:56:40,799 Ian: memory lane. And it's also funny doing a car that my 1103 00:56:40,799 --> 00:56:44,160 Ian: dad drove around when he was probably like my age, 1104 00:56:44,160 --> 00:56:46,710 Ian: if you know what I mean? So that's funny as well. It's 1105 00:56:46,710 --> 00:56:48,989 Ian: been lovely. Yeah. Thank you very much. 1106 00:56:48,989 --> 00:56:51,690 Alex: Thank you too. Is your Pop still with us? 1107 00:56:52,110 --> 00:56:53,071 Ian: Yes, he is. 1108 00:56:53,071 --> 00:56:53,101 Alex: Will he? 1109 00:56:54,750 --> 00:56:56,519 Ian: I've sent him a picture already. I'll need to tell 1110 00:56:56,520 --> 00:56:57,718 Ian: you what he says when he... 1111 00:56:57,929 --> 00:56:58,349 Alex: Yeah. 1112 00:56:58,859 --> 00:57:02,369 Ian: Nice car. He's saying, " Nice car." Thank you. Thank you. It's not mine. 1113 00:57:03,329 --> 00:57:04,919 Alex: Okay, there we go. 1114 00:57:05,520 --> 00:57:08,250 Ian: Thank you very much for the lift, I mean practically 1115 00:57:08,250 --> 00:57:12,300 Ian: to my front door, I very much appreciate it. And I love it. And also 1116 00:57:12,300 --> 00:57:14,459 Ian: Gladstone Park in this sun, you don't get much better 1117 00:57:14,460 --> 00:57:14,821 Ian: than that, really. 1118 00:57:14,821 --> 00:57:17,700 Alex: No, it's great, isn't it? Finishing up here. 1119 00:57:17,820 --> 00:57:19,230 Ian: Well, there you go. I'm going to go and have 1120 00:57:19,230 --> 00:57:21,630 Ian: a frolic, which is what I believe people do when 1121 00:57:21,630 --> 00:57:22,200 Ian: it's sunny. 1122 00:57:22,260 --> 00:57:22,590 Alex: Yeah. 1123 00:57:22,590 --> 00:57:24,269 Ian: So thank you for having me. 1124 00:57:24,390 --> 00:57:24,690 Alex: Thank you for joining us. It was fun. 1125 00:57:24,690 --> 00:57:27,269 Ian: Any time. 1126 00:57:31,139 --> 00:57:33,870 Alex: Thanks so much to Ian Sterling for taking me on 1127 00:57:33,870 --> 00:57:37,560 Alex: a personalized tour around his old haunts in London. You 1128 00:57:37,560 --> 00:57:40,140 Alex: can see exclusive footage of the drive by heading to 1129 00:57:40,140 --> 00:57:43,590 Alex: the Autotrader socials, look at the episode page for links. 1130 00:57:44,010 --> 00:57:47,460 Alex: You'll also be able to see the electric MGB GT 1131 00:57:47,700 --> 00:57:51,480 Alex: that we had such a fun drive in. Plus, we 1132 00:57:51,480 --> 00:57:55,080 Alex: are giving away a brand new electric car for free 1133 00:57:55,500 --> 00:57:59,070 Alex: every single month as part of the Autotrader electric car 1134 00:57:59,070 --> 00:58:02,309 Alex: giveaway. Find out what we're giving away this month by 1135 00:58:02,309 --> 00:58:05,580 Alex: heading to the episode page. And if you're looking for 1136 00:58:05,580 --> 00:58:09,990 Alex: a new vehicle, you can find your perfect match at autotrader. co. 1137 00:58:10,260 --> 00:58:13,080 Alex: uk. This is a new show and I'd love you 1138 00:58:13,080 --> 00:58:16,110 Alex: to follow on your favorite podcast platform. Like what you 1139 00:58:16,110 --> 00:58:18,660 Alex: hear? Rate and review and make sure you tell your 1140 00:58:18,660 --> 00:58:21,899 Alex: friends so you don't miss an episode. Show On the 1141 00:58:21,900 --> 00:58:25,979 Alex: Road is a Fresh Air production for Autotrader. The executive 1142 00:58:25,980 --> 00:58:29,789 Alex: producer is Annie Day and the producer is Oli Seymour.