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We talked to the creator and star of BBC3's critically acclaimed sitcom Pulling, who plays a policewoman in her new comedy Angelo's, set in a bustling greasy spoon café in London's Trafalgar Square.
You've won the BBC's New Comedy Award, been nominated for a Golden Rose and a Bafta, and The Observer called you "Probably the funniest comedian in the country. Definitely the funniest woman you've never heard of." Impressive!
Yes, but they said, "funniest woman you've never heard of". Basically, what that means is nobody knows who the f*** I am. When you first read these things, you go, "Yessss!", but then you start to worry that you're rubbish and you'll let everyone down.
So, how will you be feeling when the reviews come in for your new series, Angelo's?
I'll be crapping myself. Just the same as I was when Pulling was on.
Do all the awards, nominations and headlines make it easier to get a new show on telly?
Easier, yes, but Angelo's has still been a real struggle. Originally, it had much more of a spoof fly-on-the-wall/reality show feel and none of the channels would touch it. Then you find somebody who likes a couple of the characters and you write a new script, you take it to more people, you write another script, somebody commissions you to write a pilot, you take it to more people… it actually took four years from coming up with the first idea to getting the thing made. That's the terrible thing about comedy. You can never be sure what people will find funny. I usually give things to my brothers. If they laugh, I know I'm on to something.
What kind of shows make you laugh?
As far as British comedy is concerned, you're probably not going to get much better than Alan Partridge. Peep Show is bloody good too. Watching that always makes me very jealous. I was watching an Irish comedian called Tommy Tiernan the other day. That was one of the funniest things I've seen in ages.
How come you decided to set Angelo's in a café in London's West End?
Cafés are amazing places. Always full of weird people… especially in London. All these lives that bump into each other. And, of course, it's the place people go when they've got a hangover.
Been spending a lot of time in cafés yourself…?
I have a three-and-half-year-old daughter - I don't have time for hangovers! Actually, she often comes with me to the café. She already loves bacon and eggs.
And you?
I'm very partial to the jam roly-poly and custard at my local in Bethnal Green.
In the show, you play one half of a couple desperate to have kids…
I know what you're going to ask. No, they're not based on me and my husband.
You never dragged him down to the hospital with a box full of sperm samples then?
Let's kill that particular rumour, right here, shall we? Actually, my husband was a bit worried that people would think one of the characters in Pulling was based on him. The character was a bit of a pathetic wimp. Again, not true.
Are any of Angelo's characters based on people you know?
Angelo, the café owner is a mix of all those Italian café owners you see everywhere - always full of banter. My character is a policewoman and her boyfriend's a policeman. They're based on a policeman and woman I saw holding hands at Glastonbury one year. I remember thinking, "Hang on, shouldn't you be out catching criminals?" When Pulling was on, there were people I'd lived with years ago ringing me up and saying, "C'mon, that's me, isn't it?" I suppose a lot of comedy is about observation.
I've often wondered, do comedians write "Comedian" under Job Title whenever they fill in a form?
I don't even call myself a comedian. I suppose I'm an actor, really. I've never even done stand-up comedy. In fact, the job I did to get my Equity Card was running a puppet show. I'm happy to say that the only time I've ever had my hand up an animal's bum since then is to amuse my daughter.
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