Sara Pascoe: 'TV is in a position where it cannot take risks'
Stand-up is Sara Pascoe's happy place – but she’d love to host TV’s Saturday Night Live
DAVID VENNI/CHILLI MEDIA
- Toby Earle
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What’s the view from your sofa?
The sofa faces the wall and there’s a massive TV above the mantelpiece. At the moment, it’s mostly showing Peppa Pig, so it’s wasted.
Who controls the remote?
When the children [Pascoe has two boys aged three and four] are awake, it’s not us. My husband and I will attempt to start something together once the kids are in bed, but we do that very coupley thing where one of us is more into the show and then cheats on the other by watching it alone.
What have you enjoyed watching recently?
I really liked Furious, and I’m enjoying Last Seen, which stars Patrick Brammall from Colin from Accounts. As a comic married to a comic actor [Steen Raskopoulos], when someone breaks through, you’re willing them on to do it for all the comics who can be serious, too. TLC has also been amazing over the last year; I love watching Mock the Week when I’m not on and Unacceptable is a new format for comedians. And I love Saturday Night Live UK on Sky.
How would you feel about hosting SNL UK?
I would love to be in a position to host one day. The team are doing so well and they’re going to keep getting better. This second series is better than the first, and they did so well with the first series under so much pressure. Ania Magliano is my favourite and I love what she and Paddy Young are creating on Weekend Update. I love their harshness.
Your first panel show was Sky’s 2011 series Wall of Fame – what was that like?
It was a bizarre experience. With a new format they have run-throughs in the office to see how the games work and I’d played some of those run-throughs. Tamara Eccleston was a regular panellist, but they replaced her after two weeks and offered me the job. I’m not speaking out of turn, because they fired me as I was equally shy [once filming began]. It was like I’d had a breakdown; I’d sit silently or say one thing and nobody would laugh, so I wouldn’t speak again. You have to learn how to be on a panel show, because they are completely different to stand-up.
Have panel shows evolved since then, to feature a greater representation of diverse voices?
People are trying, and comedy itself, in terms of live stand-up, is diverse and representative. TV is catching up, but I still watch shows sometimes and think, “I’d rather be hearing more from that person than that person.” I don’t want to put a tick next to panel shows and say, “Everything’s solved!” There’s too much caution and there aren’t enough platforms for newer comics. There aren’t any risks taken, but TV is also now in a position where it can’t take risks. Producers would lose their jobs and channels are struggling financially, so it’s a tightrope.
Has your comedy changed since you’ve had children?
I’m just much, much, much more tired. It’s not as if I head out on the road and have an amazing time partying. The part when I’m on stage is a glorious release, as I know my kids are in bed and safe. I have a great creative time, but the second it’s over, everything is about how quickly I can get home to be up with my kids before 6am.
Has your perspective on life changed since becoming a mother?
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I did a show about IVF, and the following show was about having two kids and how broken I was. My current show is about jazz and Ulysses, and parenthood isn’t mentioned at all. My type of stand-up is always reflective of where your life is. If I just talked about dinnertime and baked beans, it would be really dull.
Authors
Toby Earle
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