'I try to laugh a lot every day because the world can be a miserable place': 10 Questions for comedian Jo Brand

Jo Brand (Ian West / PA Wire)

BAFTA award winner Jo Brand was a psychiatric nurse before moving into comedy.

Her TV credits include QI, Have I Got News For You and The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice. She has written and acted in Damned, Getting On, and the follow-up Going Forward.

Her new series, Jo Brand’s Cats And Kittens, is on Channel 5 at 8.30pm on Tuesday.

How attached are you to animals?

Very. To be doing programmes like this, showing the positive side of animal life, is lovely. Brits love animals and this show has reinforced that belief for me.

Who was your favourite pet owner of the series?

A lady who’s rescued over 100 cats and keeps them all in her house. Thankfully there’s an unlimited supply of joss sticks and scented candles in the world. (laughs)

What would the comedian Jo make of the show?

She’d be cynical, but that stage persona is not really me. It’s armour I adopted to deal with hostile audiences. I’m not that person. If I was I wouldn’t have any friends.

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Who makes you laugh?

My brother is hilarious. I try to laugh a lot every day because the world can be a miserable place and we should escape that as often as we can.

Do you feel you have to make folk laugh off stage?

God no! That would be exhausting. I am a people-pleaser though. I think women do that more than men, but I’m not constantly trying to show off. I’m an “anything for a quiet life” type.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given?

Always write about what you know. I’ve only acted in stuff I’ve written myself, based on my time in the caring professions. I might be seen as a do-gooder, but it’s not as if I could write about being an engineer.

Do you worry about typecasting then?

No. At any one time 85% of actors are out of work so I can’t complain. I’ll never be a beautiful female lead, and most of us just want to work.

What makes you nervous?

When I think someone doesn’t like me, either in an audience or face to face. I end up gabbling. I’d love to have the attitude of “sod you, I’m off” but I just can’t do it. People-pleaser again, see?

What else have you got coming up?

My series Damned is back in January, but Going Forward hasn’t been recommissioned. I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but it was a bit of a relief as I was so busy. Maybe I’ll revisit it sometime.

You have 24 hours left to live. How do you spend it?

I like swimming in rough seas so I’d do a bit of that, then a family meal with my favourite food, roast potatoes. After, I’d make everyone recite their favourite poem.