Alan Carr
COMEDIAN AND TV PRESENTER
You originally studied drama before starting your career in stand-up. When did you realise that you had a knack for comedy?
I wanted to do the acting course, but I ended up on a theatre studies course. One of the good things about it, was that it had a stand-up comedy module where we all had to do a set in a comedy club and be marked by our teacher. It was so nerve-wracking, but it went so well that I thought, ‘Hey, maybe I could make a career of this’.
You made your name on the Manchester comedy circuit before branching into TV. When and why did you decide to move to London?
I got the job of warming up for Jonathan Ross’s BBC chat show so I decided to up sticks and move down here. It was a really surreal time in my life – one day I would be sharing a TV studio with Elton John and then the next night I’d be on stage at a working men’s club in Preston.
Do you have a favourite London comedy club?
It’s not a comedy club, as such, but the Hammersmith Apollo is one of my favourites – the audiences are just the best. The history of the place is just so rich and to think that you are heading onto a stage that has had everyone from Bowie to The Beatles on it is pretty mind-blowing.
J SHEEKEY ALWAYS HAS A BUZZ. THE FOOD, PRIMARILY THE FISH, IS DELICIOUS AND IT’S GOOD FOR A BIT OF CHEEKY CELEB SPOTTING
What’s the worst gig you’ve ever done?
New Year’s Eve in Nottingham in 2004. When I turned up at 9pm, everyone was pissed. In fact, a man in the queue was having an actual piss up the wall. People heckled, people threw things at me, one lady jumped on stage and exposed her breasts – it was awful, it was like a scene from a Western. I vowed never to do a New Year’s Eve gig again
You live in Bayswater. What do you like about the area?
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens are on our doorstep, which is great as I have two dogs. Bayswater is really geared towards tourists and, while I love a Princess Diana fridge magnet as much as the next guy, sometimes it’s nice to have Notting Hill nearby if you want a fancy restaurant or a good boozer.
You’ve interviewed so many A-listers – have you ever been really star-struck?
Not very star-struck, but sometimes you start falling in love with them because they are so fit. When you’re lucky enough to talk to Bradley Cooper, Channing Tatum and Tom Hardy, you’re love-struck not star-struck.
Which celebrity guest has surprised you the most?
Lady Gaga. You think that she is going to be really intimidating but, in fact, she’s a total sweetheart.
What is your favourite London restaurant?
J Sheekey always has a buzz. The food, primarily fish, is delicious and it’s great for a bit of cheeky celeb spotting.
What is your favourite London building?
I love Fournier Street, a row of 18th-century terraced houses near Spitalfields – a proper slice of old London.
Where is your favourite London view?
I think the view from Alexandra Palace is hard to beat. You can really see everything up there.
Who is your favourite Londoner?
I would say Charles Dickens but Google tells me he was born in Portsmouth so, reader, if you are particularly pedantic, I’ll say Amy Winehouse. She was cockney through and through; a tough cookie with a heart of gold, that amazing voice, and whose tragic passing was a reminder you can have too much of a good time in London.
