Mecca Bingo Luton hosts Comedy Night with top UK TV comedians this Saturday

Exclusive Interview with comedian Simon Brodkin - Mecca Bingo Luton hosts Comedy Night with top UK TV comedians this Saturday

Where do you get your inspiration from for your stand-up?

I used to get inspiration for my characters from people I saw and other people's lives. Whereas now, doing stand-up as myself, my inspiration comes from me, my life and my family. So, I'm in a great position where if something unpleasant happens in my life there's always a silver lining of thinking 'this will make a funny routine'. Which is exactly what happened when I kicked a cupboard door in frustration when my kids wouldn't get ready in time for my birthday dinner, and I ended up in A&E.

How do you come up with your comedy characters? What sparks your interest? Are they based on anyone you know?

All of my characters came about through seeing people I thought had something funny about them. Whether that was some lads spitting off the top deck of a double-decker bus onto their mates below, and finding this absolutely hysterical, which was the inspiration for Lee Nelson! Although he turned out much nicer than them. Or watching Ronaldo, Rooney, Gerard and Beckham which all gave the inspiration for my preening footballer Jason Bent. You don't have to do much exaggerating with Premier League footballers to turn their lives into a joke.

Have you ever felt nervous before doing a stunt? E.g. was it nerve wracking before going on stage with Kanye West?

I don't feel that nervous before most stunts - I'm just concentrating on getting them done. Like at Glastonbury where I was just fully focused on trying to pretend, I was a gangster rapper and blagging it onto The Pyramid Stage. Although just before I gave Theresa May a P45, I saw there were armed officers all over the place and I was genuinely worried that there was some antiterrorism law where if you get within touching distance of a prime minister the police immediately gun you down. Fortunately, they didn't and instead, after Theresa kindly took the P45 off me, I was gently lowered back into my seat by a lovely security guard who thought I was one of Theresa May's aides and was concerned I was blocking the view for the cameras.

You famously hit the headlines when you were arrested in Luton, trying to board the England squad’s plane. Have you got any plans for a prank when you’re next in town? 

Number one rule of Prank Club is I can't talk about my next prank. But I can confirm there will be no pranks on that night, I'd feel daft pranking my own show.

Are you looking forward to coming to Luton for the night?

Can't wait. Luton people are always up for a laugh and I've got a lot of fond memories of Luton Airport from when I nearly boarded the plane to Brazil with the England World Cup squad. I was in character as my Premier League footballer Jason Bent and I blended in so well with the England squad that no one spotted me. I was about to board the flight, and I was just thinking 'when am I going to tell them it's a prank? I can't go to Brazil, I've got a gig tonight'. At that point I decided to ask Roy Hodgson whether I was in the squad or not as my phone had been broken for the last few weeks. Oddly enough, he then realised I was meant to be there.