TGtB Meets...Joel Dommett

Bristol born comedian and actor Joel Dommett has made a name for himself as a cheeky prankster on BBC 3's Impractical Jokers, the charismatic host of MIC spinoff Live in Chelsea and the hilarious DC Sweeney in Skins. This year Joel returns to his stand-up routes with his side-splitting new tour, Practical Joker.

When did you first discover that you were funny? Did you always want to be a comedian? 

I haven't discovered I’m funny yet but I appreciate that you think I’m funny. Do you think I’m funny? I’m really insecure. I've always loved comedy. I remember watching Mr Bean videos over and over constantly when I was a child. I didn’t really think about ever doing stand-up comedy until about 3 hours before i did it. It was a good spilt second decision, before I couldn’t afford food. Now I can afford food.

Is there a strong scene for up and coming comedians in Bristol, did you learn a lot there? 

Even though (I haven’t spelt ‘tho’ in full for years. I feel clever. (Almost spelt clever like ‘cleaver... feel stupid again) I grew up in Bristol I started stand up in London. I was scared to gig in bristol for about 2 years in case anyone I knew saw me. Then they saw me on TV a bit and it kinda let the Bristolian cat out of the comedy bag. This tour date at the Colston Hall is going to be an exciting homecoming gig. My mum will be there. My granny won’t because she doesn’t think I’m funny.

Where did the idea for your new show come from? Can you tell us a bit about it? 

It’s my first proper tour so it's basically a collection of all my favourite bits of my last three Edinburgh shows.. It ends on me doing Nunchucks in a strobe light to 2 Unlimited. If you're not sure whether to come and see the show....then hopefully that sways it.

Tell us about your worst experience on stage…

I love this job because it presents ridiculousness to you in some form on a daily basis. You meet a cross section of the best and worst people in the country. The other day at a gig a nice lady stood up in the second row and yelled ‘why don’t you just read out the raffle?’ then sat back down. You know it'll be a bad night when the headliner is a tombola. That wasn’t the worst but I have erased the actual worst ones from my tiny brain to make space for things like Breaking Bad and Ally Mcbeal.

Apart from stand-up you’re probably most famous for your involvement in BBC 3’s Impractical Jokers, what’s been your favourite prank on the show?

In the new series we have to see how many pencils we could balance on a stranger without them noticing. You could put them in pockets or bags etc and it was REALLY hard. It was scary because people would turn around and think we were stealing something from them, then we'd have to say ‘I’m trying to put a pencil on you’. Apparently that doesn’t make them any happier.

You’ve also presented Made in Chelsea spinoff Live in Chelsea – did you get on well with the cast?

Yes actually. Most of them are nice enough. Proudlock still gives me his Serge De Neme T shirts. They wash really well.

Are you a fan of reality TV? If you had to take part in a reality show, which one would it be?

Probably Celebrity Mastershef or something that you can at least learn a skill that helps in life. Or that ice skating one because I look incredible in sequins.

When you get chance to come back to Bristol, where are your favourite places to go on a night out?

I like hanging out with my friends at the White Bear on St Michael’s hill. There's also a nice theatre upstairs that hosts little comedy shows.

Now that you’re living in London, what do you miss most about Bristol (apart from your mum)?

I miss The Mall. I worked at Virgin Megastores and The Orange Shop there for many years and I remember thinking it was incredible. Although i haven’t been there since 2003 so I’m sure nowadays its rubbish.

Aside from the tour, do you have any exciting projects or performances in the pipeline? Are you doing many festivals this year?

I think so.. I usually enjoy Festival gigs so I sign myself up for as many as possible. Teenagers who are away from their parents for the first time drinking and sleeping in a field? FUN AUDIENCE.