“The first thing I’d point out is that stand-up comedy and playing a comic character very different things.

“I can’t tell a joke to save my life but I enjoy bringing a comic personality to a character which requires it. I have had the privilege of working with some excellent performers in my time – for instance Lesley Joseph, who played Mrs Meers in the Millie tour – and the experience just confirms that it takes a lot of serious acting ability to really carry off a comic character well.