KAYVAN NOVAK

Generating comic material can sometimes get the better of you.

Why did Barry Humphries play Dame Edna for so many years? Why is Steve Coogan still doing Alan Partridge? Because there are just one or two characters they love doing. I'm lucky enough to have six that I'm crazy about.

The biggest mistake you can make with a prank show is remove the 'real' element, which is the funniest thing.

I put my parents through mini hell with my laziness and poor grades, so I love making them laugh when they see me on television. When I work, I'm always thinking, 'Would my mother find this funny?' The belly-laugh jokes will hit her every time.

I'm the guy that can play all the different races and get away with it.

I met the Gallagher brothers, and Noel was quoting my 'Fonejacker' catchphrases. Hearing your heroes quote you is incredible.

I think a lot of comedians are desperate to show their serious side, but I got that off my chest early on in my career.

I've never sat down and written jokes. I wouldn't know how to.

I miss watching TV and thinking they were all real. I used to feel like that about 'Neighbours.'

From 'Fonejacker,' multiculturalism has been a big part of my repertoire.

My characters are much more famous than I am, so I don't crave attention; I just crave working and doing good work. Having a feeling of self-worth.

My dad was quite political in the Seventies. He has a definite opinion about politics and things going on in the world.

I was born in London. In a lot of ways I'm English, but I have this Iranianness, this culture instilled by my parents, by my family.

I had to fool the world into accepting me. I didn't seem to fit the mould of my idols.

I look at my early career, and you know, when I left drama school, for a young Asian actor, you could either play a doctor on 'Holby City,' or you could play a terrorist in 'Spooks' and get to wear a nice shiny suit.

Being funny was something I was doing before I understood what that even was. Now I'm making a career out of it.

Thank God for my imagination. For my abilities to mimic.

I can't really walk down the street as Brian Badonde without someone going, 'Bwark.'

My first love is doing my own comedy stuff.

Paul Verhoeven is one of my favourite directors. I love his ability to mash extreme violence with humour and satire.

When I do an impression of someone or when I am pretending to be someone else, something freaky happens: I feel the person I am mimicking behind my eyeballs. Their head is sitting perfectly inside mine, helping me project a false self out on to the world. And it's not always a choice.

Getting expelled from secondary school and going to a more arty-farty college gave me the incentive to perform and opened some doors.

When I wind someone up, it's never to make them feel angry or aggressive; that doesn't make good telly. It's about uncovering a layer of themselves that is kind of sweet and nice.

I just want to keep doing my comedy work because that's what I do. I made a name for myself playing other characters.

Of course being in movies is very exciting, and it's a wonderful thing for an actor to do.