How luck and talent combine to shape a comedy career.

There's an excellent new episode of Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast - RHLSTP! - available now, in which the popular comic-cum-interviewer talks to the respected US journalist-turned-poker player Maria Konnikova. They didn't actually meet at the Leicester Square Theatre in this case, but over Zoom, which wasn't a big hindrance: the interview was perhaps able to dig a bit deeper than might have been the case with an audience present.

The major talking point was Konnikova's book, which recalls her transformation from a writer who knew nothing about card games, at all, to a budding poker player who went on to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars. It's a terrific story, particularly for anyone who plays regularly or peruses the poker bonuses online, and dreams of becoming a card-playing professional.

That book is also about luck, though, and how even the best coaching in the world can't guarantee that you'll win big money, in a game like poker. You can only give yourself the best opportunity to capitalise, if the cards do fall your way. It uses that game to look at luck and life generally, which is something a lot of people in the comedy business will relate to. Every comic can probably recall a moment where it could have gone either way.

Actually Herring himself is a good example of the old truism that you make your own luck, having built whole new openings for himself when more established ones seemed to have closed. Talent and initiative are no doubt the major factors when it comes to comedy success, but there are lots of - sorry Richard - Sliding Doors moments along the way too. The right person goes to the right gig at the right time, and gives someone an amazing opportunity.

It happens in other forms of entertainment quite regularly, and famously. Hugh Jackman was a relatively unknown guy from musical theatre when Dougray Scott had to drop out of the first X-Men film due to clashes while filming Mission Impossible 2, and he stepped in - how would Jackson's career have progressed, if he hadn't been Wolverine? The Scottish singer KT Tunstall only got her breakthrough appearance on Later With Jools Holland because the US rapper Nas pulled out at the last minute. It can be random, who you end up owing a strange debt to.

Getting a big TV or radio break definitely isn't as crucial as it used to be for comedians: one great thing about this business is that you can just make your own stuff, and do your own gigs, and hopefully still get an audience. When you do get 'discovered' by the broadcasters though - often about 10 years after you were discovered by comedy fans - it can snowball rapidly. One good panel show appearance and you're flavour of the month, getting tossed into the mix for all sorts of interesting jobs.

Which is one other sobering thing about this year's gig shutdown, and the Edinburgh Fringe in particular: a lot of acts may well look back and wonder if this was supposed to be their year. Still, as one door closes...