Phil Ellis, the creator and host of last year's hit format 'Funz And Gamez', says he expects to lose the respect of his peers this year as he brings a sequel to the show this year.

1. Tell us about your career so far. Are you happy with where you're at?

I started comedy whilst I worked in an airbag factory in 2005. It took a lot of courage for me to leave the security of a life making AND moving boxes around for 12 hours a day but I did it. My first gig was in Stourbridge, and I knew from the moment I stood on that unstable wooden palette in front of literally people, that I would shoot to stardom. Sure enough, 9 years later I had made it.

I've been a full time comic for almost 5 years now and when I'm not crying about the countless relationships it has destroyed, I'm indifferent. I'm happy where I am career-wise but I'm distressed at where I am emotionally.

2. Describe your show in exactly 23 words.

Nah!

3. Why are you putting yourself through this famously stressful experience?

For the money. There's no way that I can top the excitement of last year's Fringe, all this year will bring is a backlash. However, I'm hoping to earn enough to pay-off the divorce settlement and to take my new 20 year old girlfriend to Magaluf (She's 13 years younger than me. Brilliant!)

4. Any cunning plans to get more punters in?

Every poster is riddled with subliminal messages. If they don't work, we'll just herd the buggers in like cattle... or sheep... are sheep cattle?

5. How much money do you think you'll lose/make this year?

The only thing that I intend to lose this year is the respect of my peers.

6. What's your weirdest past Fringe experience?

It was pretty weird when that juggler on the Royal Mile kissed me and told me to never change. Later on I discovered he had just stolen my wallet, I don't even own a wallet so I can only assume that he planted one on me and then stole it back. That was weird.

7. What other shows are you hoping to see?

Well really I don't want to give any other shows free press but I reckon this Q&A will only turn people away so I'm happy to recommend some. I'm definitely going to be catching Michael J Dolan, Peter Brush, Johnny Pelham, Michael Legge, Gavin Webster, Seymour Mace and Johnny Jeg-Wegs.

8. If you took over programming a venue, what would you perfect line-up of comedians be?

I'd resurrect Rik Mayall and have him closing. I'd get Neil Hamburger to MC, Norm Macdonald to open and Jim Davidson in the middle, just to even it out a little.

9. Name the one person you'd rather not bump into during the festival.

My ex-wife. I set fire to her front lawn a few weeks ago and she keeps calling me from a withheld number, which is ironic as that's how I usually call her. Plus her cat's gone missing, but I had nothing to do with that, the dates of the lawn fire and cat disappearance coinciding are merely a coincidence.

10. Why should audiences pick your show over the 1,700+ other comedy offerings at this year's festival?

Because I have a man dressed as a pig in mine.

'Funz and Gamez Tooz' is at 3:20pm at Assembly George Square Gardens on 6-24, 26-31 August. Listing