Andi Osho - Holby City interview

Andi Osho joins Holby City for three episodes. She plays Barbara, an over-eager medical student. She tells TV Choice more about the role, and her work as a stand-up comic and writer...

Andi Osho interview

This month, Andi Osho takes her latest show All The Single Ladies to London's Soho Theatre, and we got on the phone to talk to her about comedy, working an audience, dating fans and more.

As Alan Carr takes the stage to introduce tonight's stand-up layer-cake, there's a problem. He's not looking at his best. Not only has he already got sweat patches under his arms (entirely forgiveable) but his flies are undone (less so). Could nobody in the production crew have noticed his costume malfunction before they sent the poor man out on stage in front of an excitable Hammersmith audience and half a dozen TV cameras?

To any other comedian such lèse majesté might be a problem, but not Carr, whose act involves belittling himself at every turn in any case: this is a man so shameless he can make comedy from the sweat under his own man boobs. As he cruises through material on vajazzling, wave machines and driving tests, the shambling self-mockery keeps coming, and keeps working.

The very likeable Andi Osho follows, with some good material on sex and relationships ("I don't want the sort of man who licks his finger before turning the page on a Kindle"). And Patrick Kielty takes very public revenge on Daybreak's Adrian Chiles.

Tonight's host of the comedy showcase is Alan Carr (that's the Carr who wears glasses and is camper than Butlin's). He is not just the host but, as it turns out, by far the star turn as he introduces performances from up-and-coming comedian Andi Osho and a disappointing Patrick Kielty.

My Edinburgh: Andi Osho, comedian

This year my Edinburgh show is drastically overrunning, sometimes by as much as 60 minutes.

BBC3's Edinburgh Fringe coverage peaks with this, their own live comedy show recorded two days ago at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre, held in aid of a local charity that provides support to people with HIV and hepatitis C.

It's just about the closest you'll get on the TV to the cream of the Fringe. Dependably funny
big names are everywhere, starting with the two comperes: Jon Richardson, who's been bringing his diffident wit to Eight Out of Ten Cats this year, and the smart Andi Osho, who should be a bigger TV property than she is. On the bill are Ed Byrne, Mark Watson, Shappi Khorsandi and Seann Walsh, among others.

Andi Osho's dating experiment continues

By day seven of my dating marathon, I'm starting to think I may be doing something wrong.

In search of a Fringe date

I'm now four shows in and can definitely say my Edinburgh has been a 50% success.

A welcome new addition to the Friday night schedules - some real comedy in among the chat shows masquerading as such. Pitched at the post-pub crowd it's an archive show in which some of today's comics celebrate the great TV moments that inspired them to pursue a career in stand-up, or simply left them doubled over helpless with laughter and admiration.

Jack Dee is up first, recalling the impact that Billy Connolly's debut appearance on Parkinson - when the Big Yin told the infamous bum joke that turned him into a comedy superstar overnight - had on his teenage self back in 1975. Among those piling in to concur, and recall what an enormous influence Connolly was, are Jon Culshaw, Dara O'Briain, Alan Carr and Jo Brand. Then, before it all gets too indulgent, Brand recalls her own favourite - a groundbreaking 1988 sketch from French and Saunders in which the duo play dirty old men watching a beauty pageant. Again, there's praise from the likes of Alan Carr, Joan Rivers, Andi Osho and - a touch bizarrely - Paddy McGuinness, before moving on to the next (Rhod Gilbert on Eddie Izzard's surreal "learning French" routine), and finishing with hymns to Max Miller and Les Dawson. In truth, the old doesn't always mix with the new, and the insights aren't always scintillating, but it's a chance to enjoy again some hilarious moments, and to discover some past flights of genius that may have passed you by.