Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Comedian, writer and actor, host of Taskmaster, star/writer of Man Down and The Cleaner, and played Mr. Gilbert in The Inbetweeners.
On the island
Eight records
I'd chosen baggy trousers to represent what madness meant to the twelve year old me
My dad and I used to spend hours driving to look at cars that my dad had no intention of buying so that we could just look at cars. But we also used to sing a lot. Sinatra, he would primarily sing in his car. And I've never liked Sinatra's voice. But the song that he used to sing all the time that I did like was Wichita Line Man. So we used to sing it, and I have such vivid memories of singing this song at the top of my voice with him.
100% EnduranceFavourite
It's such an eloquent little song pondering the nature and the mysteries of existence. I just love it. And I'll often pop it on if I just need to switch off for a bit.
I've been a long-term disappointment to myself, but it hits like a hammer when I'm that to someone else. It's just it always gets me.
I remember so clearly going what's he thinking about? He's talking about wandering around a graveyard recreationally. Yeah the lyrics of Morrissey had a very big impact on young Gregg.
Original Soundtrack of Oliver!
When I'm sitting on that island, I want to look back on the teaching years with affection. I don't want to remember the pantomime version of the teaching years. Those productions, I did Oliver twice with the kids, and those productions were great fun. And also, you know, there's this theme in my life of trying to find my gang all the time, Laura, and trying to find the tribe. And Consider Yourself is a pretty good song for that, I think.
For a long time I've said this is my favourite song. I think it's probably been usurped, but it is a banger. And I would say I have mimed in front of a mirror to this song more times than I'd care to tell you, and more recently than I would care to tell you.
I love the next episode. I don't think there is any situation ever that wouldn't be improved by playing the next episode by Dr. Dre.
In conversation
Presenter asks
1:49So Greg, that sense of catching up, is that something that still drives you today? You've got some catching up to do?
I think I feel I've probably caught up now. Yeah, but it certainly drove my career. I was saying to a friend, I went back to Edinburgh recently for the first time in years and years, just to go to the city. It's the first time I'd really been back since the early days of my career at the Edinburgh Festival. And I just found, I think I've got some sort of post-traumatic stress disorder related to that city. I mean, it's a beautiful city.
Presenter asks
3:52So is there anything that's off limits? Where do the lines come in?
I would be horrified if I said anything to upset anyone I know. In the very British tradition of stand up, I want the target to be me. I've been fairly demonstrative of that in my stand up shows. I hope that, you know, largely you see the gun being turned on me. Because I can take it.
Presenter asks
9:27So merciless. So did it ever go too far? Did it ever really hurt you?
I don't think it I mean it's a challenge because my dad was very good at it, at targeting weaknesses. But no, I don't think it ever did hurt me. And he would have been horrified if it had. It came from a place of affection, and it came from knowing each other well, yeah. So no, I never felt hurt by it, and I'm sure my sister didn't either. I think he was just enjoyed taking the Mickey. He was a wind-up artist.
The keepsakes
The book
John Steinbeck
It's a sad little book. But it's also often funny, and it's so heartwarming at times, and it's a real, pretty powerful story about friendship. … I think that the story of George and Lenny will remind me that sitting on my desert island, things are pretty cushy.
The luxury
Sausages to me are the food equivalent of Doctor Dre. You know, there's never a situation that isn't improved by a sausage.
Presenter asks
18:26What were you like at school? You must have been funny. Were you popular?
No. I'm sure all comics you'll think I'm making this up. I mean honestly it's just such a frightened weed is how I felt and I hated school for years. I hated primary school and I certainly hated secondary school. I guess I started to find my people in what we would call the fourth and fifth year. Okay. Year 10 and 11.
Presenter asks
29:09You've said you were very unhappy during that time, so why did you do it for so long?
Don't think that my skin was thick enough to start a career in comedy. I'd have fallen at the first bad review back then. And it was partly because, you know, it's a pretty all-consuming job teaching, and there are lots of great things about it. Some of my best mates are the mates I made in those teaching years still. And I work with some truly amazing teachers. So it was a rum old time.
Presenter asks
37:12Was there a tipping point where you started to feel genuinely self-confident?
No. Maybe in the last couple of years I've thought, I think you've done all right.
“I feel like I've spent my career doing a bad impression of him.”
“And I scream I don't think I've ever screamed that much. And then everyone came in and laughed at how upset Greg was.”
“I wouldn't have it any other way, mate.”
“Every morning before work, I woke up in tears.”
“It was very relaxing. I floated in some salt water and then the next morning I woke up and I couldn't stop crying.”