Interview: Jason Manford
Katie Morley chats to 8 out of 10 Cats team captain and up & coming comedian Jason Manford about his luck with girls, happiness and picking his nose.
Growing up in Salford, Jason Manford began to realise that he could be funny from an early age. Despite toying with the image of class clown during his days at Oakwood High School, Jason admits: ‘I was sensible though, I did work too – and I had a few really supportive teachers and that helped.’ When he was 17, chance brought Jason in front of a small audience in a comedy club in which he worked as a glass collector. ‘One of the stand up acts cancelled and no-one else wanted to fill the slot, so I did it – and I enjoyed it. It was great.’ Jason had begun to carve his long and successful path towards a career in comedy, but after he completed his A-Levels he took time out from doing stand-up to pursue a HND qualification in Performance and Media. Jason funded his student lifestyle by taking up ‘loads of crap jobs’, which ranged from working on building sites to slumming it flipping burgers at Burger King. ‘You’ve got to have a job to get you through really.’
Clearly a hard and honest worker, Jason questions whether his lucky break, landing his current job as Team Captain on ITV’s 8 out of 10 Cats was really that lucky at all. ‘I’m not sure how lucky it was – I got on the show as a guest, that went well – it seemed like the next step. Plus I was a Notherner.’ He reckons that being Northern has always got him a few extra laughs. ‘You say something and people laugh at how you’re saying it – not necessarily at what you’re saying!’
Jason isn’t exactly the Brad Pitt of comedy but nevertheless has acquired a substantial base of female admirers. According to Jason however, he hasn’t always been such a hit with the ladies. ‘I’ve never really been very popular with women. I mean, at parties, I was always the one in the kitchen helping the mam with the butties, and girls usually go for the bad boys. I was always a good boy.’
Now happily married with two young daughters, Jason drops the comic front and tenderly explains that his greatest fear isn’t a fall from fame but his newly found parental responsibilities. ‘I’ve got two little girls now and probably my greatest fear is that I’m responsible for them – providing for them, keeping them warm, you know.’ He also explains that if he wasn’t being a comedian he’d be a mentor for under-privileged children. ‘I used to do some mentoring with kids who would never contemplate university, as they think it’s for “other people”, which actually is what I used to think. I’d love to encourage them, show them that there is a place in the world for them.’
When asked what the future has in store for him, the comic curtains are drawn again and he jokes about flying cars and holidays in the moon before going on to say something to make even the smuggest of us green with envy. ‘I’d just love to carry on working and to have a nice home life. My favourite thing is to just come home and enjoy it. I’d be so happy if it stayed like this forever, this is as good as I thought it could get really.’ Jason’s favourite place in the world is home and he spends so long away that he just loves to go home and enjoy his family.
Unsurprisingly, Jason doesn’t come across as a very indulgent or extravagant person. His current vice takes the rather unglamorous shape of Malt Loaf. ‘I’m addicted to it – I get through loaves and loaves,’ and he doesn’t drink either. ‘I go out and I’ll have a Coke or an orange juice. When I used to work in the clubs, I’d get paid a tenner and then you think, well I’m not gonna spend that tenner here! So I didn’t ever start drinking, and I just stuck with that really.’ Jason is so down to earth that he even confesses to picking his nose, and when asked whether he eats or flicks, he chuckles and replies: ‘well otherwise you’ve gotta find somewhere to put it haven’t you… But I’ve usually got a tissue in my pocket.’
Genuine, friendly and hilarious, I can honestly say that Jason Manford is one of the nicest interviewees I’ve ever come across. Our conversation induced the feeling that I’d been hugged down the phone by a Mancurian teddy bear – it is easy to see how he has achieved such success and happiness. I can only come to the conclusion that Jason Manford might well be the perfect man. So ladies, if you take one thing away from reading this article: stop swooning at the bad guy with the leather jacket and a stash of weed and keep an eye out instead for the funny guy holding an orange squash who’s helping your mum. Gentlemen: you can only get away with picking your nose if you’re Jason Manford, so don’t even think about it.
Posted on Dec 16, 2009 - 05:04 PM
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