I like my comedy...to make me feel good: Stephen K Amos

Stephen K Amos can be found all over the place at this year’s Fringe. He talks to Edward Whelan about his solo show The Feelgood Factor, eighteenth century farce School for Scandal and his live cookery demonstration.

So your show this year is called The Feelgood Factor – what’s that all about?
I think since the world imploded with the credit crunch and swine flu and everything else, people need to feel good about something. I can’t change the world but I can make people laugh and I can remind them to pay attention to the little moments of happiness.

You’re also doing The School for Scandal – are you looking forward to it?
It’s pretty daunting, not something I’ve ever done before. I’ve been on stage but this is entirely different; an eighteenth century farce with the wigs and the high camp. And it’s that thing about being in a cast - you’re relying on other people and they are relying on you, when you’re on your own you only have to worry about yourself but with other people around you can’t let them down.

And of course you’re also doing a live cookery demonstration for the Foodie Festival – are you a big foodie?
Absolutely not! I can cook a bit but I’m not a connoisseur myself. It came about because I did Masterchef – I was invited to do it and my mum likes the show so I agreed, but I had no idea how intense it was going to be. But someone from the foodie festival saw that and so invited me along.

Are you going to be popping up elsewhere?
I expect so. This is the first year I’m not hosting a chat show, but I expect I’ll be hosting Late ‘n’ Live and the Amnesty International Benefit maybe. So I’ll be popping up in different places. I think this is going to be my last Edinburgh festival though. I’ve been coming to Edinburgh for nine or ten years now, I’ve been there consistently. All the comics are so young, that’s why I’m desperate to get off the circuit! I’d like to go into TV writing or have a TV show.

Catch him while you can