Born in England, his family moved to Fife when he was a toddler. Aged just 16, he began writing material for the sometimes controversial Frankie Boyle.
A place at Dundee University studying history beckoned, but he decided to take a gap year to see what he could make of comedy.
The university offer was never taken up and at the ripe old age of 27, he has never looked back.
Comedy fans in Barnard Castle will get the chance to see what he's all about when he brings his Now tour to The Witham on Tuesday, November 28. It will be his first visit to the area.
“When I started at 17, I had no opinions. It was funny, but there was no substance to it,” he says.
“As I have grown up, it’s become a lot more honest, talking about my darkest thoughts. I have become more of myself.
“My comedy is described as dark and I understand why it is – I like talking about death and God.”
He has racked up a wealth of experience in a relatively short time – although he points out he has spent more than a third of his life working at it.
In addition to annual shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, he has performed two solo off-Broadway seasons, released a DVD and toured extensively throughout the UK, Australasia, USA and Europe.
TV credits includes Sunday Night at the Palladium, Michael McIntyre's Comedy Road Show, the Rob Brydon Show and many more.
But he warns people not to expect the carefully edited broadcast material. The live experience is something else, he says.
“If easily offended, don’t come to the show. I am the only person who tries to put people off coming to the show,” he jokes.
Coming up with new material for each new show or tour holds no fears.
“It’s always personal – what annoys me, what riles me, personal experience. My comedy is about being an idiot. I never run out of material.”
He enjoys life on the road – wherever that may take him.
“I go to places I never thought I would go to, from Transylvania and Iceland to Estonia, in a really old Soviet era theatre.
“People still get the comedy. My material is not political or local – it’s about me and my opinions.”
The first leg of his UK Now tour began in September. He broke off for a few dates in Europe and a comedy festival in New York and visits Barney as part of the second leg of the UK tour.
It is, he says, a good show.
“It is always nice to see a strong show grow stronger. It naturally grows and I have fun with it now.”
Tickets for the show are £12, however, the Mercury has teamed up with promoters Funny Way To Be for a two-for-one offer, using the discount code of SLOSS241 when booking online at www.funnywaytobe.com
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