Comic Russell Howard ahead of Dubai gig: ‘I love stand-up so much that there’s nothing else I’d rather do’

Ahead of his Dubai debut, British comedian Russell Howard tells us about his career, how his family inspires him and how he deals with low self-esteem.

Popular British comedian Russell Howard will perform in Dubai this weekend. Shirlaine Forrest / WireImage

Russell Howard, one of the best-known and highest-earning comedians in the United Kingdom, makes his Dubai stand-up debut this week with a run of three shows, part of his biggest tour to date, Round the World. A familiar face on British television, he is best known for his topical BBC comedy Russell Howard's Good News, which has run for 10 series and attracts more than three million viewers, as well as a regular slot on BBC panel show Mock the Week from 2007 to 2010. We caught up with him to ask about his eccentric family, social discomfort and playing video games for five hours at a time – ­although sadly, his thoughts on Donald Trump's golf course were entirely unrepeatable in a family publication.

As a comedian for whom current affairs are your bread and butter, how do you view the tumultuous state of the world these days?

It’s a brilliant time to be a comedian because there’s just so much to talk about. The world seems to be changing at an almost daily rate, and everybody’s turned on to the news. It’s gone mental [in the UK]. We’re doing 10 nights at the Albert Hall. At the end of it, I’m coming to Dubai for three dates, and we’re doing a little school or something – so it’s going to be really cool to see how it works there.

Have you been to Dubai before?

On holiday. My brother had his appendix burst when we were there, so we tried out one of your hospitals, and they were excellent. I swam with dolphins and he watched me from a wheelchair. He’s coming as well this time, so hopefully his guts will stay intact. I’m going to get there, spend a couple of days in Dubai beforehand, hanging out, then think about the shows. It’ll be a blast. I’m really looking forward to it.

A lot of your material draws on the antics of your family – do they enjoy being part of your act?

Yeah, they love it. My mum’s ­become a kind of a celebrity in her own right because we did a travel show together. It went massive, and I think people prefer my mum to me now. I ­imagine next time we’re in Dubai, I’ll be supporting her. I love my family and they’re really funny.

Do these stories get ­embellished for comic effect or is your family ­genuine comedy gold?

It’s sort of 80 per cent truths, then sprinkling fairy dust from time to time – but the stuff you make up is never as funny. The truth is always funnier. That’s why people relate to it so well because we’ve either all got mad families or know some other families that are ­slightly crazy. It’s such a universal thing.

Do you adapt any of your “local” material for global tour dates?

Oh yeah, massively. That’s one of the joys of travelling and doing stand-up. The shows I’ll do in the Albert Hall will be very different to the show I’ll do in Amsterdam, which will be very different to the show I do in ­Dubai. In smaller venues, you get to chat to the crowd and move around. The really great gigs are always created with audiences, not for [audiences]. Also, the great thing about being in America or Europe or Dubai is that I’m anonymous. In ­England, if I go to a coffee shop, I’ll get ­recognised, but if I’m walking around Dubai, I can take in the world a bit – then it’s easier to observe. I love that, slightly ­selfishly, I get to travel around to all these amazing places and pick up comedy.

In an interview last year, you spoke about having low self-­esteem – do you have to psych yourself up for a show?

I’m a lot more comfortable talking in front of 10,000 people than I am in a social setting – like down the post office trying to get some stamps. I find life a lot trickier than stand-up. If I could live permanently in the world of stand-up, it would be easy. It’s weird.

Your girlfriend is a doctor - does that help to keep your feet on the ground?

Oh yeah. You can’t share your day. She’ll come home and she’s saved lives, and you’ve been playing Football Manager for five hours.

Do you think you have changed, as a person, since you began your career about 20 years ago?

Massively, yeah. I’ve done 10 series of Good News. After 10 series of writing jokes about the news, I’m definitely more ­political than I was when I started. But I love stand-up so much that there’s nothing else I’d rather do. I get a real kick out of people coming to see me and making them laugh. It’s still the best thing in the world. And I think when that stops, I’ll stop.

• Russell Howard will perform at the Dubai College auditorium from April 20 to 22. Doors open 7pm, show begins 8pm; tickets cost from Dh295. For more information, visit www.117live.com/knockknock