Comic needs a nap before any big show

Joe Lycett may be a dynamic comedian, always gigging and fronting TV shows, while spearheading consumer campaigns and lobbying for government support for the arts.

But he needs his nap first.

Speaking on the  Perfect Day with Jessica Knappett podcast he revealed: ‘I schedule in [naps] before stand-up shows and particularly before live TV shows, I schedule into my day a nap. 

‘So before Late Night Lycett every episode, there's an hour in my diary for the day where people can't come and speak to me or ask me anything cause I go and close my eyes.

‘They set up this sort of little sofa bed for me. It's all very glamorous. I know it's really sweet, isn't it? But I think it's really important.

‘It's fine doing like 20 minute stand up sets and not having slept or whatever, but if I'm doing quite intense brain work, like a stand-up show or a live TV show, I really notice that I'm not firing if I've had a whole day of rehearsal and scripts and whatever, and then go straight into it, I'm kind of stumbling over myself and I start to get frustrated.

‘It doesn't have to be long, and as I say, I don't have to actually fall asleep, often I do, but it just needs to be a little bit of quiet time.’ 

•  Perfect Day with Jessica Knappett is available on all podcast platforms. 

Published: 24 Oct 2024