Ed Byrne

The Old Market, Upper Market Street, Hove, Tuesday, November 24

LOOKING back Ed Byrne feels a little uncomfortable about the more laddish material he used to perform as a 20-year-old.

“My comedy reflected my life at that time,” he says.

“I was single and enjoying myself. Most of it was fairly harmless ‘the difference between men and women’ kind of thing. But some of the stuff about an ex-girlfriend I can see was a bit angry and I wouldn’t do it now.

“I don’t know how much of that is simply getting older, or that times have changed, or mixing with a broader group of people. Interestingly I find Twitter can expand your horizons; I’ve started following all sorts of people on it and it’s good to get a different take on things.”

The 43-year-old father-of-two describes his new show Outside, Looking In as his most personal yet.

“I didn’t make a conscious effort to write a more personal show, but that was what was coming out when I started writing it,” he says.

“People come to see me for a laugh and I would like to think they go away thinking the show is quite heart-warming.

“A lot of comics may talk about the same stuff, but what makes it mine is that what I’m saying is what I genuinely think on this subject, and I try to make it as funny as I can.

“I think we all mine our lives to some degree or other.”

That doesn’t necessarily mean he will bring his two young sons into the equation – although a picture of one does feature in the climax to a bittersweet story about buying new shoes.

“I’m aware that they haven’t given me permission to talk about them and that there will come a point when I can’t,” he says.

“John Bishop has stopped talking about his children on stage because people know who they are.

“What I’m discussing is the act of parenting and you can’t talk about that without mentioning your own children.

“And there isn’t anything in this show that would make them at a later date say: ‘I don’t like this’.”

In discussing parenting during his show he touches on how we label young children – and explores the worlds of feminism and transgender issues.

“It has become such a big subject because of Caitlyn Jenner,” says Byrne of the latter, referring to the former US Olympian who transitioned in public through the reality shows Keeping Up With The Kardashians and I Am Cait.

“Some Twitter trolls were refusing to acknowledge her as anything but Bruce. I thought it was interesting that it still divides people. I call it the thorniest issue since Jesus was fitted for a hat.”

In his time off stage he is a keen hill walker, collecting Munros - peaks above 3,000ft - when he’s in Scotland, and county tops – the highest points in the county – when in England.

"I've downloaded an app for them," he admits laughing, adding his total of Munros is now 75. "I've started making a list of those I've done."

That interest is feeding into a new sitcom he is penning about an outdoors shop.

And he is gradually introducing his family into the outdoorsy life.

“So far they love it,” he says. “Camping and canoeing, that sort of thing. As [the boys] are growing it’s hard to be apart from them when I’m on tour. I try not to be away for more than a couple of days at a time.

“One of the great things about my job is that it means I can spend a lot of time with them when I’m at home.”

That said aside from the travel involved, Byrne still enjoys the touring life.

“You have people responding to something that you have written alone in your office,” he says. “The work comes alive in a room of people.

“I like the television things I do, but nothing can beat a live comedy audience.”

*Byrne also brings Outside, Looking In to Worthing Assembly Hall, in Stoke Abbott Road, on Friday, December 11. Tickets £20.50, call 01903 206206.

Interview by Veronica Lee

Words Duncan Hall

Starts 8pm, tickets £19. Call 01273 201801.