Matt Berry

A lot of my songs are about things that concern me personally, not a heightened version of myself or any of the characters that I play.

I think there's a chance that aliens might just see us as beef cattle, so that's us done. Whether they would inhabit us in that way is pretty fanciful because they'd probably just get from us what they could, and then I just see us as fast food.

Before doing 'Darkplace' in 2003, I was temping and at call centres, and that was pretty bad. Then I was at the London Dungeon, which I loved doing, and then from that, I was on Channel 4 doing 'Darkplace.'

It's always more interesting to do new things.

'Toast' is based on a bunch of actors but especially one guy. I worked with him on a film and realise that if I mentioned any actor who was around his age but more successful, it would drive him insane. So from sheer devilment, I'd do it on purpose.

I showed my dad the first episode of 'Toast of London' the other night. He laughed a bit, but when it finished, he just turned to me and said, 'You're an idiot.' I loved that.

It's a different world: when I'm writing 'Toast,' I've got one foot in 1974 and one foot in the modern day, because the modern day is nowhere near as funny or interesting.

What I love about 'Toast' is that there's always new stuff you can do with him.

I'm not going to do anything that I don't think is very funny, even if it's a lot of money or massive exposure.

When I was a student, I couldn't afford anything.

One of the most memorable and frightening things when I was four or five was Kate Bush doing 'Wuthering Heights.' She did it outside, in a forest, and she did this thing where she looked straight into the camera, and it's the most frightening thing for a kid to see, but it just stuck in my head.

Today, actors aren't forced to ditch their regional accents like they used to. The best example's Tom Baker, a Scouser who went to great lengths to change his accent and ended up with something alien - and fantastic. It's sad that when the likes of him go, there won't be those sorts of accents any more.

When I do a voiceover now, there are always a few people I've borrowed bits off, whether it's their hats or facial hair, who'll say: 'That's so funny; it's obviously based on this guy.' You think, 'It ain't: it's you.' Actors never think characters are based on them.

I wasn't interested in sport or anything obvious, so I didn't stand out. I was interested in music, but I couldn't read music, so I wasn't allowed to do the GCSE. I was interested in painting, but no one's interested in a 16-year-old boy who's interested in painting. I wanted to get out of school very, very quickly.

I'd tell my teenage self he did the right thing never getting a proper job.

Closest to my heart is probably 'Toast of London' because I came up with the character, based on a bunch of people I worked with in the industry. And Channel 4 didn't mess with it. Head to screen, it was exactly as I wanted it.

My uncle used to take me out at night shooting rabbits.

When you come to the end of a TV project, it's good to be able - and I'm kind of lucky - that I can just go into a different medium, make another album, or do whatever.

I didn't know how interested I was in performing until I did 'Darkplace.' I hadn't done anything really up until that point. I didn't mind the cameras, and I didn't know that I would enjoy it.

I always come back to the gentler stuff like Simon & Garfunkel and the Fleet Foxes' first album - that's quite an odd one.

I used to not really know any other people when I was young that wanted to play music - that's why I learned everything myself. As a result, you kind of naturally become an engineer of sorts, because you've got to learn how to record everything.

Something like 'Knock Knock,' I was trying to do a Joe Meek, 'Johnny Remember Me'-type thing.

The folk that you get on Radio 1 isn't the sort of thing that I'm into: it's kind of too uptempo and jaunty for me. I prefer a bit of atmosphere and a bit of darkness.

There's always another idea round the corner that I want to do. So while I can, it's important to do them, because there will come a time when I can't.

I can't think of anything worse than to be stuck in something that I've already lost interest in.

If you're bored and you look bored, that's your fault.

I've never had a plan for any of this: there was never a plan for, 'Right, I must get on the TV,' 'Right, I must have my own show,' 'Right, I must be a movie star.' I don't think like that. I haven't ever had that sort of interest.

I try not to see myself as anything, as that would be embarrassing. But if I had to label myself, I'd probably say I was an artist due to the fact that I enjoy working within the arts on different platforms, of which comedy is just one.

Yes, I performed at the Secret Policeman's Ball at Radio City Music Hall and loved every minute.

When I'm not working, I'll spend time with loved ones.

I still believe that the best art - be it music, comedy, painting, etc. - is the art that hasn't been asked for, or is expected.

A lot of actors do that - they blame their failure on their agents or their photos. But that is just putting off the real issues.

There just aren't enough hours in the day; I've got a lot of things that I want to do, and those that I can do, I'm going to make sure that I do do!

If you're a thoughtful person, you won't want to be in people's faces all the time.

I am quite shy.

If your catchphrase has appeared in men's toilets, then you know you've made it!

I didn't have any plan to go into comedy.

While I've got all my arms and legs and my eyes working at the same time, I've got to make as much stuff as I can.

Most of the things I do are inspired by things that frightened me when I was young.

I'm a fan of Douglas Adams, yes.

If it's funny or it's good, then yeah, I'll do it. Whether it's big-screen or whatever wouldn't be the deciding factor for me.

I don't watch much TV.

I find comedy fun, and I really enjoy doing music.

Nowadays, all actors talk about is what they don't eat and what kind of juicers they've got. That wouldn't have been a conversation John Hurt would have had with Tom Baker.

The only reason I'm associated with 'the Boosh' is because Richard Ayoade, who was meant to be doing Bainbridge, couldn't do it because of something with Channel 4, so I ended up doing it.

Actors are a great subject for a comedy. They're inherently funny because, like sportsmen, they take themselves so seriously.

I don't like to think of anyone waking up every morning amazed that things haven't gone their way in life.

Oh God, I've done telesales. It doesn't get much lower than that, really. That's the job I enjoyed the least.

I draw from the most pompous people, who are the people that make me laugh the most.

If somebody has no sense of humor, I think that's a great place to start for British comedy in terms of your character.