Jul 22, 2026 · 47 min · 12 segments
Recorded live at the Underbelly Boulevard Soho Theatre join us in conversation with acclaimed actor, writer, and comedic force that is Steve Pemberton as we talk about his life and creative process.
Steve PembertonGuest
James BiermanHost
Um, so, uh, I'm just gonna start off taking us right back to the, to, to baby Steve.
Um, where did the idea of performing, theater, comedy, where did it enter? Was it already in your family setup? Did you grow up with it?
[clicking]
Um, but I always found myself gravitating towards the dressing up box and, uh, the Wendy house, which had all kinds of hats and costumes and things you could go and grab.
And my grandad had flat caps and a pipe, and I just loved assuming these, these mantles of different people.
It's a really weird one, and I don't know where it came from, but I was always, always from the tiniest child interested in doing drama.
I did one, uh, amateur production, um, of The Diary of Anne Frank, where I was on stage with a live cat that scratched the fuck out of me.
[laughs]
Um, and, and then went on to, uh, study, um, at Bretton Hall College, uh, and do a degree in drama.
Uh, I mean, I told my parents I wanted to do drama as oppo- 'cause I was, you know, I could have done other subjects at uni.
Um, but I said I would do a degree, 'cause I thought, well, at least with a degree you can go off and explore other things when you inevitably fail.
And why Bretton Hall? 'Cause that felt like, uh, that's quite a different sort of drama course and place.
I mean, I remember working with people from there, and it felt like it had a very different attitude.
Um, so, uh, I'm just gonna start off taking us right back to the, to, to baby Steve.
Um, where did the idea of performing, theater, comedy, where did it enter? Was it already in your family setup? Did you grow up with it?
[clicking]
Um, but I always found myself gravitating towards the dressing up box and, uh, the Wendy house, which had all kinds of hats and costumes and things you could go and grab.
And my grandad had flat caps and a pipe, and I just loved assuming these, these mantles of different people.
It's a really weird one, and I don't know where it came from, but I was always, always from the tiniest child interested in doing drama.
I did one, uh, amateur production, um, of The Diary of Anne Frank, where I was on stage with a live cat that scratched the fuck out of me.
[laughs]
Um, and, and then went on to, uh, study, um, at Bretton Hall College, uh, and do a degree in drama.
Uh, I mean, I told my parents I wanted to do drama as oppo- 'cause I was, you know, I could have done other subjects at uni.
Um, but I said I would do a degree, 'cause I thought, well, at least with a degree you can go off and explore other things when you inevitably fail.
And why Bretton Hall? 'Cause that felt like, uh, that's quite a different sort of drama course and place.
I mean, I remember working with people from there, and it felt like it had a very different attitude.
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