Queen Bee

Ahead of her Comedy Festival shows, Sara Pascoe talks juggling life as a UK telly fixture, author and someone's mum. 

- RUSSELL BAILLIE

When Sara Pascoe returned to England after her first appearance at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival nearly a decade ago, she did a web chat for a UK newspaper. Asked "How was New Zealand?" she replied, "It's too far away. It took 36 hours to come back and I still resent New Zealand for that.

"It was obviously very beautiful but the comedy scene is parochial. It's a great place to be if you like being a big fish in a small pond. The comedy festival's got nothing on Edinburgh."

Well, no, it hasn't. Still, distance and pond depth haven't stopped Pascoe returning as possibly the biggest drawcard at next month's festival and for a guest spot on 7 Days. It may seem apt that she is returning with a show entitled "Success Story". Its first half looks back at the now 41-year-old's teenage ambition to be on television and her celebrity-adjacent experiences as she got there. Such as when she did stand-up at Hugh Grant's birthday party after she was booked by his friends to wind him up. It didn't go well.

Back in 2014, Pascoe was a rising star, having diverted from her post-university attempt at an acting career to stand-up comedy. These days, she's a ubiquitous figure on British TV and in bookshops, too. If there's a UK comedy panel show on which she hasn't appeared, you might wonder if, in fact, it exists.

Other regular gigs include hosting of Guessable, Comedians Giving Lectures, The Last Woman on Earth and The Great British Sewing Bee. Her first season as the presenter of the high-rating crafty competition is now showing on TVNZ 1, though we're a year behind.

So, when she picks up the phone and the Listener asks her to not spoil who wins, it's okay, she can't remember anyway.

Well, a lot has happened since. Yes, fronting Sewing Bee has made her better known, and her current tour of the UK and Ireland is in the biggest venues she's played solo. Though she's not sure the two things are related.