The 5-Minute Interview: Brendon Burns, Comedian

'I'm bad at paying bills and taking care of databases'

Burns, 36, from Australia, is already a veteran of the stand-up comedy circuit, having performed for more than a decade at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This year's winner of the Intelligent Finance Comedy Award, "the Eddie", he can be seen on Sunday at the Garrick Theatre as part of the if.comedy season.

A phrase I use too often...

"If I were you..."

I wish people would take more notice of...

How bloody humble I'm always being. It drives me nuts. I suppose it's testament to my own arrogance that it annoys me so much. I wish I weren't so arrogant. I work so hard at not being and, in turn, continually point out how humble I'm trying to be – thereby ceasing to be humble!

The most surprising thing that happened to me was...

Winning an award at Edinburgh this year. I've been going to the festival on and off for 11 years and now I've finally won! I don't have to worry about it any more.

A common misperception of me is...

That I'm an arrogant prick, but people always forget the huge amount of time I spend running around attempting to mop up my awfulness.

I am not a politician but...

But nothing. A "but" in the middle of a statement makes both statements worthless.

I'm good at...

Comedy and cooking.

I'm very bad at...

Pretty much everything else. In particular at paying bills, taking care of databases and technical stuff like that. Generally being an adult.

The ideal night out is...

Doing it on a whim. Going where the night takes you. The important thing is to do it all with complete freedom.

In moments of weakness I...

Cry.

In another life I'd have been...

A chef. I'd love to go on Hell's Kitchen.

The best age to be is...

Thirty-six, or maybe 14. Twenty-eight wasn't bad.

In a nutshell, my philosophy is this:

Work hard and let go of the results.

Jago Tennant