Hi, Tez. This is your third standup show. What’s it all about?

In the crudest terms, the first one was about religion, the second was about culture and this is about politics. It’s called Teztify. I confront a lot of the assumptions people make about me. The main one is that I’m religious in a secular world and an extremely secular industry. I had a working-class upbringing in Blackburn, my politics are leftwing and I’m a man of colour – these are what I talk about.

Do you feel out of place being religious on the standup circuit?

There are a few other Muslim comics, like Aatif Nawaz and Bilal Zafar, and some Jewish comics and a couple of Christians, but they don’t really wear it on their sleeve. People can say what they like on stage, but what annoys me is that when comics talk about religion, the writing is often lazy and not very intelligent. Worst of all, it’s not very funny.



Are there common themes to what comics usually say about religion?

It’s often that religion is the source of everything that’s evil, stuff that’s been said a million times before. A friend told me that she didn’t believe in religion, she believed in science. That phrase irked me because science is a method of investigation not a belief system, so I’ve written a silly bit about that. Also, when someone says they believe in science, it suggests I don’t believe in it – I have a degree in biochemistry!

In a way you’re challenging your fellow comics?

Yes. If a comic is talking about something big like religion, at least know your subject matter properly. Even when I’m doing a routine about politics, I’m trying to do something different – like the way a lot of the left argues about Brexit; it’s so patronising to tell people they’re stupid for voting Brexit. That only reinforces people’s beliefs. Whatever people’s reasons were, you have to tap into that. It’s like with Donald Trump. Reporting every bad thing he says and going mad about it doesn’t dissuade his core vote. They like that side of him.

Your style is more cheeky and playful than people might expect from a political comedian. One reviewer said he could imagine you hosting a game show …

I would absolutely love to do that – present The Generation Game or something. I’m very open in terms of my career, whether it’s writing a sitcom, starring in it, or touring 1,000-seater venues. I’ve done some of the TV panel shows but I’d love to become a regular.

What’s it like doing a panel show?

It’s very different to doing standup, as you’re almost in direct competition for airtime with the others. Really, nothing else in life prepares you for the cut and thrust of being on a panel show. It’s difficult as the audience don’t know who you are. They’re there for the big names. You get an introduction, but you’re a guest, people will assume you’re rubbish. When you’re doing standup, you’re not competing with anyone else in that moment.

‘People will assume you’re rubbish’ … Tez Ilyas. Photograph: Steve Ullathorne

You play the comedy club circuit as well as touring your full one-man shows. How does the material differ?

I censored myself after the Manchester attack. It just felt too raw going on stage and talking about terrorism. As a comedian you have to understand the climate you’re performing in. There’s a time and a place to do that material. I was hurting too – I grew up half an hour away from Manchester. Also, audiences can be a bit drunk at a club night and what you’re saying can get lost sometimes. There are times when I’ve made a point of not censoring myself, like after the Paris attacks. I wanted to show that Muslims are not those people who committed those atrocities and so wilfully kept my material the same.

What’s the worst gig you’ve ever had?

The one on the night I signed with my management! It was at Up the Creek [in Greenwich, south London]; they’d booked me to close a Christmas show. I didn’t have the experience to close any show, let alone a Christmas one, which are even harder than usual. There were a few big groups who were being destructive, and someone heckled me early on. I tried to engage with him and I took him down, quite savagely. The trouble was I didn’t have the audience’s backing – they seemed to be on his side. It turned into an argument. I was meant to do 20 minutes, I think I did about 12. I went to sign the papers with the management after the show and I said, “Are you sure?!” I know now that you have to ignore the heckler at first, get the audience on your side, then take whoever it is down.

What’s it like to perform at the Edinburgh festival?

I love it. The drinking culture isn’t a problem, I was at uni for four years so I’m used to it. Edinburgh basically feels like a four-week freshers’ week for the comics. You do one hour of work a day; the rest of the time you’re doing what you like.

• Tez Ilyas: Teztify is at the Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, until 27 August.

