FOR anyone who might think appearing in News Shopper would not be a highlight, let me refer you one of the greatest comedians of this generation, Josie Long, who happened to grow up in Orpington.

Minutes into our call, the ever-excitable Josie burst.

“I’m really excited to be talking to the News Shopper because that was the paper that I read,” she said. “That’s what we had in the house when I was a kid. News Shopper was a big deal for me.

“I was thinking of the times I’ve been in News Shopper. It’s always a big deal if you live in Orpington there’s a chance you’re going to get in News Shopper.

“I remember once I was in News Shopper dressed as a clown at a fete, and there was a big picture of me.

“And once, when I was 16, I won a comedy competition at the BBC and there was a little feature about me in

News Shopper. They came round my mum’s house and took a picture of me and I was so excited.”
The reason I was chatting to Josie was because she is one of the top names appearing at Greenwich Comedy Festival on November 2 and 3.

Other names on an endlessly-exciting bill include Alexei Sayle, Seann Walsh, Josh Widdicombe, Mark Watson, Aisling Bea, Richard Herring and David O’Doherty.

In a slightly different performance, Josie will be presenting two short films she made with Glaswegian friend and director Doug King, followed by a Q and A at Greenwich Picturehouse on November 2.

Josie, who took to comedy aged 14 when her mum bought her lessons in Beckenham, said she wanted to create something more permanent.

She said: “I really love doing stand-up but I started getting really frustrated by how ephemeral it is, how you put everything into these shows and then the show is finished after about a year.

“Even if you record it, it’s not the same.

“Looking back over everything I’ve done, I’m really proud of it, but it has all disappeared and I’ve got nothing to show for it.”

The films, Let’s Go Swimming and Romance and Adventure, were both shot in Glasgow on low budgets and nominated for a Scottish BAFTA.

Josie said: “Everything was done on favours. We had to have an old man in it and we didn’t know any old men, who were available.

“A friend of a friend said her dad would do it.

“We met this man who was so lovely and so up for it.

“But he wasn’t Scottish, and the whole point of the old man character was that he’s this incomprehensible Scottish guy.

“It was such a debacle.”

Josie and Doug will introduce their films and take part in Q and A sessions after, from 3.30pm on Saturday, November 2, at Greenwich Picturehouse. Tickets cost £15. Go to greenwichcomedyfestival.co.uk