Car Torque .... with writer and comedian Jason Cook

He is currently looking forward to playing the Edinburgh Fringe with a brand new show.

His previous four Edinburgh shows bagged a clutch of five-star reviews and, in 2007, he joined a long list of previous winners, including Eddie Izzard by winning the prestigious Best International Show award at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival.

Jason plays a special Edinburgh preview double-bill also starring Justin Moorhouse at Redcar’s Coatham Memorial Hall on Wednesay, July 2. Tickets priced at £10 are available online at www.bigmouthcomedy.co.uk

What was your first car?

My first car was an ‘Atrocious Blue’ - think that was what they called the colour - Escort 1.3 Popular. It was a death-trap with four gears and I drove it endlessly. The freedom of the open road forgives a lot when the carriage is tatty. I put in leopard skin seat covers - ironically, of course - and fluffy dice - same. Strangely, I never pulled a single girl while driving that car, wonder why?

How many times did it take to pass your driving test?

Three times. The examiner on the first two was a notorious hard nut to crack. He didn’t like any of my jokes, and on the second time failed me for “not taking it seriously” when I’d asked if he was sure about the emergency stop.

Who would be your ideal passenger and where would you like to go?

Tom Hanks. Good conversationalist, can get us into any restaurant and rich enough that it would be embarrassing if I offered to pay.

What is your dream car?

The new Rolls Royce Wraith. An insane piece of technology. It has sat nav that controls the gearbox! If you are coming to a corner it knows how tight the corner is and puts you in the right gear for it. It’s the most powerful Rolls yet and, while the fuel economy must be a nightmare, I figure if you’re making enough to buy one, then you’re not the kind of bloke who knows which petrol station has the cheapest price per litre.

How would you describe your driving style?

I can do about 30,000 miles a year so depending on if I’m driving my car - lovely - or my wife’s – tiny - then I’m either enjoying the drive and taking in the scenery or swearing loudly at the lack of power a Toyota Aygo has on a motorway.

Tell me one driving anecdote from your past?

I was once driving back to Manchester from a gig in Sheffield so had to negotiate the challenging ‘Snake Pass’ on the A57. Usually it’s a great road to drive, tight corners and sweeping straights. But this was January and it was snowing. Really chucking it down. I got about three miles in and got stuck behind a lorry, driving really slowly. I wanted to get home before the snow got too bad so was peeking behind it at every opportunity and finally found a straight to overtake him. As I did I noticed it wasn’t a lorry, but the snowplough and he flashed his full beam the whole way home as I struggled to get my wife’s Ford Ka through the snowdrift. It might have been freezing outside, but I was covered in sweat by the time it was over as I had basically slid down the Pennines for ten miles.

What are you listening to?

As I get older I listen to a worrying amount of Radio 4. Often just to shout at it. Although my iPod is filled with stuff from my youth mixed with songs to keep my daughter quiet, so very often Jay-Z will be followed by Baa Baa Black Sheep.

What do you drive now?

I’m very lucky that the lads at Evolution Rentals have sorted me out a Kia Sportage. It is my baby. Easy on the diesel, but high up and has a bit of poke. In addition, it is an automatic with cruise control which, if you do as many miles on the motorways as I do, is a bloody Godsend.