Acclaimed comedian Jess Fostekew heads to the Stockton Arc this March with her new comedy show about passion, pace, and purpose.  

The critically acclaimed star of BBC’s QI, Live at the Apollo and C4’s Travel Man is amidst the busiest time of her career with her tour and new television and radio projects, she spoke to reporter Darcie Rawlings about the anticipation of her upcoming tour ‘Mettle', her biggest yet.

Discussing lightbulb moments, introspection and aging, Jess is an outwardly funny character who is intelligent and socially aware she said: “I have built my audience through being brutality honest, especially about my own situation and the world view that’s given me. 

After beginning a same-sex relationship later in life Jess has disclosed a lot of her personal life as part of her comedy – and those rich and real experiences clearly work for audiences, who are growing with every tour.

“Once you start being honest you can’t go back on that, I feel like I’ve got to incorporate the things I’m passionate about into my work, but it’s complicated because above everything else what I’ve written has to be funny.”

The Northern Echo: Jess Fostekew embarks on her new tour Mettle

Particularly looking forward to her North East shows, Jess is able reconnect with some of her oldest childhood friends in Durham when she visits.

Stumbling into a career in comedy and stand-up Jess recalls being part of an improv comedy group with Sarah Pascoe and seeing her peers delve into the world of stand up inspired her to take gigs at every opportunity.

Jess is also trying to popularise incorporating angry sections into stand-up comedy.

Included in her show ‘Mettle’, Stockton fans can anticipate Jess getting a bit angry – which is something she says is incredibly cathartic and fun for both her and the audience.

She also looks forward to her latest television endeavours, she said: “The tv stuff I have done most recently has been particularly joyful, I’ve done an episode of travel man with Joe Lycett where I got to go to Lanzarote.

“I also did the world’s most dangerous roads – I went to Colorado and had to drive a truck up an icy mountain which was (bar childbirth) the scariest thing I’ve ever done, it’s the most incredible adventure and a whirlwind of a life but I’m never bored.”

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Jess’s Radio 4 show ‘Sturdy Girls’ was just renewed for a second series, and she’s currently planning to record the material at the end of April, she is a regular co-host of The Guilty Feminist podcast, host and creator of her own podcast about eating, Hoovering.

With an impressive acting repertoire Jess has appeared in the award-winning sitcom Motherland and most recently hugely acclaimed feature film Scrapper which won the Grand Jury prize at the Sundance festival.

Jess Fostekew will be at Stockton’s The Arc on Saturday, March 9, 2024, and at Newcastle’s The Stand Sunday, April 7.