Kieran Hodgson discusses Lance Armstrong and how he'll celebrate a decade at the Fringe.

Tell us about your Fringe show

It's an unprecedented, and possibly foolhardy, attempt to combine character comedy and professional cycling. I tell the story of how I grew up idolising Lance Armstrong and how that all went wrong, and every now and again I 'do' the various characters in the story. Hopefully everyone will have a nice time and I won't get too tired recreating the Tour de France on my exercise bike.

Best thing about the Fringe?

The sense of community among performers. It's like living in a little village where everyone stops to chat in the street, goes round to each others' houses for tea and so on. In normal life, everyone is isolated in their little caves of angst, so the Fringe is a marvellous chance to reconnect with your friends.

Worst thing about the Fringe?

The constant presence of other comedians, all of whom are doing far better than you, whose reviews you can't stop reading, whose names are always on the Sold Out board when yours isn't, and who stop to chat to you in the street when you're desperate to go home for a good cry.

How many years have you been coming to the Fringe?

This will be year number 9 in various guises. For year number 10 I'm planning an extravagant gala spectacular in the Usher Hall regardless of whether or not they agree to it.

Favourite Fringe venue?

The Voodoo Rooms, where I've done a show for six of the nine years. Fantastic performance spaces, great audiences, friendly staff who are terrifically well-organised, and one classy bar for a swift Deuchars after your show. Plus it's keeping it real on the Free Fringe. What's not to love?

Best Fringe memory?

The first year we held 'Christmas' in our flat. We did secret santa, had an enormous Christmas dinner, decorated the rooms with paper chains made from flyers and kicked the whole thing off with a very sincere Midnight Mass the night before. So satisfying to belt out Good King Wenceslas at ten to one in the morning in mid-August and forget all your comedy troubles.

Best heckle?

Many years ago I was in a sketch about two respectable tweed-suited gents meeting for a furtive assignation on a park bench. A lady on the front row turned to her friend and said, very audibly, 'Remind you of anyone?'. The friend smiled and both of their husbands shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

Craziest on stage experience?

Almost (but deliberately not) waterboarding the headmaster of a public school at its annual arts week dinner. The governors weren't impressed but I hope they spluttered cornflakes over their copy of the Telegraph when it gave us five stars a month later.

What’s on your rider?

You never quite know with the Fringe so best to put things like 'lights' and 'a speaker' just in case. I don't use a microphone just in case there isn't one.

How do you wind down after a show?

Last year I got into a lovely habit of going to The Wee Boulangerie and having one of their delicious little chocolate buns. That, a cup of tea, an episode of Buffy and a count of the bucket takings really hits the spot.

What do you love about Scotland?

Mhairi Black, the isle of Barra, the Falkirk Wheel.

What do you like about Edinburgh?

I have a list as long as your arm but I guess it can all be summarised by saying that, along with Venice, it feels like a city someone dreamed up for a computer game or fantasy novel. That's the impression I had when I first stepped off the train here and saw North Bridge sweeping overhead, tottered up Fleshmarket Close then caught my first glimpse of the Cowgate from South Bridge. Someone had clearly made Edinburgh up and subsequent visits have done little to dispel this idea. I'm also addicted to the smell of the brewery that whips through the streets to catch you unawares as you plod through the dreich.

What’s the most Scottish thing you’ve done?

I once ate a bridie in Musselburgh, and when I was a kid Mum made us watch a lot of Taggart.

What kind of jokes do a Scottish crowd seem to respond to?

I've generally found that a Scottish crowd is pretty sharp and so doesn't respond well to being patronised. There's a weird convention that in order to get 'the locals' on board you have to make a gag about Leith being awful, but Leith's great and Scots tend not to be impressed.

Favourite joke?

What did the Leith doctor say to the Mayor of Leith? This place is Leith-al.

Kieran Hodgson will performa at the Voodoo Rooms from August 8-18 and 20-30.