How did you get started in comedy?
I went to a performing arts school and did a whole show. And that meant having to do everything for it – the flyers, costumes, the works. So that gave me the confidence to think, yes I can do this, and I went and did a proper comedy club in 1998. It was a character based on my great gran and it worked.

How were the nerves?
Really bad. I had the lines written down and stuffed in my pocket in case things got rubbish. Oh, and I sort of swayed back forth, in a gentle rocking motion.

Where do you find the inspiration for all your characters?
I'm inspired by people I actually know. My friends are quite flattered when I base characters on them. You pick up on things about other people that you ignore about yourself and I think they all secretly love it. My mum keeps trying to be outrageous so she'll get a mention. She wrote a poem about a monkey losing his trousers but I was like, no! Mum is funniest when she isn't trying to be, you know?

You starred in That Mitchell and Webb Look - did you get on with the boys?They're very down to earth, despite being such big performers. I don't mean fat... I mean like larger than life...but not actually larger. I remember I told them I usually looked like a bag lady, and at the time I was in costume so they didn't believe me. But then when they saw me in real life they were like, "Ah, so that's what you meant by bag lady? We get it." I was wearing 17 different colours that didn't go.

You're known for dressing as a dolphin on stage. How's that working out for you?
I'm doing the dolphin again this year. But it's getting a face lift. It was breaking and was covered in gaffe tape, starting to look a bit naff. Plus, as it was sort of losing its shape and was bright pink, people were starting to say it looked like a giant condom. So it will be back but I'm making it so it won't be all shiny and brilliant.

What makes Joanna Neary laugh?
I laugh when people are deluded and unaware. It's that moment when your eyes meet someone else's and you are just like – how deluded are they?! I also like brave comedy. It's hard to explain but it's when comics don't hold back. I like to tell children that being a comic is great – you get to go on stage and pull faces and it is wildly liberating. Like with the dolphin – I didn't know how it would go down but it just worked.

Tell us about Edinburgh this year. Looking forward to it?
Really looking forward to it. The warm up gigs are going really well. I have lots of new characters to do and I'm working on a Joni Mitchell song at the moment too. It's going to be great.

What's the worst thing about Edinburgh?
All the takeaways. Last year I bought pasta and pesto and made packed lunches but you look like a right lunatic walking around with a lunch box. I do miss baking and cooking. Right now I'm very into cooking curries and crumble. And I love making bread too, it's a lie that it takes ages. In fact, I might make bread in Edinburgh.