Zoe Lyons to headline first ever Dockyard Comedy Club

She was recording Mock The Week the day after we spoke – the episode airs tonight on BBC2.

‘I feel a sort of weird feeling of unease in the pit of my stomach,’ she says. ‘It’s a bit like a bereavement.

‘I can understand why people want out for certain reasons, but I just don’t like the way it’s gone and the way it’s been delivered and the rhetoric behind it, plus the racism that’s cropped up because of the aggressive language that Johnson and Gove have used – “We want Britain back”, back to what? To the Stone Age? How far back do they want to go?

‘It’s certainly going to make politics interesting over the next couple of months.

‘My mantra at the moment is don’t be negative about it, stay positive.’

And with Zoe’s wife being Dutch – they married last year – there could be personal implications.

‘Yeah, I’ll have to pack her up and send her home,’ she laughs wryly. ‘That’s going to be awkward. But my dad lives in France, so perhaps we can just do an exchange.

‘I think there’s a lot of people who genuinely didn’t know what it would mean. There was no immigration plan, there’s not going to be mass container ships turning up in Portsmouth and popping people on them and sending them back to various countries.’

So will she be addressing it on stage?

‘I think you have to talk about it onstage, I talk about having a Dutch wife, I talk about enjoying the differences, and rather than being scared of each others’ differences, actively seeking them out and enjoying them.

‘You have to respect each others’ views as well, there’s a lot of people just slagging Leave voters off as racist bigots, and of course they’re not.

‘There won’t be any progress if we stick at that level of taking the mickey out of each other.

‘If there’s any way you can try and encourage a greater way of understanding by talking about it on stage... Or maybe I’ll just tell some dick jokes.‘

Regardless of the political situation, be careful how you address Zoe – having decided that Miss, Ms and Mrs don’t fit, she’s now going with Captain.

‘It’s an ongoing thing. Every time I fill out a form, I think none of those fit me.

‘I’m always just slightly annoyed that women have to change their name.

‘We have three versions, and each version gives an impression of who you may or may not be in society: Young, angry spinster, or married.

‘I’m getting to the point where I think we should get rid of them altogether.

‘It’s always the woman who gives away the greatest amount of information through them.

‘It doesn’t happen with guys.

‘We should get rid of them, or make up your own, so I’m going with Captain.’

Zoe is headlining the first ever Dockyard Comedy Club.

Also appearing are Jonny Awsum, Philip Simon, and compere James Alderson.

Tickets are £11.49. Food and drinks available from 6.30pm, comedy starts at 8pm.

Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth

Friday, July 8

historicdockyard.co.uk