A lot of the cast are my friends. It feels like work is having a laugh - Samson Kayo

Samson Kayo is the man of the moment. He recently released Sky Original comedy Bloods, which he both stars in and created.

Samson Kayo as Joshua. Picture: PA Photo/©UKTV/Ollie Upton

Other shows on his resume include Simon Pegg comedy Truth Seekers and Netflix’s Death To 2020 – and he has an upcoming role in the film Mouse Guard, alongside Hollywood big-hitter Andy Serkis.

But before that, we have series two of his sitcom Sliced landing on Dave.

Written by Kayo and Phil Bowker, it follows best friends Joshua (Kayo) and Ricky (Theo Barklem-Biggs) as they attempt to get by on the pay from their jobs as pizza delivery drivers. Oh, and they are also trying really hard to get girlfriends too.

Expect a vibe similar to series one – the boys getting themselves into plenty of hilarious situations, and an authentic feel to the comedy as the storylines are once again loosely based on Kayo’s own upbringing in south London.

Here is what the charismatic actor and writer had to say, on a Zoom call from the Sliced set at the start of 2020.

TELL US ABOUT THE REACTION FROM FANS OF SLICED FOLLOWING THE FIRST SERIES

It’s been great. It’s a big mixture of people who stop me for Sliced. The weird ones are in my DMs [direct messages on social media]. One guy messaged me saying, ‘I see why you’re not coming back [with more episodes of Sliced] – it’s because you want to go off to America like all you guys do’. And I was like, ‘Dude, I’m writing!’ People were getting really upset. But it’s so heartwarming to see that people are really passionate about it.

The fact that UKTV trusted us in the first season, and in this series have said ‘You do your thing’, it’s allowed me the freedom to go where I want to go. There’s nothing worse than being held back from being as creative as you want to be. I’m so excited for people to see it.

TELL US ABOUT WHERE WE FIND JOSH IN SERIES TWO

At work, he’s still struggling to make minimum wage, and he’s still finding himself in these mad situations that no normal pizza boy would find themselves. There’s an episode where there’s a bank robbery.

His love life is still the same. He’s trying to find love in the most unconventional ways, which we get a lot more of this season.

WHAT WAS THE WEIRDEST EXPERIENCE YOU HAD WORKING AS A PIZZA DELIVERY DRIVER IN REAL LIFE?

It’s got to be either the sex party, or where I had to deliver to some squatters and they locked me in. One of them wanted to steal the pizza, because they didn’t have any money – I was in there for eight hours chatting to the squatters, it was mental. That’s a whole other series!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT PLAYING JOSH AND WRITING THESE SCRIPTS?

I get to ride mopeds everywhere, which is really fun – a lot of cool shots.

It’s such a broad show. That’s what we love because there’s scope to go to so many random places. There are so many new people to introduce to our world, and that’s what I find the most entertaining and exciting when writing.

YOU MUST HAVE A LOT OF CREATIVE CONTROL ON SET TOO?

I’m an executive producer this year, so there is more of a responsibility. But it’s really fun to learn and see how to do it.

It’s always good when you work with your friends – a lot of the cast are genuinely my friends. I’ve known Theo for 10, 11 years, and when I wrote the character of Ricky, we were so broke. We met up in a fish and chip shop, somewhere in central London, and I just pitched him the idea. I said, ‘I want you to play this part’ – and I was adamant about that from the beginning.

It just feels like you’re going to work and having a laugh, and it makes the comedy more believable because it’s actual relationships.

YOU RECENTLY STARRED IN TRUTH SEEKERS WITH NICK FROST AND SIMON PEGG. HOW WAS THAT EXPERIENCE?

Mate, it was incredible! I grew up watching Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.

I just learned so much from them on that set, about being confident in your own art and being able to be free and express however you feel, even if you think people may not like it, even if you think it’s a risk.

SLICED FOLLOWS RELATABLE CHARACTERS WITH WORKING-CLASS JOBS. DO YOU HOPE VIEWERS SEE THEMSELVES REFLECTED ON SCREEN?

I love shows that touch on the reality of our surroundings and keep it honest, and keep you feeling immersed.

It gives people that don’t know, a lesson – you’re showing people a different world, a different side of where you come from.

I love those sorts of characters that feel almost real to you. That’s the sort of comedy I’d like to continue to create.

WHO’S THE WORST AT LAUGHING DURING FILMING?

I’m going to claim it because if you speak to anyone else, they’re going to say me.

David Mumeni who plays Mario – he’s my Achilles heel. I’ve realised that now. I laughed so much in a scene that I actually got upset with myself. Afterwards I was like, ‘I’m so sorry, I messed up the scene’. The DOP [director of photography], Steven, was holding the camera for about 35 minutes because we wouldn’t cut and I was like, ‘I’m going to get it!’ I just couldn’t stop [laughing]. I’m terrible.