On Learning

Everyone's got something they're good at, but not everyone takes the time to find out what that is. I was quite lucky that I was crap at school, being dyslexic. My number one goal was just trying to be not bored all day. I had actually decided to join the circus. I learned the unicycle, and wanted to be a stuntman, though they told me at school I would have to pass some kind of PE for that, and I thought, I'm not going to play rugby just so I can fall off a building.

And then I won some tickets to see a comedy show – Jack Dee, Jo Brand, Simon Fanshawe. Jack came out and did his thing and I just thought, that's what I do - and I don't have to stink of paraffin or elephant shit. I think if anything, though, it's having a hinterland - knowing about space travels, dinosaurs, in a way they don't teach you at school. Some people know huge amounts about one thing, others like me know very small amounts about lots of things. Dad was a teacher and as a kid I just asked him everything. Always loved learning about stuff but just hated the way school taught it.

From Euan Ferguson: 'I was lucky I was crap at school'. Ross Noble talks about motorbikes, Australian manners and his fearless approach to stand-up in The Observer, 26 September 2010.