The Scottish comedy scene is now way bigger from when I started and there are more open spots than ever before. In Scotland you have the Stand Comedy Clubs, which are easily in the top five comedy clubs in the world. The waiting list to do open spots there was about a month back then, whereas now it’s almost a year. But they are so supportive and make sure the rota is being fair and the ones that they see with potential aren’t left waiting longer.

But that’s the big one, it’s like getting to the semi-finals: you’re nearly there now. If you want to do something different, you have to make sure it works because there are so many other new comics that you’ll be pushed to the side so there’s more pressure.

I always refer to JoJo Sutherland as my comedy mum. She MCed my second ever gig and really took me under her wing. She really looked after me and gave me advice; same with Susan Calman who made sure I was comfortable and relaxed, even though I was annoying in the way only a new comic can be: you have seven five-minute gigs under your belt that went well and wondering where your TV show is. But then you have a gig where you die and then you learn something.

A lot of the regular MCs at the Stand are very nurturing people like Billy Kirkwood and Keir McAllister, and the Stand staff turn that place into a home for you. The Scottish circuit is good because it is a bit more nurturing and people are pleased when someone else does well.

Those early days with Frankie Boyle was a work experience thing; he taught me the ways of writing and then allowed me to write for him. At no point was there any day where he was sitting down thinking, ‘I can’t go on, I haven’t got Daniel Sloss’s material through.’ A lot of the early articles made out that I was somehow his protégé that he was feeding off, but for me it was a learning experience and he was just being this genuinely supportive, lovely man trying to give a young cocky kid a leg up in the world; he was such a big boost at the start of my career.

Kevin Bridges was such an inspiration as well, because he started at 16 and was always willing to say, ‘This is what you do,’ and even when he became ‘Kevin Bridges’, he was the same guy, it never went to his head. I now write with Tom Stade who lives nearby, and he helped make me unafraid of new material. He really opened me up to different ways of writing and helped me deliver it in such a way that, even if it was about tennis, it was as though I had genuine opinions about tennis.

(As told to Brian Donaldson)