Comedian Jo Brand is back at Fairfield Halls on Monday week for this year's Croydon Committed charity fundraiser. She talks to GRAHAM MOODY about the good the charity does, her beloved Crystal Palace and why should we aim a shewee at Croydon.

Graham Moody: You enjoy doing these Committed evenings don't you Jo?

Jo Brand: Yes, I've been involved with the charity for about five years. It being in such a big venue it raises a lot of money and it's not far from my house in Dulwich which always helps. It's a fairly minimal amount of my time required to raise a lot of money and it is always a really good evening. Janine Jasper the organiser is a great woman who holds it all together and it is a great organisation in the way it dishes out money to worthy courses.

GM: So tell us a joke about Croydon.

JB: I have got this thing sent to me for women to use when they are caught between a pub and their house and don't want to squat down. It's called a shewee. The first thing you have to do when using it is pick which direction you are going to point it and I always say it should be towards somewhere like Croydon. I think Croydon is a place that loves to be hated.

GM: You're a big Palace fan, how do you feel about the state of the club?

JB: Me and Kevin Day are both big Palace fans. I felt very positive given what happened in Sheffield as if we had gone down we would not have been nearly as attractive to potential investors. The players are a credit to the club though and obviously really care about it, which is good as it's not high glamour playing for Crystal Palace.

GM: You used to work at Bethlam Hospital as a mental health nurse, how was that?

JB: It was very stressful. It was a walk-in clinic for people with mental health problems so it was a difficult job but I loved it.

GM: Are there any panel shows you haven't been on you would like to?

JB: Not that I can think of. The big three were Have I Got New For You? which I now host every now and then and that's great, QI which I love and They Think It's All Over which has sadly ended. Hosting Have I Got News For You? is a very nice position to be in because you feel you have a lot of authority over Paul Merton and Ian Hislop, which is great.

GM: What book are you currently reading?

JB: I can't remember the author but it's called The Man Who Disappeared. I'm doing a series for Channel Four called the Book Club so I have got a fair few to read.

GM: What was the last film you saw?

JB: The Ghost Writer by Roman Polanski. I didn't think much of it to be honest. The level of acting ability among the four main stars was really varied, it was like watching four different films.

GM: Over the Rainbow or X-Factor?

JB: Over the Rainbow. I like the fact it's not as cool as X-Factor. I think X-Factor is a bit like the modern day equivalent of people paying six pence to go to Bethlam and look at mad people.

GM: If your house was on fire, what three items would you save?

JB: My two children and my husband - probably.

  • Croydon Committed 2010 featuring Jo Brand, Kevin Day, Arthur Smith and Lucy Porter, Fairfield Halls, Park Lane, June 14, 8pm, £10. Call 020 8688 9291 or visit fairfield.co.uk.