‘I painted myself blue – but got skin problems’: how four Edinburgh stars created their weird characters

From a cake-baking Elton John to possibly the most horrible man in the world, comedians reveal how they get in character – and how far they can push things In the Covid lockdowns, I was drawing all these silly things, and one day I drew Elton John as a scone. It brought me lots of joy. I love Elton John and everything he’s about – his music and his outfits – and my first job as a musician was in a bar in Soho, where I used to play his back catalogue. I turned the drawing into a very silly character, just for my enjoyment. I didn’t think anything of it until last year, when I was talking to my friend, the amazing drag artist Michael Twaits, and mentioned Sir Elton Scone. He was, like, “you need to develop that.” The character has evolved, but he’s still true to his roots in that it’s basically a bit like Elton John – but obviously for legal reasons, nothing like Elton John – and he just loves to bake. He’s hosting a TV baking gameshow that uses no ovens, so it’s completely nonsensical. It’s become really fun because audiences understand how a TV studio audience reacts, so it’s a clear game for them to play. I thought if I was coming at it as drag, what