Express & Star

Funnyman Greg Davies picks out Black Country group's song for Desert Island Discs - and explains why

Comedian Greg Davies has revealed his love for Black Country band The Wonder Stuff – because they remind him of his failings.

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The funnyman, who was raised in Shropshire, also said his rugby-mad Welshman dad drove his pregnant mum to Wales in order to be born there instead of England.

Greg, who was raised in Wem where his mum Pauline still lives, revealed his innermost thoughts on BBC Radio Radio 4's Desert Island Discs.

The show prepares people for a fantasy life on a desert island and challenges them to pick which records they would take with them.

His hour-long interview with presenter Lauren Laverne was filled with laughter and emotion from the days when he was growing up in our region, the death of his father, and a special mention to his mum.

On screen, he’s known for his role as the entertainingly stern host of the global hit show Taskmaster, as writer and star of popular sitcoms Man Down and The Cleaner, and as Mr Gilbert in blockbuster teen comedy The Inbetweeners.

Desert Island Discs gives celebrities the chance to reveal their innermost thoughts and motivations.

Miles Hunt from the Wonderstuff

Greg's fourth disc on the show was from Stourbridge indie band The Wonder Stuff and their song Circle Square, which includes the line: "I've been a long term disappointment to myself."

He said there have been many years when he has been disappointed with himself, and disappointing his parents. His mum, he said, has been ambitious for him and wanted him to succeed and do well in something.

But he said the only bad bit of advice his dad gave him was to become a teacher. Even though he taught English and drama for more than a decade he said he hated it and often "woke up in tears before work".