Jayde Adams, Self Esteem & Jack Rooke in conversation
- Text by Huck
Comedian, actor and recent contestant on Strictly Come Dancing Jayde Adams reclines on a sofa in the Mondrian London Shoreditch, slowly raising her leg to vertical, showing off her flexibility. Two of her best friends sit across from her, unimpressed. They’ve seen this behaviour before. The pair are award-winning TV writer and comedian Jack Rooke, whose recent autobiographical TV show Big Boys – about a young man dealing with grief and sexuality – received critical acclaim, and singer Self Esteem, whose much lauded sophomore album, Prioritise Pleasure, has achieved cult status along with a Mercury Prize nomination.
The talented trio have achieved their success through hard work, self-belief and never giving up. We invited them to discuss their relationship, their individual bumpy roads to success, how to deal with dying on stage and a lot of laughs.
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