Every week we ask a different entertainer to tell us what keeps them entertained. This week it’s comedian Stephen K Amos, who plays Epsom Playhouse on February 7.

MUSIC

The radio station I listen to… is loads of them !

I remember in the 90s I was a huge fan of the Fugees and Lauryn Hill so I'd listen to Radio 1 with my two fingers poised over the play and record button (I think you'll find this is the early days of downloading) so I could tape their song 'Ready or Not' and play it to my friends.

I'd hear the opening lyrics 'Ready or not.... here I come' and be like yes I'm ready! I've been ready all day long! Only to have it ruined by the motormouth DJ talking over the track.

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Later on, I used to fancy myself as a bit of a DJ and I bought one of those record players that came in a suitcase to take to parties. I thought I was very cool until I went to a friend's party and bought the sewing machine by mistake. At least it was a Singer.

I still listen to Radio 1 today but because I live in south London there's a plethora of pirate radio stations and I like to drive around and see what I pick up. On any given day you can hear Bhangra, afro-beat, gospel, reggae and grime - whatever that is.

My favourite band is… probably James Brown and his band. I recently saw a Youtube video of James Brown performing a Man's World with Pavarotti duetting doing opera!

They both had such different styles and it was amazing to see them giving props to each other singing together on stage. I don't think they could really believe what was happening either.

I think they both upped their game because they respected each other as artists and relished the weirdness of it.

Your Local Guardian: Akala

The album or song I can’t get enough of right now… Because of streaming and radio I hadn't bought an album for ages until a few months ago when I saw a young rapper called Akala in Camden.

He's Ms Dynamite's brother and he's got such conscious, smart lyrics that I actually went out and bought his album. He's got a positive, unique voice and hopefully he'll reach a wider audience.

My favourite place to hear live music…Hearing live music like hearing live comedy is really important because it's the only way to connect to an artist and it's a bit sad that some of the best venues in London keep getting closed down!

That said there's a smaller live music scene emerging in some areas that never used to host them. If there's a gig happening in a small venue near to me I try and catch it.

Your Local Guardian:

My favourite festival memory…I'm lucky because I get to gig at some festivals and I can normally nip out to catch a live set of someone - even if it's someone I've never heard of.

At last year's Hyde Park Festival (British Summer Time at Hyde Park) I caught The Who who were amazing and played to 70,000 people - I had heard of them.

THEATRE/COMEDY

Your Local Guardian: Three stars of ABC's Modern Family had a close encounter when they were trapped in a lift, it has emerged (AP)

I always laugh at…When it comes to TV, I'm a huge fan of American sitcoms - I think the main difference between theirs and ours is that they seem to have a team of many writers who bring something new to the show. Modern Family is currently at the top of that list.

The best play I have seen… is the Bogus Woman by Kay Adshead performed up in Edinburgh a few years ago. It was a one-woman play about the experiences of an asylum seeker. It was incredibly powerful to see one person hold this amazing and emotionally gruelling story together.

My all-time favourite musical…Like watching a live music gig or live comedy, watching theatre can be a breathtaking experience. One musical that sticks out in my mind was seeing the legendary Chita Rivera in the title role of Kiss of the Spider Woman (she played the Spider Woman, not the Kiss).

I was truly gripped by the story and by her incredible stage presence and I actually thought she was playing to just me. I was in the third row and I could almost touch her - although that would have been frowned upon.

My favourite place to watch a show… Kiss of the Spider Woman was playing at the Shaftesbury Theatre and it was incredible. I love the old Victorian theatres and playhouses and for me they're the best venues in the world to play.

Ranging in size from 500 to 3,000 the acoustics have stood the test of time. I've played in a few less charming venues too - more like barns, aircraft hangers and fire hazards

TV/FILM

My favourite movie is…Recently I've been enjoying the odd thought provoking documentary. All Hail Netfix!

Your Local Guardian: Sir David Attenborough (ARKive)

As a kid I loved…As a kid I loved nature programmes because it brought you closer to a world that was so far removed and I still watch them. David Attenborough's voice is the constant narrator in my head.

I’ll make a point of staying in to watch…Because I work nights I can't stay in for anything and the beauty of modern technology is you can watch TV whenever you like - even watch it on the road. Obviously not if you're driving!

Stephen K Amos plays Epsom Playhouse on February 7. Tickets cost £17. Go to epsomplayhouse.co.uk