Nick Mohammed, best known for playing Nate in Ted Lasso, has opened up about his unconventional route into comedy, which began during a PhD in seismology. The character comedian and actor, who is about to embark on his first UK tour as his alter ego Mr Swallow, revealed that he never seriously considered comedy as a career until his postgraduate studies.
Mohammed, who cites French and Saunders, Torvill and Dean, and Derren Brown as inspirations, said he used to perform magic as a child and always enjoyed entertaining people. However, it was only while studying seismology that he started to think about comedy as a profession. He cautioned against following his path, calling it 'a little longwinded'.
The comedian also discussed the challenges of performing as Mr Swallow, a character based on a school teacher he encountered 25 years ago. He described the role as an 'endurance test', noting that the character's bombastic and clueless nature often divides audiences. Mohammed admitted he usually works with a director because he cannot gauge how the performance is going once he starts.
Reflecting on his rise to fame, Mohammed shared that being recognised as Nate from Ted Lasso has led to some strange encounters, particularly in Richmond, where the show is set. He noted that many fans are angry with his character due to the show's plot twists, adding that managing those reactions has been 'fun'.
Mohammed's upcoming projects include A Christmas Carol-ish, a musical farce at Soho Theatre in London, followed by a UK tour from March to May 2025. He described the show as Mr Swallow's take on the Dickens classic, where the character forgets his lines and misunderstands time travel.
