Paddy Young, the comedian who co-anchors Saturday Night Live UK's Weekend Update segment, has spoken about his sudden rise to fame despite a recent freak accident in which he badly sliced his hand on a samurai sword being used as a prop for his comedy night, Floggers. The injury required surgery after a tendon was found to be 90% severed, and it landed him amid an already gruelling summer schedule that includes the Edinburgh fringe, a new podcast, an acting job and preparations to portray incoming prime minister figures on SNL UK.

In the interview, Young, 34, describes fainting twice during the ordeal – once when he first saw the wound and again before his operation – partly due to a severe phobia of needles. Despite the setback, he still performed a gig the night of the injury and is now folding the story into his standup material. The piece also touches on the contrast between his polished on-screen SNL persona and his more chaotic, self-deprecating standup character, as he prepares for a new stage show, Will Sir Be Laughing Alone?, and further Weekend Update appearances satirising the new PM.