For 15 years, Janey Godley ran a pub in the East End of Glasgow. Eight years ago, she hung up her bar towel for a life as a stand-up and has never looked back.

Although she has swapped pulling pints for pulling crowds, Godley swears that her work behind the bar has been invaluable in front of the mic.

"I learned crowd control behind the bar," she says. "If you can deal with Rangers and Celtic fans all trying to punch the country and western singer to get on the karaoke, then you can deal with anything."

Depending on your point of view, Godley is to thank or blame for launching Jerry Sadowitz's career.

She said: "I gave him his first gig in my pub in 1983. I remember watching him and thinking whoever would get on stage and do that must be mental and then I did it. We still have a laugh when we meet up on the circuit."

As well as playing her home town, Godley has regular gigs in Liverpool, London and Amsterdam.

Last year, she got good reviews for her comedy show and a one-woman play at the Edinburgh Festival. The play is a drama about heroin addiction now used by social work departments to highlight the dangers of drug abuse.

Godley's early life was tough. Her childhood was dirt poor, a family member abused her and her mother was murdered. Heroin addiction has scarred those close to her.

She is currently writing her autobiography for publishers Random House and it looks like being a harrowing read. Godley's stand-up is also based on her life, but promises much more laughs.

She said: "My daughter goes to a public school and I talk about fitting into that class structure when I'm so not a part of it."