Currently enjoying his role as Anthony Cotton in EastEnders, the comic began his professional life as neither an actor nor comedian.
"I had an interesting start in life," he says, "my mum worked in a salon and my step dad was an armed robber.
"So naturally I became a hairdresser and a boxer. Problem was that the former would put you off when you were trying to do the latter.
"So I’d be squaring up to you in the ring, supposed to be all serious, but thinking 'that perm’s a bit iffy. Those highlights could do with a bit of work'.
"It was too off-putting. I had to become a comedian."
This change came at the age of 31. These days, stand-up comedians mostly take to the scene during university, between the ages of 18 - 21.
But while the modern young joker strives to exhibit a learned, topical intellect that may land them a spot on 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Ricky - hardly able to read or write due to severe dyslexia - drew upon his swathes of worldly wiseness.
"It's nice for a comic to have a bit of life experience," he says.
"You get a lot of them these days banging on about stuff and you think 'hang on, you weren't even born then!"
I chat to Ricky in the brand new Jongleurs Picadilly venue in the heart of London.
To mark the occasion, the legendary comedy chain is launching the Comic Star competition.
Open to all forms of comedy - not just straight stand-up - the contest hopes to unearth an innovative genius.
Ricky has been performing at the Jongleurs clubs for years, but was himself a fledgling competition entrant in his day.
"I entered a thing called New Act Of The Year. I think everyone voted for me to win but I stayed on stage too long. There was a red light that let you know when to stop, which I unscrewed.
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SOAP star and stand-up Grover tells how call from Monkhouse kept him going
"Ardal O'Hanlon won though, and he’s not done too bad. Simon Pegg was in it as well. He's done alright.
"I always thought Jongleurs was really posh 'cos it sounds French. I did my first open spot in Battersea. They were all vegetarian with their little round glasses.
"I started off and I was doing alright. Then I thought 'are they laughing with me or at me'?
"It was alright though, because there was part of me that wanted to be a little vegetarian with glasses, and I knew there was a part of them that wanted to be a big fat cockney like 'oi oi!' so we had a little trade. It worked well."
Years on the circuit followed, before the London geezer - who found fame as imprisoned 'cultural commentator' Bulla on the 11 O'clock Show - decided to take a break from the scene, nearly quitting altogether.
He reveals: "I was gonna give up comedy a few years ago, until I got a call out of the blue from Bob Monkhouse. He asked if I'd come down to An Evening With Bob Monkhouse.
"I thought 'I don’t know Bob Monkhouse, he don't know me. He must have me mixed up with Ricky Gervais or something', so I blanked the message a few times. Then my PA called and said 'Bob's been on the phone, he really wants you there'.
"So I went with my wife sat there with a load of comedy legends.
"All of a sudden Bob Monkhouse said, 'One of my heroes is here tonight, Ricky Grover'.
"I was looking around thinking, 'this is a wind-up'.
“He came up to me afterwards and said how much he loved Bulla. He told me I had to resurrect him.
"So I did, and it got turned into the film My Big Fat Gypsy Gangster, and I landed a role in EastEnders.
"Not too bad for the remedial kid from Canning Town."
Not bad at all.
- RICKY Grover supports Jongleurs Comic Star search. See jongleurs.com
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