JIM Davidson is a man of few words, writes Alex Rennie.

So few, in fact, that in the three or four minutes I tried to glean any droplet of an interview from him I felt like I was chewing concrete.

So much for the affable guy the nation rediscovered and celebrated during his recent Big Brother triumph.

Davidson has had a chequered career that has seen spectacular highs that have included hosting immensely popular TV shows such as the Generation Game and Big Break to lows such his infamous removal from Hell’s Kitchen.

So, he should be a very interesting interviewee, you’d think.

As a child of the late 90s I grew up with this comedian in my living room - not that my generation ever really took heed of him as he seemed even then to be part of a bygone age.

Still, when I was asked to speak to him about his upcoming tour and visit to Salisbury I was fascinated - after all, the man had won over an army of younger fans on the C4 reality show only last year.

I asked him if he had any special gags planned for the city of Salisbury, thinking maybe something about big rocks... He just said: “No, not really – it’s just the same as all the other ones.”

The show, No Further Action, which will be on at the City Hall, charts his demise following arrest as part of Operation Yewtree, clearing his name, and his subsequent return in spectacular fashion by winning Celebrity Big Brother.

Not that Davidson shows much interest in the Channel 4 show or the effect it has had on his career. He said: “I don’t think anybody watches it.”

I offered the point of view that his show seemed to have quite a dark storyline, and was treated to a rare whole sentence: “It is not a dark show, who told you it was a dark show?” he retorted.

Davidson did nothing in the interview to dissuade me from the opinion that he is the bad-boy of stand-up comedy - perhaps he was even playing up to that persona? Or maybe he’s just not a very pleasant person to junior hacks like me.

When he arrives at City Hall hopefully the audience will learn far more about him than I ever did in my abrupt interview.

Jim Davidson plays at the Salisbury City Hall on Friday, October 17 at 7.30pm with tickets costing £23.50.