COMEDIAN Jasper Carrott OBE will be returning to Salisbury tomorrow (Friday) for his first show in the city since 1998.

EnTitled Jasper Carrott’s Stand Up & Rock with the Bev Bevan Band and Guests, the evening will also feature Rockin’ Berries lead singer Geoff Turton, and lead singer Joy Strachan of Celtic rock band Quills lead singer ‘Joy’.

The popular performer describes the show as a “terrific mix of comedy and music”.

He said: “All the music is from the 60s, 70s and 80s - everybody knows the songs and they probably know the jokes as well if I’m honest."

“We’ll also have two big screens with pictures and videos of singers such as Elvisfor example,. We’re hoping to have a bit of a local flavour as well as with pictures of rock venues in Salisbury in from the 70s and 80s.”

Last year, Jasper was persuaded to join his friend Bev (whose rock star credentials range from The Move through to ELO) on tour for the first time since 1999 in 16 years in what has proved to be a very successful show entertainment formula last year for .

He said: “I hadn’t given up stand up – I just hadn’t done it for a few years. I got to the point where I didn’t know what to do. Was I bored? I suppose so. I couldn’t find a way forward. I like to break ground and liked to think I did that. It was a long lay off, I didn’t realise it would be 13 years.

“It’s mainly my audience in the shows and it’s a bit like meeting old friends - we are providing something that really isn’t available to a certain kind of audience, let’s say a mature audience.

“They like the music that they’re unable to hear live anymore unless it’s a tribute band which lacks variety or it’s karaoke.

“They can sing along, clap and do what they like. And We provide the comedy without all the expletives and there is a big audience for that. They don’t want their intelligence to be insulted. Expletives are often used because the jokes are pretty bad but the expletive will shock the audience into laughter. I like to think anyone can come to this – a mum can take her daughter or the other way around.

"Last year’s tour was incredibly successful and we were just absolutelystaggered withby the reactions.

“When people are really roaring with laughter with we you are doing, it’s a powerful drug .”

Having performed around 50 theatre dates in 2014, Carrott and company are in the middle of another 50-date tour this spring with more dates being added in autumn.

Offstage, Jasper , whose daughter Lucy Davis played Dawn in the BBC comedy The Office, says he enjoys spending time with his four children and six grandchildren and is also into alternative medicine.

Spanning five decades Jasper’s comedy career has its roots in music. He started his own folk club in Birmingham, The Boggery, in 1969 performing folk songs and acting as compere. Such was his rapport with audiences that the banter took over and he became renowned for his comedy routines.

His comedy single Funky Moped shot to the top of the charts in 1975, making him a household name overnight and he went onto become the godfather of British comedy with TV shows putting him at the forefront of British TV viewing.

Jasper Carrott’s Stand Up & Rock with the Bev Bevan Band and Guests is at the City Hall tomorrow at 7.30pm. Tickets £27.50, for more details call Salisbury City Hall on 01722 434434 or visit cityhallsalisbury.co.uk.