JON RICHARDSON

Ahead of his tour that visits the north-east, Orkney and Shetland, Susan Welsh chats to one of TV’s favourite funnymen

YOUR TOUR TAKES IN ABERDEEN AS WELL AS ORKNEY AND SHETLAND. WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT ABERDEEN AND THE ISLANDS AND ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO PLAYING THERE?

I have been to Aberdeen before and absolutely loved it. I am sure it was November and a freak sun spell hit. I sat by the beach and watched the students playing games in shorts and T-shirts. I’m quite sure it’ll be a similar experience this time.

I’m very excited to visit the islands. My sister travels a lot in Scotland with her dog in her camper van and raves about it.

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR NEW SHOW. WHAT CAN YOUR FANS EXPECT?

If you’ve seen me do stand-up before, then I’d expect more of the same!

If you’ve only ever seen me on Cats Does Countdown, then you can expect a little more swearing and to gaze upon the majesty of my legs.

YOU BECAME A DAD RECENTLY. HAS BECOMING A DAD CHANGED YOUR ATTITUDE TO LIFE AND HOW ARE YOU COPING WITH FATHERHOOD?

In the short term, it has changed how often I get to wear clothes that are clean or watch BBC Breakfast with a cup of coffee.

I know the full repertoire of The Wiggles and have become an expert at judging the depth and mud-towater ratio of any puddle from 50 yards.

My attitude to life remains roughly the same – I walking outdoors and drinking indoors.

YOU HAVE SPOKEN IN THE PAST ABOUT OCD AND BEING A BIT OF A WORRIER. ARE THESE STILL ISSUES AND IF SO, HOW DO YOU COPE?

I’m very lucky that I don’t have OCD, but I do have some of the compulsions that go with it. So long as I’m happy and I keep them in control they can be a positive influence on my life.

I’m sure my daughter doesn’t understand why the TV volume needs to be kept on an even number, nor does my wife appreciate my deconstruction of her dishwasher loading technique, but if those things didn’t happen, I wouldn’t have any material.

DO YOU THINK OF YOURSELF AS AN ‘OLD MAN’ ALREADY AND ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR OLD AGE?

like I’ve always felt old beyond my years. It’s something I will be absolutely fine with until I realise it’s too late to go back, then I will have the mother of all mid-life crises and hopefully calm down again. There’s a lot I haven’t done that most people my age have done to excess, but then I doubt many of them have been jeered off stage at a converted strip club in Bournemouth, so it’s swings and roundabouts. HOW MANY LOVELY CARDIGANS DO YOU OWN? My cardigan collection has been decimated by my recent baby weight issues.

Somewhere near me there is a man who has the body I used to own in my “exercising and not eating chocolate for breakfast at 5am” days who has recently had the day of his life in a charity shop. He’s probably in his seventies, given my taste, but I hope I was able to make him happy.

WHAT’S BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE MEMORY/ MOMENT FROM 8 OUT OF 10 CATS DOES COUNTDOWN?

The show is always surprising me. In a recent show, Joe Wilkinson read a poem to John Cooper-Clarke and that’s a memory I’ll have for a long time. Getting paid to work on a show that leaves you hurting from laughter is a real privilege.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL

ME THAT I HAVEN’T ASKED YOU?

I have invented a dance move called The Earthquake, but as I hate dancing, no one will ever see it.

● Jon Richardson performs Old Man at HM Theatre, Aberdeen, tomorrow, Friday, April 27; Clickimin, Lerwick, on Saturday, April 28 and the Pickaquoy Centre, Kirkwall, on Sunday, April 29. For tickets see www.jonrichardson comedy.com

There’s a lot I haven’t done that most people my age have done to excess, but then I doubt many of them have been jeered off stage at a converted strip club

Jon Richardson bemoans the decimation of his cardigan collection