Enjoy an evening full of laughter and entertainment from one of TV’s much loved comedians. Crowds in Ilfracombe and Babbacombe can join Rob on his ‘Mouth of the South’ tour

One of Josh Widdicombe’s sparring partners on Mock the Week is South Londoner Rob Beckett. Yes, he of the sparkling pearly whites!

Rob attributes his appeal to the fact the he does not take his huge success for granted.‎ “I just try and be a normal bloke,” observes Rob, 30. “You don’t need to be diva-ish in this business. At the end of the day, we’re just chatting on stage. I’m genuinely grateful that people come to see me. If it wasn’t for the audience, I wouldn’t have a jet-wash - I’d just have an ordinary hose!

“I’ve done hundreds of low-paid jobs in my time. I used to work in a flower market carrying around bags of compost. So the fact that I can now put my face on a poster and people will turn up for the show makes me so pleased.

‎”When I started out as a comedian, I thought, ‘If I can just about make a living doing comedy‎, I’ll be the happiest man in the world.’ So, as you can imagine, I’m pretty happy now!”

Rob says he gets on well with audiences because he is, essentially, a nosey person. “I love talking to the audience and getting them involved. I really like hearing their stories. People do the strangest jobs.

“Last night, for instance, someone in the audience‎ told me he was a change manager at a company producing floret salads. So basically he’s in charge of what leaves go in the salad! I like asking questions - it keeps the show fresh.”

On his Mouth of the South tour he will be covering such down-to-earth, relatable subjects as holidays, Christmas, cold calls and nights out. His routines work so well because they are taken from his own ‎life.

“I saw Alan Davies and Peter Kay and realised you can be just as funny talking about nothing very much. If you walk into a pub and say to your mates, ‘What about the new Kit Kats?’, and you can be funny about that, I think that’s quite an achievement. I’m as funny as I can be for 90 minutes. I try and take people’s minds off things for an hour and a half. If you ever stop enjoying that, that’s the moment to give up.”

Rob Beckett is at The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe on 23 September (book at northdevontheatres.org.uk/01271 324242) and the Babbacombe Theatre, Torquay (babbacombe-theatre.com/01803 328385) on 30 September.