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Dave Spikey, Rhyl Pavilion
DAVE Spikey's last UK tour wasn't exactly broken, so fans are going to be delighted to hear he hasn't bothered to fix it.
The Chorley-based star of Phoenix Nights and 8 Out Of 10 Cats said he enjoyed his Best Medicine tour so much that he's decided to give it a second airing.
But he insists longstanding fans aren't going to be disappointed when Best Medicine: Repeat Prescription comes to Rhyl Pavilion on May 29.
"Strictly speaking, it's not a brand new tour, so it hasn't got a brand new name, but there's enough in the way of new material that even people who saw it last year are going to enjoy it" he said.
"In fact, the only problem I have had are fans coming back to see jokes I told last year and actually being disappointed because I won't reel off the same joke I did 12 months ago! I did about 40-odd dates last year, and I just really enjoyed it."
Like many youngsters growing up in north west England, Spikey spent many of his holidays in and around North Wales, and says he is looking forward to returning to the region when his tour reaches Rhyl.
"I used to go around lots of different parts of North Wales with the family when I was younger, after my dad got round to buying a car.
"We used to head out along the road through Corwen to take our holidays in Porthmadog, which I loved.
"It's great to be able to come back, it's something I'm really looking forward to, especially as I've done a lot of stand up gigs here in the past. I've had a lot of fun not only in places like Llandudno and Rhyl, but even at the smaller gigs, like Harlech."
Dave shot to fame alongside fellow comedians Peter Kay and Paddy McGuiness in the C4 sitcom Phoenix Nights, but unlike his two co-stars he has taken a step back from TV, favouring instead a return to his roots in stand-up comedy.
"I actually prefer stand-up to TV as it's just so much more fun, and completely different. I love the way you can think of a really good line in the afternoon and throw into your stand-up routine that same night, and get the audience laughing. In order to do that in TV, you have to spend months working with writers before it's shown."
"I'm not giving up on TV though, because variety really is the spice of life. I really enjoy just being able to do so many different things."
Perhaps most tellingly, Although Dave says he has definitely finished his time as a panellist on quiz show 8 Out of 10 Cats, he wouldn't rule out a return to his role as Jerry St Clair in Phoenix Nights.
"I would love to return to Phoenix nights, but it would have to be under the right circumstances as it's been away such a long time.
"I've got a couple of projects in the pipeline at the moment, but it all depends on what happens."
Dave Spikey, Rhyl Pavilion, May 29. Tickets from £17.50, from 01745 330000 or www.rhylpavilion.co.uk.
