FLICKY HARRISON chats to comedian Brian Conley

Comedian Brian Conley borrowed a suit of armour and a lance from the set of First Knight to gallop over and propose to his fiance Anne-Marie. He couldn't get off his horse and she ran around screaming - but eventually said yes.

Eight months later they were married and the comic had the challenge of topping his proposal - so he borrowed the famous car, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, to drive away from the church.

It was a lovely moment on the wedding video,'' he said. "We had the reception at Pinewood Studio.''

Brian had a small part in the blockbuster movie First Knight and he played the part of Caractacus Potts in the stage version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the West End.

"I flew the car at the Palladium every night,'' he said.

The comedian admits his first love is making people laugh and he will be aiming to give Swindon a chuckle when he brings his new show, The Greatest Entertainer (In His Price Range), to the Wyvern Theatre on Monday, May 22 at 7.30pm.

"It is a pot pourri of entertainment. Comedy-driven with songs, a lot of laughs in a world of doom and gloom, where we don't mention Brexit, but Trump of course is just a comedy gift.''

The comedian is also a musician and has appeared in a number of West End shows, so he sings about six numbers in his show and chats about his career.

"Some of the embarrassing moments the funny stuff,'' he said. As a teenager Brian won a small part in the TV series Survivors and was asked to do an advertisement.

"It was Pearl and Dean at the cinema and I was shown eating hot dogs,'' he said. "Those things got me my equity card and that mean't I never had a proper job.''

On the musical side Brian performed with a comedy showband called Tomfoolery, supporting such acts as Johnny Mathis and The Nolans. He also sang with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

I had an operatic singer father and I would mimic him as a child. At six-years-old I was bashing out arias,'' said Brian. "All comedians have anther string to their bow and music was mine and is still a big part of my life.''

The comic was a favourite on television with his own comedy sketch show: Brian Conley: This Way Up and The Brian Conley Show, as well as appearances on Make Me Laugh, Live From Her Majesty's and The Laugher Show. He is also in demand for sitcom and scored a Best ITV Sitcom award for the show Time After Time in which he played the lead role. He also starred in The Grimleys as Doug Dynamo Digby with Amanda Holden, Nigel Planer and Noddy Holder.

But it was his singing that took him to the West End, including work with Strictly Come Dancing's Craig Revel Horwood.

"I was so nervous meeting him but my brother worked on Strictly and said it was all an act. Craig was brilliant and so was Cameron Macintosh.''

For Barnum, Brian literally had to go to circus school to learn how to tightrope walk.

"That was a challenge, it was fine when the wire was tight but at some theatres it was slack... Once I had four days off and the understudy broke his foot.''

Brian is also one of the most famous 'Buttons' in panto. He says that he has only had one year off from panto in the last 25. He teamed up with Gok Wan in Cinderella and they went on to write the pantomime Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates.

"I love him, the Fairy Gok Mother. Panto is hard work but all the family come to see it and my daughter Lucy comes down and makes me tea. She loves the business and the camaraderie backstage with Gok.''

Tickets to see Brian in Swindon are £26 from 01793 524481 or visit www.swindontheatres.co.uk - Flicky Harrison