MARION SAUVEBOIS gets ready for another show from top funnyman

MICHAEL McIntyre can't get enough of Swindon.

It must be our brutal honesty, impeccable taste and comedic flair - or perhaps just our handy proximity to London. Either way, when time comes to unveil his new material and test jokes on a select group of discerning fans before a big nationwide tour, it is Swindonians he inevitably turns to for help.

True to tradition, McIntyre will take over the Arts Centre on Saturday for a special warm-up gig ahead of his anticipated new tour.

Last year queues of fans in Swindon hoping to nab tickets to his work in progress show stretched from the Arts Centre all the way down Devizes Road. Those fortunate enough to catch his intimate preview were treated to some of his best gags, as well as a volley of new ones.

Michael's big break came at the Royal Variety Performance in 2006.

His debut DVD, Live and Laughing, was the fastest selling of all time, only to be eclipsed by his second, Hello Wembley - which sold more than 1.4m copies and was the 2009 Christmas number one.

He now hosts his own BAFTA nominated BBC series, Michael Mcintyre's Comedy Roadshow, and has won British Comedy Awards for Best Live Stand-up in 2009 and Best Male TV Comic in 2010.

In 2010 he became the youngest ever host of The Royal Variety Performance and released his bestselling autobiography, Life and Laughing.

The following year he joined a star-studded judging panel on Britain's Got Talent. He also hosted Michael Mcintyre's Christmas Comedy Roadshow on BBC1 Christmas Day which was watched by more than million viewers.

His Showtime tour, which included a record-breaking ten-night residency at London’s O2 Arena, was the biggest selling in the world in 2012, playing to more than 700,000 people.

Michael McIntyre appears at the Arts Centre on Saturday at 8pm. Tickets are £22.50. To book call 01793 524481 or go to swindontheatres.co.uk.