SUGGS, the lead singer with ska band Madness, is hoping to find a warm welcome for his royal house of fun comedy when he comes to Swindon as part of his UK tour.

Following the success of his first solo tour, My Life Story, he is now delving into the madness of fame, revealing stories such as how he had vertigo while playing on the roof of Buckingham Palace at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert in his one man show - What a King Cnut - A Life in the Realm of Madness.

Suggs was born Graham Mcpherson but adopted his nickname while he was still at school. He stuck a pin in an encyclopaedia about jazz singers and it hit on Peter Suggs. His mum was a jazz singer so his early life was spent with her and relations in Wales, his father having left when he was three.

He left school and began training to be a butcher. In 1976 a band called the North London Invaders, with Mike Barson, Chris Foreman and Lee Thompson, was formed and went on to become Madness with Suggs joining as lead singer in 1977.

The band created a whole fresh new excitement with their ska music and notched up hits including My Girl, Baggy Trousers, Embarrassment, It Must Be Love, House of Fun, Driving in My Car and Our House.

They split in 1986 but got back together for Madstock in 1992 and 1994. Meanwhile Suggs set out on his solo career and, in 1995, his first solo album, The Lone Ranger, was released. It peaked at number 14 of the album charts. In 1996 the third single from the album, Suggs’ version of the Simon and Garfunkel track Cecilia, was his most successful, reaching number four in the charts.

The singer has appeared in feature films such as Rambo: First Blood Part II, The Tall Guy and Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (1998) and in 2003 appeared as Joe’s dad in the stage musical Our House, featuring the songs of Madness. It had a limited run in London’s West End.

Suggs was one of the original DJs on BBC Radio 6 Music when it launched in 2002. He also worked with the late Bob Monkhouse on the BBC Radio 4 musical sitcom I Think I’ve Got a Problem.

The musician likes to write, having finished two books, Suggs and the City: My Journeys Through Disappearing London, and his autobiography,

Last year he began discovering history on World War Two Treasure Hunters filmed by the History channel.

Tickets to see Suggs in Swindon are £30.50 from 01793 524481 or visit www.swindontheatres.co.uk - Flicky Harrison