Comedian, actor, musician Phil Nichol had to hide the fact he wanted to go on stage from his loving but strict parents, who wanted him to become a minister.

Growing up in a devout Christian family in Canada, he would smuggle in Boy George songs, under the noses of his parents, by pretending they were Christian rock records.

“They wanted me to become a minister so I had to go behind my parents’ backs to audition for drama school. When I got accepted they refused to allow it, so I left home at 17 and paid my own way through arts school,’’ said Phil.

The aspiring acting shared a house that had no heating, with pals who were in the same financial straits, so they set up their own comedy show on the campus radio station at The School of Dramatic Art and entered a competition which they thought had a monetary prize.

“We won, but the prize was trainers and an iPlayer,’’ he said.

But this was the foundation of a comedy/music act that was to become Corky and The Juice Pigs which had success with the song Eskimo.

Acting roles followed including One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest with Christian Slater, Taboo with his childhood music hero Boy George, and recently playing Hugo in the hit show Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

“I guess the people who wrote it knew it was good, but we had no idea how big it was going to become. It is still running so everyone should go, it is a must-see show,’’ said Phil.

There are plans afoot to make a feature film out of the play and Phil says it would be a dream come true to play Hugo again.

“I would love to play the part. I am in the running but I am not holding my breath. I am grateful I had such an amazing experience and I am on the original cast recording.’’

As for working with Boy George he says his childhood friends from Canada could not believe he was actually working with the super star.

“Boy George is still my hero, he is unbelievably charming and witty. Working with A-lister Christian Slater was amazing too, I met his mother Mary-Jo,’’ said the comedian.

But his one disappointment was when he played Terry Gilliam in the BBC adaptation of Holy Flying Circus and he didn’t get to meet the Monty Python star.

“I wrote to him saying I would like to meet him and study him. He sent me a note with clips of him speaking and video footage but I didn’t get to meet him. It was written by Toy Roche and it was like a Monty Python episode, so much fun,’’ said Phil.

Other TV work for Phil included guest appearances on Never Mind The Buzzcocks, The Graham Norton Show and a comedian edition of The Weakest Link.

On the music side Phil says it was his older brother Andrew who taught him a bit of guitar, but as he wasn’t allowed to listen to secular music he invented his own.

“I did play Ramone songs and U2 were Christians so I was allowed to listen to them,’’ he said.

It was also his brother Andrew who inspired his latest stand-up show, Your Wrong, that is currently touring the UK and stopping off in Swindon.

“Don’t let your editor change the Your - it is deliberate,’’ he quipped.

When Phil was just 19 years of age, Andrew was left in a coma for five weeks following a severe car accident. His whole family were thrown into a huge emotional and spiritual conflict.

“This is the sub-plot of my show that everything happens for a reason, as my mother would say God’s hand is in it,’’ he said.

The main plot is a series of stories about how many wrong turnings or wrong doings have led to taking the right path or making the right decision for Phil. “It is also has a deeper meaning about the knee-jerk reaction to things. It plays to all aspects of my life especially my relationship with my mum and dad. My family were Islamic in their devotion to Jesus while I became more into the Carl Jung science of synchronicity.

“We live in a confusing, unbelievable and amazing world. In fine art the more angles you use the more perspective you get,’’ he said.

Your Wrong comes to Swindon on Thursday, October 11 at 7.30pm. Tickets are £16.50 from 01793 524481 - Flicky Harrison