Irish comedian, Jimeoin, bought a one way ticket to Australia because he had an adventurous spirit that was afraid of stagnating.

He moved from Ireland to London when he was just 18-years-old. Coming from a building family he was entered in to the South Bank Polytechnic, to studying building management.

"I would talk to these Irish people who had come to London, working six days a week, for years. Many never got any further in life than London. I thought: Is this it? Is this all there is? So I went and bought a one way ticket to Australia,'' said Jimeoin.

The comedian admits that he had never seen an open mic or a comedy jam before he got up on stage and performed himself.

"I had not seen stand-up and thought it was all about telling jokes, then this guy got up after me and told stories, so I decided to do it myself,'' said Jimeoin. "I loved it!''

Enterprising and still adventurous the comedian decided to tour around Australia and film himself at the same time, which resulted in a TV documentary called Over The Top.

He has also dabbled in producing a couple of films and had his own television show which became a success Down Under.

"I had a band, sketches and chat all in front of a live audience. It did well,'' he said.

Jimeoin also appeared in a sitcom called Bligh. He said he enjoyed doing something different that he hadn't written himself.

"I don't try to memorise lines, I just read them over and over again until I get the feel for them,'' he said.

The Irishman from Australia has appeared on Sunday Night at the London Palladium and The Royal Variety Show at The Lowry in Manchester.

"You have to really rehearse your 12 minute slot, make your material work,'' he said.

Crafting materially comes naturally to Jimeoin, and over the years he has taken 26 of his own shows to the Edinburgh Fringe to hone them before touring.

"The Fringe is so awesome, a lot of work, but it has become saturated,'' he said.

His latest Fringe offering was Jimeoin: Result which he is currently touring in the UK. He will be stopping off in Swindon at the end of the month. The comedian says that the show doesn't have a theme to it and the name was more or less plucked out of thin air.

"I was doing a piece on cooking for those who were drunk! The moment when you open the fridge to start cooking and there is the roast chicken all cooked - result! said Jimeoin.

"The new show is based on the trials of life, I am not political. I compare the programme Life by David Attenborough to our own lives. I love it when I have a new joke and it is crafted. I use subjects based on conversations,'' said the comic.

He says that his mum was really supportive of his career. "She kept a diary and wrote about me that she hoped I would find my way. She was not discouraging like so many parents,'' said Jimeoin, who has four children of his own.

Jimeoin comes to the Swindon Arts Centre, Devizes Road, Old Town on Friday, February 15 at 7.30pm. Tickets are £22 from 01793 524481 or visit www.swindontheatres.co.uk - Flicky Harrison