Raconteur, keyboard wizard, and “the 42nd best reason to love Britain”, John Shuttleworth has got the lot, and he will be bringing all of it when he visits the Tyne Theatre & Opera House in Newcastle early next year.

I can’t get enough of John Shuttleworth, and his visits to the region are always inked onto my calendar as soon as I get wind of them. And the great man, who is currently celebrating 40 years in the biz, recently mused: “After forty years and still no chart success, perhaps I should be slightly anxious. My wife Mary says I should get a proper job, but there’s not time – I’m about to retire! Besides, Comet – where I used to demonstrate audio equipment – no longer exists. As for the sweet factory in the Rotherham area where I worked as a security guard in the 1980s – that’s now an Axe Throwing Centre. Oof!” As the above Telegraph quote states, John Shuttleworth really is one of THE best reasons to love Britain and I hope his sublime comedy and extraordinary songs continue to thrill for many a year to come. If you’ve not experienced him live, then it’s never too late to jump aboard, and if have, well, I expect – just like me – you’ve got your ticket for this show already. GM

John Shuttleworth: Raise the Oof, Saturday 15 February, Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Newcastle, 7.30pm, £29, tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk