Why Simon Brodkin will be 'Unleashed' in the city

He’s the comedian who showered FIFA president Sepp Blatter with cash, handed Prime Minister Theresa May her P45, and created the smash-hit BBC comedy series Lee Nelson’s Well Good Show…

But he has since pivoted to performing comedy in his own name, and is continuing his impressive run of hilarious stand-up shows.

“It’s been absolutely fantastic to get back out there having not done a tour for over a year,” says Simon. “What’s great about the UK is that we love joking about how crap things are – there is nothing in Britain that can’t be improved with a gag. And I’d forgotten just how much being on stage in front of thousands of people each night is my happy place. It’s the only two hours of the day when my kids don't phone me up! Phone off, peace at last.”

Having done the characters and stunts in the past, this is only Simon’s second big tour doing stand-up as himself – which is why it’s called ‘Unleashed’

"I feel like now I can finally say what I want,” he says. “It’s a show full of the things that I've been finding laughable over the last year… from vape shops to Turkish barbers, wild swimmers, marriage and Genghis Khan!

“The stand-up that I did before was always in character, predominantly as south London lad Lee Nelson. Performing as Lee was amazing – three series on BBC Three, big touring shows. But I was doing and saying things on stage, perhaps a bit of crowd work, and Lee would come out with a great answer that the audience would love… but I'd be thinking, ‘hang on, is that Lee? Lee couldn't have thought of that… I think that might be me popping through there!’

"So my own stand-up has grown from there. It was probably my ego thinking ‘I can’t let my characters take credit for the stuff I'm doing! Damn it, I'm gonna give this a go!’”

Limited tickets are available from www.newtheatre-peterborough.com