COMEDY is a craft, and Lee Hurst has got his down to a fine art.

The funnyman is heading to the Brewhouse Theatre in November, bringing his latest tour, 'Comedy Show Number 9' to the town.

Lee shot to fame in the mid-1990s after appearing on popular television panel shows such as Have I Got News For You and They Think It's All Over, but admits stand up is his true calling.

If you have seen Lee before, you will know he possesses a razor-sharp wit, and his gags are based on events that have happened to him in his own life.

Most touring comedians have fond memories of former venues, certain gags that provoked a huge laugh or a superb show.

It's fair to say, that Lee has some treasured memories about Taunton.

"I did Taunton on the last tour, but it was initially postponed because I had a second heart operation scheduled the night before I was meant to be on stage.

"The first thing that popped in to my mind was that I could still make it, I could get someone to pick me up after the op and drive me to Taunton, and I could still do the show, but I was advised not to, and reminded it was a heart operation.

"I'm fighting fit now, but it was quite funny because it's what comics do, you give them an impossible task and they think, 'yeah, I can do that'.

"But, I must say when we did get to do it, it was absolutely awesome.

"The Brewhouse is such a good venue for comedy shows, the layout is quality and it is perfect for stand up. The stage isn't too high, it reminds me of the layout for Have I Got News For You, there's just something about that room and I can't wait to play it."

His latest show, is called Comedy Show Number 9, with the strapline "What else do you need to know? Come along for a night of laughs with that bloke you thought was dead".

As someone with such an esteemed career as Lee, that might come as a slight surprise.

He explained: "On Twitter, every time I tweet something somebody always replies, 'Oh him, I thought he was dead!' It's so bizarre that people think if you're not on television, you must be dead.

"I was never meant to be on television, I never wanted to and never aspired for it, it was just a means to an end.

"When I started out I always wanted to be self employed, and I wanted to be a stand up comedian. The TV work gave me money to create my own comedy club, which is what I wanted.

"Stand up is infinitely better than television, and it always has been.

"I've been asked to appear on panel shows and do some acting, but I always cringe when I see comedians acting."

Somerset County Gazette: Lee Hurst

Lee owns and helps run his own comedy club at his hotel in London, and admits it allows him time to fine-tune his own craft, as well as aspiring comedians.

But, Lee says unlike other comedians, he writes and performs his own jokes, and makes sure he tours round the 'little' clubs to perfect his performances.

He says: "When I was big back in the day, you have got to give something back so I play the little clubs. I write all of my own jokes, and I will often drive miles and miles just to do six or seven minutes on stage, to tell the jokes and see how they go down.

"Most comedians now, they have a team of writers behind them, and will do these warm-up tours, charging people to see them, and I think that's disrespectful to their fans to be honest.

"I know of comedians who do it, but I won't name them, and I can't call them comedians, they're actors really because they are reading off a script.

"Comedy is a total craft, not only writing the material but delivering it.

"I can't fault the performances of them, but there's an element of comics acting a bit like thieves, taking a joke off somebody else and then not crediting them.

Somerset County Gazette: Lee Hurst is on mission to find out what really winds you up

"For me, last October it just clicked I wanted to go on tour, and I was just spewing material out. I've got some new jokes this time. I'm married now, so some of that stuff is in there. Well, I was married before but I had a cracking joke about an ex-girlfriend and I wanted to keep that in there."

He added: "Taunton is the last one for this year before I start again in January, so I'm hoping to go out with a bang."

Lee Hurst will be performing at The Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton, on November 19. For more information and tickets visit thebrewhouse.net