Rob Beckett's comedy has long been packing a solid, mainstream punch, so Wallop seems the ideal name for his latest blockbuster tour. 'As a word, "wallop" just isn't used enough but I use it quite a lot. I think it sums up me and my show: "here it is, have a bit of that", we'll enjoy ourselves and then go home. My show isn't going to sort out Brexit, but it will take your mind off it for an hour and a half. Essentially, it's about the funniest things that have happened to me or that I've thought of since the last tour.'

Perhaps that's the kind of straight-talking, escapist tactic this country needs as we veer from chaos to crisis on an almost hourly basis. A regular face (and voice) on our small screens, Beckett's CV features the likes of Celebs Go Dating, A League of Their Own, The Jonathan Ross Show, and Rob Beckett's Savage Socials, while he's also co-hosting this year's Royal Variety Performance alongside his buddy Romesh Ranganathan, which will air on ITV in December.

As a father of two toddlers, the temptation for Beckett might have been to make Wallop his 'new-dad' show. He's more or less resisted that. 'Though I have kids, it's not my "I'm so happy to get out of the house tour". I love the kids and that's going to be the hardest thing about going on tour. It's not really about the things my kids have said, it's more about these new relationships I have with my in-laws and my own parents. The show is about family.' Talking of family, his mum is also no doubt very proud of her lad's achievements, but in his eyes she has a funny way of showing it. 'My mum always likes to have a go: "if you could get a degree in annoying … you'd have a degree in annoying". Thanks mum. If she could get a degree in analogies … I don't think she'd get one.'

Rob Beckett: Wallop is on tour until Thursday 11 June.