JIMMY Cricket returns to the Gladstone Theatre in Port Sunlight later this month.

The Irish funnyman and playwright - famous for his trademark outfit of cut-off evening trousers, tuxedo, hat and wellies which are marked 'L' and 'R' but worn on the wrong feet - comes to the Greendale Road venue on Sunday, April 14, with a family show as part of his laughter tour.

The 73-year-old, whose catchphrases include "Come 'ere" and "There's more..." told the Globe this afternoon: "I’ve played at the Gladstone many times over the years and am looking forward to coming back.

"The theatre is in a beautiful village and everytime I visit, it's like stepping back in time when I visit.

"Mind you, some people would say it's like stepping back in time when they hear my jokes.

"It's a family show, so you have to keep the material clean; that's alway been my approach to comedy.

"Mrs Cricket will also be singing a few songs too."

His show promises to focus on current events, such as Brexit.

He joked: "If we leave Brussels, will there be any more sprouts? And if you're wall-papering remember to have a soft border.

"I'm actually back at the Gladstone on October 6 in a play that I wrote called No more Fiffin and Faffen.

"It's about a comedy double act who decide to call it a day after many years on the road together and are about to go on stage for their final show. Hence the title No more Fiffin and Faffin.

"The secret of success in this business is being creative. So writing plays is great."

The comic, born James Mulgrew in Cookstown, Northern Ireland, left school at 16 and spent the next two years working in a betting shop, before working as a Red Coat in Butlins Holiday camp at Mosney, County Meath, in the summer of 1966.

He spent the following two summers at Butlins in Clacton.

By the early 1970s he was living and working as a comedian in Manchester. He later adopted the surname cricket, after the character in Pinocchio.

From 1972 he worked at Pontin's camps in Southport and Morecambe and returned to Clacton-on-Sea in 2006 to star in an eight week summer show.

He has had his own radio and television shows and appeared on the Royal Variety Show in 1984.

A few years ago appeared with fellow comics Matt Lucas and Peter Kay in the comic relief video of The Proclaimers' song I would walk 500 Miles.

Jimmy's humour is described as entirely clean, in marked contrast to some other Irish comedians.

A popular theme of his comedy is Irish logic, and the letter from his 'Mammy'.

He said: "The family recently bought Mammy a flat-screen television, but she didn't like it because the ornaments keep falling off."

It is a humour that has kept his audiences across the world laughing for more than 45 years.

Tickets for his show at the Gladstone Theatre are from the box office on 0151 643 8757.