COMEDIAN and actor Tony Slattery returned to Wirral for the launch of his first podcast.

The 64-year-old - well known for appearances in programmes such as Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Just A Minute, Have I Got News For You and Coronation Street and roles in films such as Peter's Friends and The Crying Game - was at Fort Perch Rock in New Brighton on Friday night at a private launch party for Tony Slattery’s Rambling Club podcast.

It features Tony’s wide-ranging interests by asking him to discourse with friends, Allan Lear and Paul Carmichael, and special guests on randomly-generated topics selected from what its producers describe as 'the whole breadth, depth and girth of human existence'. 

It will be available to hear every Friday at 9pm on Acast and available on all podcasting apps or https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/tony-slatterys-rambling-club/id1775871287

Additional episodes will be available to Patreon subscribers, with free material also releasing at www.patreon.com/SlatteryLive

The launch event was opened by comedian and author. Alex Leam

Following the launch Tony told the Globe: "I’m very excited to be doing something I don’t totally understand on the internet. 

"All I can say is that I’m really enjoying these free-associating, totally unrehearsed conversations, and I hope the audience will too."

Episodes have already been recorded with special guest Robin Ince and Julian Clary, with more to follow. Narration is by Stephen Fry. 

(Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest) Tony - whose partner is Wirral actor and Broadway star Mark Hutchinson - told the Globe afterwards "Fort Perch Rock is a brilliant place and one of the many reasons that I why I want to move to move to Wirral, to get away from the cesspit that London has become.

"People on Wirral are friendlier and the quality of life is better. My heart belongs to Wallasey and West Kirby. Mark, my partner of 38 years is from Wallasey and I have friends in West Kirby. So the plan is to move to a two-up, two-down house in Wallasey.

"I grew up in London - mum and dad were Irish immigrants, and settled in London."

Comedian and actor Tony Slattery Comedian and actor Tony Slattery (Image: courtesy of Erica Lear and Mark Hutchinson) The entertainer was the subject of a BBC documentary in 2020 which followed his return to the spotlight after having a breakdown and completely vanishing from public life.

Whatever Happened To Tony Slattery? featured a revealing interview about his struggle with substance abuse and bipolar disorder.

The documentary also followed Tony and Mark as they visited leading experts on mood disorders and addiction.

Comedian and actor Tony Slattery, pictured during his time on TV, returned to Wirral on Friday for the launch of his podcast 'Tony Slattery's Rambling Club'Comedian and actor Tony Slattery, pictured during his time on TV, returned to Wirral on Friday for the launch of his podcast 'Tony Slattery's Rambling Club' (Image: courtesy of Erica Lear and Mark Hutchinson)

Asked about the 'highlights and lowlights', as he put it, of his career, Tony said recently: "I did a lot of terrible things, for example the drinking and taking drugs, which were extremely low points for me.

"But the highlights have been many. I loved being part of films such as Peter's Friends with Stephen Fry and Emma Thompson and I was also in The Crying Game."

On returning to entertainment after a period away, Tony continued: "I'm back in the saddle and really looking forward to it.

"I'm finding my feet after a fallow period away from showbusiness and feel bouncy and eager to get back on stage".

He ended: "The late reviewer AA Gill once described me as 'the most dysfunctional personality of the 20th Century.

"Alan, my friend who does my twitter account, pretended to me brilliantly replied 'well, that rather puts Stalin in his place doesn't it?', which I thought was a brilliant reply."