Radio One star looking forward to Evesham gig

Buy photos » BBC Radio One presenter Tom Deacon will be making a huge crowd laugh their socks off when he performs at the Evesham Arts Centre next Friday (June 29).

STAND-UP comedian and BBC Radio 1's Tom Deacon is hoping to take Evesham by storm when he performs in the town's first ever comedy festival next week.

Deacon, who has also starred in The Rob Brydon Show and Edinburgh and Beyond, will take to the Evesham Arts Centre stage on Friday (June 29) on the second night of the three-day festival with close friend and rising talent Matt Richardson.

Day one (Thursday, June 28) will see the Victoria Avenue play host to its monthly Raw Comedy nights and the festival finishes with a bang with 8 Out Of 10 Cats star Jon Richardson headlining on the Saturday evening.

This will be Deacon's first ever visit to Evesham and he told the Observer he was hugely looking forward to it.

"We are taking Evesham’s comedy virginity and I am proud to be playing a part in it," he said.

"Matt Richardson knew the guys at the Evesham Arts Centre and said to them 'I’ve tried to get every top comic to come but they are booked out but I know one who will be available' - and that one person was luckily me.

"Me and Matt worked together last year at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and formed a very good relationship and he told me the Evesham gig was going to be an amazing show.

"I like to have little chats with the audience so hopefully there will be some chatty people in Evesham coming along on the night. It should be good fun and I'm looking forward it.

"And on Saturday Jon Richardson is performing so anyone who is going will get to see some great comics and should get good value for money."

From an early age Southampton-born Deacon always wanted to become a stand-up comedian and during his time at University he started to get involved with the comedy circuit before landing himself a big break on BBC Radio 1.

"My schoolmates told me when I was young I was not funny and had no chance of being a comic so I decided to prove them wrong," he added. "I then did competitions during university that led me onto to a few little things elsewhere.

"As a result you get opportunities to do casting and presenting roles and then I got a job on Radio 1 but all that started from going 'right I want to get into stand-up comedy and I'm going to give it a go'."

Deacon told the Observer how his first day on Radio 1 was one he will never forget in his lifetime and how much me enjoys interviewing big names in the music industry.

"I was very proud to get on BBC Radio 1 and my first day was a doubly proud day for me because my beloved Southampton won the St Johnstones Paint Trophy at Wembley.

"Being on Radio 1 is very special, I forget sometimes that it is just what I do and its a job but sometimes I do think how lucky I am to have a job like that where I can meet and interview the stars of the music world.

"I love Southampton Football Club and we start next season away at Manchester City. Hopefully the match will go like my Evesham gig and go incredibly well and we get the win."

The show starts at 8pm. For more information or to buy tickets visit www.eveshamartscentre.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01386 446944.

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