KATHERINE MACALISTER speaks to Rob Deering about how he was born to be on stage and how his comedic roots began.

‘I don’t believe in nerves,” comedian Rob Deering tells me. “If there was anyone born to be on stage it’s me. I just need to get to the mic.”

And get to the mic he will tonight for The Fun Raiser 2010 at Oxford’s Sheldonian.

“Some people have problems with public speaking. I’m at the other end of the scale – I’ll do anything to be up on stage making people laugh,” Rob continues, which is why he jumped at the chance to take part in a stand-up comedy night for local youth charities.

But of course Rob is a local boy and his comedic roots began in Thame, so it’s a cause close to his heart. “I went to Lord Williams School in Thame and it was great being out in the country. You know the usual thing, sitting in outbuildings getting drunk and getting off with people.

“But actually Thame is a hotbed of burgeoning talent, so I was also into comedy and bands, getting chucked out of village halls, that sort of thing. And it was a nicely democratic place – we organised fundraising nights, and performed songs and sketches, and were all terribly pleased with ourselves. And when I got to do improv – that made my day.”

It’s still making his day, albeit to a slightly bigger audience these days, namely his sell-out tours.

“Coming back with my one man band rather than my school band will be a tasty irony,” Rob smiles. “But had I continued in the band we would have a been a Coldplay middle-England kind of thing, and where are the jokes in that? So it’s lucky that I grew a sense of humour. It was a calling,” he jokes.

But then jokes and music have always gone hand-in-hand for Rob, or as he puts it himself: “If you were to lock me in a small room with my guitar I would come out with a song I could use.” But even he thinks that performing at the Sheldonian is a career high. “The Sheldonian is a very exciting place,” he agrees.

In fact the only cloud on the horizon for Rob is that with small children at home in London and a rocketing career, he’s not spending enough time there. “Comedy is not good for your social life because l’m always on the motorway or train, and I have little children now.

“So the first tour was miserable,” he admits, “but I always go on stage in whatever mood I’m in, so I had to get used to it.”

On the other hand Rob is delighted that his comedy bandwagon shows no sign of slowing down. “Comedy has been like a pressure cooker that’s slowly crept up on us. It’s what people want because it’s so much better live, whether you see the big shows or the little shows. And comedians build a following, because if people like you they come and see you again and again. They are very faithful. It’s not like seeing someone for 30 seconds on TV.”

So if you want to see Rob Deering for more than 30 seconds, get down to The Sheldonian tonight. So give us a taste of what’s to come then Rob. “Well my main inspiration comes from pop culture, Twitter and Facebook, X-Factor and Cheryl Cole.... And that’s how I came up with my Christmas song which I’ll perform – as for the title, you’ll have to wait and see, but it’s the reworking of a classic.”

* The Fun Raiser 2010 is an evening of stand-up comedy at The Sheldonian Theatre, Broad Street, Oxford, to raise funds for youth arts in Oxfordshire.

Huw Thomas, co-founder of Downstairs at the Kings Head, will host an evening with top comedians Otiz Cannelloni, Mike Maier, Steve Best, and Oxfordshire’s very own Rob Deering, who will entertain the audience tonight.

Tickets are on sale now priced £20. Box Office on 01865 812150 and at pegasustheatre.org.uk. All proceeds from the evening will go to OYAP Trust.