Comedian Rob Beckett is currently monitoring his success through his car upgrades. Last time I interviewed him he had just purchased a Nissan Micra but now he tells me proudly he is the proud owner of a Nissan Kaskai.

“I needed a bigger car for touring, a bit more space. The Micra was a bit cramped, a bit foolish,” he of the large white teeth and boy-next-door demeanour tells me proudly. “But I can’t be driving a Bentley around Lewisham can I? I’d rather get the bus.”

But then Rob Beckett is an Essex boy who lives close to his parents and doesn’t want to get above his station. He likes it where he is and attributes much of his success to his work ethic and upbringing. "My mum and dad live just down the street. And I've just bought a house. Until now no one else had one big enough for the whole family to come round so I feel a siege coming on. Christmas is a disaster area - I think I might pretend I’ve moved by then.

"I am one of five brothers you see, so there was always someone funnier round the table. It means I'm not afraid to fail though. Some people are afraid of looking stupid but I don’t care. So many people agree with things or nod when they don’t understand something. It’s such an English thing to do – to keep quiet. I just ask. I always had my hand up in class but I also stand my ground and its got me this far."

So was he the class fool? "I was quite shy at school. The cool kids won’t have known who I was. But I come from South East London and if you weren’t good looking or a footballer you weren’t cool. So I was quite introverted because if you were clever you were vilified so I used comedy to keep people on side to make sure I didn’t get picked on."

Despite being a cheeky chappy then, Rob is a determined young man, first getting up on stage in a comedy club because he didn’t think he could be any worse than the guy before him.

Since then he's worked like a dog to make it onto the comedy circuit and his endeavours are paying off. A regular on comedy panel shows, he also endured a stint in the I'm A Celebrity jungle and starred in TV's Fresh Meat recently, as well as embarking on his current, epic tour. “I like being on the panel shows but performing live is still where it’s at for me. It’s hard work and a hard graft but I've always loved comedy and love watching it."

So what's his secret? "I did five gigs a week for seven years, and then when TV came along, more gigs. I have a lot of energy and now I can pick and choose gigs. I just want to keep that going."

With a new wife and baby that must be hard? "Hey I’m talking for 1.5 hours a day. I’m not down a mine. It's what I've always been best at so I never write anything down."

But ask what his tour is about and there is an uncharacteristic pause: “I don’t really know what I talk about but they don’t call me the Mouth Of The South for nothing. I try out lots of new material in my shows and just see where things take me. I just keep the ball rolling and hope that the material won’t run out. So I never have a routine that I stick to."

Don't expect political rants or satirical observations, instead Rob concentrates on things much closer to home, his gigs being more of a catching up session than a staged set: "I talk about the smaller things in life. The funny things. I want it to be a fun and enjoyable evening. I'm not trying to change the world."

And what about the perks of the job? Does he get recognised? "With teeth this big? Of course. And it's easier to buy a ticket to Arsenal now. Have I told you about my car?"

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