What makes Frank Spencer such a loveable character and in what ways are you similar to him?

We are similar in many ways but different in many ways too.

It would be a mistake for me to do an impression of Michael Crawford.

He is just a loveable character and I bring my own personality to the forefront.

You say Frank is childish or childlike. How do you aim to fulfil this characteristic in your portrayal of him?

Being childish is something children do to try and show off. His logic is a child’s way of logic.

I am on stage for two hours and the dialogue was a huge challenge and putting the physicality into the dialogue in a childish way.

The set itself is integral to the cast. As a set it is a mechanical thing that works and does stuff on stage. I can’t say much more than that about the set.

How does the stage show compare with the popular television sitcom of the 1970s? Are the central themes still intact?

They are still intact. The heart of the show is always a love story between Frank and Betty. We kept that at the heart of it. The four and five star reviews from the nationals show that.

Because it is a two hour show rather than a TV show, it is a lot longer you have to keep the story and the character going.

Are there a lot of crazy or slapstick stunts in the stage show too?

We have them in the stage show as well with a stunt coordinator, which is great.

It is two hours of throwing yourself up and down the stairs. Two shows a day and four hours of being in the gym. I am not 25-years-old anymore sadly.

How does the touring life with the show compare to your live stand-up tours?

This is a lot easier because you do a week at a place, whereas with stand up you normally do one night and then move on.

It is certainly not a holiday living out of a suitcase. It is hard managing your diet on tour.

What can the audience expect from other characters in the show?

Betty is Frank’s wife played by Sarah Earnshaw, who is a great actress. It is two hours of non stop laughs. They are all great actors to work with. It is the best reaction on any stage show I have worked on. This is a typical stage farce.

Why do you think you were cast as Frank?

He is very close to my own personality. It is me doing it and the closest thing they have got I suppose. It is not a million miles away from my daily life.

How have the producers and directors brought the 1970s show forward for a modern theatre audience?

Well we haven’t, we have left it in 1973. It is the same music and the thing that people love is the nostalgia. We use the old record player and the wallpaper. As soon as the curtain opens it looks like your nan’s house.

Looking back at your television career as well as your years of performing on stage, how did being crowned winner of I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2004 impact your career?

It was just another job to me then it went back to normal really. So not a huge change. The fact you are still talking about it shows it is a big deal to some people.

Do you have any other plans in the pipeline to appear in stage shows in the near future?

As soon as I finish this I go back on tour doing stand up. Then I am going into pantomime in Nottingham. I think we are taking this show to the West End and maybe Australia.

Lastly, do you know any new songs that will get on people’s nerves?

I don’t know any more as it happens.

It is good to hear your laugh...

You never lose it. It is always there.