A WORLD famous comedian has announced two intimate shows to warm up for his upcoming tour.

Ricky Gervais will play two nights at The Old Market, in Hove, as he builds up to his 2019/2020 SuperNature world tour.

The British comedian comes to the 500-capacity venue on January 30 and 31.

Tickets go on sale on Friday at 10am.

It is part of a series of intimate shows Gervais is set to do, in which he will preview new material that he will then take to arenas across the globe.

Gervais, 57, will visit Brighton for the first time since his hugely popular 2017 Humanity tour.

The audience can expect a host of new comedy, as, for many, comedians warm-up shows are key.

Gervais initially began his career in the Eighties as a musician, but it wasn’t until the release of his hit TV show The Office that he gained worldwide fame as a comedian

The series - which Gervais co-wrote with long time comedy partner Stephen Merchant - became an instant hit and even spawned an American spin-off of the show.

The plot follows Gervais, who plays David Brent - the hapless manager of Slough-based paper firm Wernham Hogg.

The UK Office ran for two series.

Since then, Gervais has performed a number of worldwide stand-up shows, even going on tour in his David Brent persona, and taken bows on the big screen with films like Ghost Town, The Invention of Lying and Muppets Most Wanted.

The wildly popular comic is expected to sell out his two Hove shows in quick time so get your alarms set.