Paul Zerdin interview

He's the UK's hottest vent act - that's ventriloquist, dummies - having won America's Got Talent and bagged a coveted Las Vegas residency, which is "unbelievably exciting," he admits. "I've been coming up with what I think are ridiculous ideas and the director and producers so far have said 'yes'. The end of the show is set on ICE! Not really."

Before that kicks off, though, he's touring the UK with a show that "sees my relationship with the characters taken to the limit: the cracks are beginning to show and they are really getting on my tits!" says Paul. "The car journey to the gigs has me at breaking point and that's before we've even got on stage!"

That flight will be a laugh then. Time to look back to gigs past.

First gig?

One of my earliest shows was before I did the ventriloquism and I was doing Magic. I was 15 and it was my school talent competition and most people did a song or a poem or maybe a bit of tap dancing or something but I levitated my sister!

I belonged to a kids' magic club in London that was part of a famous magic shop called Davenports and I borrowed a professional illusion. I remember after that day everyone was a bit different with me, I recall going into the dining hall at lunch the next time and I could hear people whispering and pointing saying "that's Zerdin, he can do magic!"

Favourite show, ever?

I think my last Royal Variety appearance on ITV in 2009 was a fun gig. I felt like I kind of knew what I was doing and didn't feel too nervous and I think it was probably my best spot yet on British TV. I particularly remember lining up to rehearse the finale and Bette Midler telling Jason Manford to 'get lost' after he asked her for a photo - how we all laughed!

Worst gig?

I suppose the time I did some sports awards up north and went on stage about two and a half hours late at about midnight and lasted about four mins on stage. I said "well, it's been a challenge and you've won."

Who's the most disagreeable comic / promoter / agent you've come across?

Well there's always one! I've gigged with a lot of people over the years. Most people are just great to work with. I remember doing an outside festival in a park and the comic before me overran by about 25 mins, came off stage and said "follow that Zerdin!" I just thought 'well that's just totally selfish, you've just done 45 mins and ruined it for the rest of the acts. What a C***!'

Weirdest gig?

Probably doing some of the CSE [military entertainment] gigs in Iraq and Afghanistan. You'd just never get to go to those places normally and as I love flying and helicopters this was just such a fantastic experience. The audiences have been probably the best ever. No matter what your views are on Iraq and Afghanistan, those in the Services needed entertaining and that's my job.

Is there one routine/gag you loved, that audiences inexplicably didn't?

When I do my mic sound-check routine - where I pretend the mic is out of sync - it usually gets a fantastic reaction, with applause, but just occasionally it gets nothing. It amazes me that you can do something for so long and still get completely different reactions.

What's your best insider travel tip, for touring comics?

Join the airline flying clubs!

How do you feel about where your career is at, right now?

After winning America's Got Talent I kind of feel the only way now is down - I hope I'm wrong!

It's your last ever gig: give us the venue, the line-up, the pre-show rider...

The London Palladium. If Bob Monkhouse were alive then I'd have him MC, but instead Kevin McCarthy is MC. Opening is James Dowdeswell, Otiz Canelloni, Stewart Francis, Boothby Graffoe, Julian Clary, Dominic Holland, Jim Tavare and then me, but to be honest I'd rather close the first half. I reckon that would be a quite a nice gig.

Paul Zerdin's tour kicks off at Leeds City Varieties on 8th April - visit www.paulzerdin.com for details.