Michael McIntyre to host Royal Variety Performance
The BBC has announced that Michael McIntyre will host the 2010 Royal Variety Performance in December.
The comic, who has performed twice before on the show, and shot to stardom after his first appearance, will - aged 34 - be the youngest ever host of the event.
The Royal Variety Performance, which will once again be raising funds for the Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund, will take place at London's Palladium theatre at the end of the year in the presence of Prince Charles. The rest of the performer line-up has yet to be announced.
Michael McIntyre said: "I got my big break at the Royal Variety Performance in 2006 and returned in 2008, but now to host it is such an honour and I'm unbelievably excited. The Queen and Prince Charles alternate their attendance. This year, and on both of my previous appearances, I will be performing for Prince Charles. I can't wait to entertain him for a third time, although it does seem obvious that the Queen is avoiding me."
BBC Entertainment's Katie Taylor says: "I'm thrilled that Michael has agreed to host the Royal Variety Performance for us this year. BBC One viewers know and love him well from his hugely successful and award-wining Comedy Roadshow series and from Live At The Apollo, and I just know he'll be a brilliantly lively and infectious glue that will hold the Royal Variety Performance together."
McIntyre, who began his stand-up career in 1999, is currently Britain's most successful stand-up star. Last year he played live to over half a million people in 54 arenas, including a record breaking six nights at Wembley and four at the London's O2. His first DVD, Live And Laughing, was the fastest and biggest-selling debut of all time and his follow up DVD, Hello Wembley, became the fastest selling stand-up DVD of all time. The comic also hosts BBC One's award-winning primetime Saturday night show Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, which will return later this year for a second series.