Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow

The besuited funnyman's stand-up showcase returns. McIntyre himself divides opinion - he seems to be almost as unpopular with critics as he is beloved by audiences - but there's no doubting his infectious energy as he hauls his sparkly set around six large theatre venues. The tour begins at Glasgow Theatre Royal, where our host is joined by teen prodigy Daniel Sloss, hairy Canadian Craig Campbell, punning surrealist Milton Jones and headline act Kevin Bridges, a fast-rising raconteur who'll be cheered in his home town.

Michael McIntyre bounds on stage, newly svelte and very natty in a purple suit. He doesn't look like the most polarising figure in British comedy. Polarising in the sense that mass audiences adore him, while other, less successful comics marinate in resentment whenever his name is mentioned. Fine, yes, McIntyre is very safe (though he says "s**t" twice, to my horror - it's like hearing your favourite auntie swear), but the observational stuff is fun. It may be obvious, but there you go, that's observation for you. Anyway, I like him, and the Glasgow audience at the first of a new run of Roadshows is in his pocket immediately as he tells cute stories about his two small children, revolving doors at airports and trampolines in gardens. None of it will start any revolutions, but who needs that on a Saturday night? He's not Bill Hicks. McIntyre is wildly enthusiastic about the night's acts, including local boy Kevin Bridges, garrulous Canadian Craig Campbell and Radio 4 favourite Milton Jones, whose punning, literal schtick makes my teeth itch with annoyance.

The World According To Michael McIntyre

One of our favourite funny-men, Michael McIntyre, is back on the road with a new series of Comedy Roadshows. In the host's honour, we've gathered together a selection of his best one-liners.

From what I hear, Michael McIntyre isn't the most popular of stand-ups among other comics. If that is indeed the case, I can only assume they're desperately jealous. It can, after all, be quite an unpleasantly competitive area of showbusiness.

Anyway, here, as if to turn his rivals even greener with envy, the cheery, mass-DVD-shifting, Bafta-nominated Michael embarks on the second of his Saturday night roadshow series, visiting venues up and down the country and introducing, along with one established name per show, a bunch of comparatively new stand-ups who've yet to enjoy this level of prime-time exposure.

Michael McIntyre: lowest-common-denominator or saviour?

The critical knives are sure to be out for the return of Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow tomorrow - but this is just cultural snobbery. The stand-up deserves his huge audiences.

It's just nice to see stand-up comedians doing stand-up comedy on TV, isn't it? They're normally either embarrassing themselves in sitcoms, appearing zombie-like on tired panel shows or looking uncomfortable fronting painfully dull early evening magazine programming for the BBC. It's just a bit of a shame that most of them on Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow are a bit rubbish.

Michael McIntyre and Kevin Bridges

Tomorrow night, Michael McIntyre is taking his Comedy Roadshow to the Theatre Royal in Glasgow, and local favourite Kevin Bridges is headlining.

We caught up with Kevin and asked him a few questions...

McIntyre: the comedian that comedians love to hate

His Comedy Roadshow pulls in the viewers like no other stand-up TV show for a long time, but not everybody is a fan of Michael McIntyre.

Michael McIntyre loses his famous chubby cheeks

He was affectionately called the 'chubby-cheeked ex-public school boy' by Jonathan Ross, but that tag certainly no longer applies to Michael McIntyre. The comic debuted a new slimline look as he walked the red carpet of the GQ Men of the Year awards last week.

Michael McIntyre eyes up next Roadshow recruits

Think you've had a weird job interview? Try going out in front of a packed Comedy Store with at stake a slot on Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow. It sure beats 'so what are your weaknesses?'