WHEN you’ve hitchhiked across Ireland with a fridge, formed a band featuring Knights of the realm Norman Wisdom and Tim Rice and been stung in the private parts by a wasp, you’re not going to be short of material for a comedy show.

And Tony Hawks was full to the brim with amusing and engaging stories about his rather unique life and career when he brought his ‘An Audience With’-style show to Birmingham’s Glee Club.

The best-selling author, comedian, musician, TV and radio regular provided plenty of laughs, live music and even film clips as he gave the intimate crowd the lowdown on this latest book, Once Upon A Time In The West…Country.

Tales about his charity bike ride across Devon with Titch the micro pig and the aforementioned episode with an eye-watering wasp sting perfectly whetted the audience’s appetite for the book.

He generated huge laughs from the start as he explained how he skilfully deals with eager fans of American skateboard legend Tony Hawk (“That’s Hawk. Without an ’s’!”) and their requests for personal appearances and grip tape.

Other highlights included his acoustic rendition of his band Morris Minor and the Majors 1988 novelty rap hit “Stutter Rap” and stories about the quirky bets he accepted that led to his hilarious books.

His emotional story about his charity work and the The Tony Hawks Centre in Moldova (which all came about after his challenge to play the Moldovan national football team at tennis!) which helps children with cerebral palsy allowed Tony to show a different side.

All aspects of an extremely funny and insightful show were warmly appreciated by the audience - as evidenced by the long queue of people waiting to buy signed copies of his new book and a DVD movie of his Moldovan tennis challenge, from which proceeds will go to the Centre. A hugely entertaining evening.