Speaking exclusively to The Gazette before his app-earance at Lowther Pavilion, Jack Dee said it was vital towns like Blackpool – breeding grounds for comedy talent – were thriving.

"It's great and there's nothing wrong with having a town built solely on fun and entertainment, people enjoy themselves. I've always enjoyed being in places like that.

"It can get the place a reputation a bit cheesy but that's fine," he said.

The stand-up comic, who also stars in cult series Lead Balloon, called on more big names to visit the Fylde coast.

Dee said: "I don't know why it's not really on the circuit for some of the bigger acts.

"Perhaps it's the venues, I don't know.

"But these things go in phases and Blackpool will always be a big name."

He was speaking ahead of a sell-out An Audience With event to promote his new book, Thanks For Nothing, which chronicles his journey into comedy.

Throughout the one-and-a- half-hour show, the star reg-aled the audience with anecdotes from various strange jobs he had taken on before his big break including motorcycle courier, waiter, market
researcher and working in an artificial limb factory.

He also took time out to sign hundreds of copies of the book, which were included in the admission price, and took questions from the audience.

But none were as strange as one from a fan in Southport.

"Someone asked me the other day, if you were a biscuit, which one would it be?" Dee said.

"That was really odd.

"I said I would be a jaffa cake which threw him a bit.

"Is it a biscuit, is it a cake?"

Elaine Silverwood, from Silverdell bookshop in Kirkham, who organised the event with the Friends of Lowther Pavilion, said the event was a storming success.

"Jack was great and so were the audience," she said.