AFTER the runaway success of his last UK tour in 2005, Lee Evans is coming back.

This time it’ll be his largest tour to date, and that’s saying something because on his last tour he achieved a Guinness World Record for a solo act performing to the biggest comedy audience when he played to 10,108 people at the Manchester Evening News Arena.

On his 2008 tour, aptly entitled ‘Big’ he’ll be playing to 300,000 people at 58 shows in 13 locations culminating at the O2 Arena in London.

“I can’t wait to hit the road again,” Lee said. “The O2 will be the biggest gig of my career. I have played some large venues before but this is another level completely and to be honest I’m scared already!”

Lee, now 44, has come a long way since he left Art School to tour clubs around the British Isles; his unique style struck a chord with the public and he is now acknowledged to be just about Britain’s best-loved comic.

Audiences love his style – a unique combination of humour, charisma and sheer energy that leaves them breathless, usually breathless from laughing too much!

Demand for this year’s show was so great that the initial batch of tickets sold out in no time at all and another 14 dates at nine venues were announced.

Yet despite all the success, which includes a highly coveted Perrier Award, and a career that has gone far beyond comedy as he has undertaken serious acting roles as well; Lee himself remains very much down to earth.

So what’ll Lee be talking about in the show?

For one thing, he’ll be bemoaning the pace at which we live our lives (he should talk!) and blaming 24-hour news for it.

Another thing that gets Lee’s back up is cold calling.

One more aspect of modern life that infuriates him is the increase in identity theft.

So there’s no doubt that Lee will have a lot to talk about in his shows at the Manchester Evening News Arena.

Lee Evans' Big opena at the MEN Arena, Manchester, tonight.