A comedian who has appeared at almost every Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the last 20 years is compiling his shows into The Best tour.

Richard Herring’s cleverly titled show, which will come to the Alban Arena, compiles his favourite routines from the twelve one-man shows that he has written and performed in the last 15 years.

He is equally known for Richard Herring’s Leicester Square Theatre Podcast, which has seen him interview comedy stars such as Stephen Fry, Tim Minchin, Russell Brand and Simon Pegg. The show is downloaded by up to 200,000 listeners per episode and is the only non-BBC show ever to win a Sony Best Comedy Award.

He says: “I have always been a big fan of comedy. I grew up in Cheddar in Somerset, where there was little to do, and spent my teenage years watching comedy on TV and listening to comedy LPs and tapes.

“Monty Python was an early favourite (though I only knew it from the records initially, which obviously, being a comedy nerd, I knew off by heart).

“I had always loved creative writing at school, but when I got to about 14, me and my friends started writing sketches for school assemblies.

“In the sixth form we started putting on revue shows, which usually caused offence to someone or other.”

Since his school days Richard has toured nationwide, both as part of the Lee and Herring double act and in his solo shows, with productions  Lord of the Dance Settee, We’re All Going to Die, Talking Cock, Christ on a Bike, Hitler Moustache, Ménage á un and The Twelve Tasks of Hercules Terrace.

He adds: “My lack of celebrity status was confirmed by the fact that I got through the whole of 2016 without dying. It’s a real kick in the guts if I am honest with you.”

The Alban Arena, Civic Centre, St Albans, AL1 3LD, Friday, May 12, 8pm. Details: 01727 844488