Davidson on the offensive at fave venue

He has described the Wolverhampton Civic as his "favourite gig of the tour" and comedian Jim Davidson brings his outrageous brand of comedy to the venue for one night only this weekend.

It's not the first time the funnyman has declared his love for the city centre venue where he performs on Saturday night.

He was famously banned from Telford after slamming the town's shopping centre which he says was "shut, full of glue sniffers and horrible" even offering to put buses on for his next visit to the town so his audience could travel to a "proper theatre" such as the Civic.

And he has welcomed his return to the hall favoured because "it's nice and big and people can go and get a drink".

Fans should expect the On The Offensive show to be a blend of the funny, outrageous and, of course, controversial comedy the stand-up is renowned for, which takes a swipe at the political correctness the comedian says causes racism.

"I think political correctness causes racism and if anyone wants to look at how people get on well they should go to Wolverhampton and have a look," he says.

Subjects in the show include the Olympics and women, who Jim admits jokingly: "I hate them because I don't know how to work them".

"It's like computers," he adds. "I hate them, I don't even know how to plug them in. But there's an instruction manual, you can learn.

"But with women no instructions come with them at all. What chance have us men got?"

Born in Blackheath, London, he had his first taste of entertaining aged 12 when he appeared in Ralph Reader's Gang Show at the Golders Green Hippodrome.

A few years later he stood in for a comic at a pub in Woolwich and the rest is history.

Spanning over 30 years his career highs have seen him become a household name with shows such as The Jim Davidson Show and Big Break.

But recent lows include bankruptcy, accusations of racism and also homophobia following arguments between himself and former Big Brother contestant Brian Dowling on Hell's Kitchen, a subject he refuses to justify over the phone, but insists audiences at his show will hear more about. However, rather than finding him fronting prime time TV series - he hasn't been on television for a while because he doesn't want to "cook, or decorate houses" - he is now more likely to be found writing new material at his Dubai home.

He also makes regular trips out to war zones to entertain British troops, a feat which has earned him an OBE, and in 1999 he became leader of The British Forces Foundation charity which aims to promote the wellbeing of service personnel.

"Soldiers go out there and do the job that most of us don't want to do, so me and my team go out there and say thanks."

As well as the tour, his new DVD Jim Davidson On the Offensive will be released on November 3.

He is planning another trip to Afghanistan just before Christmas, although not on Christmas Day, as "I would rather fight the Taliban than the wrath of my girlfriend".

He appears at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Saturday. For tickets call the box office on 0870 320 7000.