A WELL-KNOWN observational comedian will bring his new tour to The Queen's Hall in Hexham on Wednesday, June 8.

Ed Byrne will bring his new tour, 'If I'm Honest' to Hexham. 

A household name, Ed has appeared on a wide range of UK television programmes, including Mock the Week, QI, Top Gear, Have I Got News for You and The One Show.

Referring to this tour, The Times said: "Thoroughly entertaining. He is a total pro and, on this form, terrific company," while The Daily Mail said: "There is nothing quite like seeing Byrne doing what he does best."

Ed's new show 'If I'm Honest' ruminates on a father's sense of responsibility, the definition of modern masculinity, and whether he possesses any qualities whatsoever worth passing on to his two sons. Occasionally accused of whimsy, 'If I'm Honest' is a show with a seriously steely core.

He says he creates content that the average person watching his perfomance can enjoy. "I like to make a point or get something off my chest, or perhaps I'm talking about something that's been on my mind, but the majority of stuff is just to get laughs.

"People who come to see me are not political activists necessarily, they're regular folk. If you can make a point to them, in between talking about your struggles with aging, or discussing your hernia operation or whatever it is, you can toss in something that does give people pause as regards to how men should share the household chores."

The new show also examines his tendency to mock himself and takes it to the next level. "I do genuinely annoy myself," Ed admits.

"But the thing of your children being a reflection of you, gives you an opportunity to build something out of the best of yourself only for you to then see flashes of the worst of yourself in them. It's a wake-up call about your own behaviour."

Ed said he missed performing stand-up comedy the most during lockdown. "No one told me 'you're not going to be touring for 18 months' or I would have planned it better".