Comic with the backing of city's finest.

Byline: BY PHILIP KEY 

HE'S one of Britain's best-loved comedians. But his Wirral wife of 14 years has a different view.

Omid Djalili, star of BBC Radio 4's Midweek on Wednesday, is set to start his new tour at Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre next Wednesday. It's a cross-country tour which will eventually end up at the London Palladium at the end of March.

But for "Britain's best Iranian stand-up comedian" (how many others are there?) the opening date is rather special.

"It's where all my in-laws live so it's a good date to start with," he tells me.

But his actress wife Annabelle Knight is not a comedian, he says. "In fact, she wants nothing to do with comedy. She's one of those reluctant people who will write you a joke but that's it.

"In fact, she is a comedian. She helped me write my Perrier-nominated show in Edinburgh. She's more of a comedy writer but does not want to be called that. But she is very funny. She has helped me a lot."

London-born of Iranian parents, Djalili has become one of the favourite comics on the comedy circuit while also working as an actor: his films include the Bond movie The World Is Not Enough and Gladiator in which he tried to sell "gay" camels to Oliver Reed.

While he uses his ethnic background to get laughs - he once worked on being a "scary" Arab - he now uses any idea he can to get audiences laughing.

And by all accounts, they laugh a lot.

His last visit to Liverpool was three years ago at the Neptune Theatre. He has not played the Royal Court before but veteran Liverpool comic Jimmy Tarbuck has advised him that it is a good venue.

"I sat next to him at a corporate event the other night. There were all these presidents from big companies who were not really interested in seeing a comedian.

"Jimmy did something I had not seen anyone else do. He said 'Leave it to me, son' and stood up for five minutes shushing everyone to get them quiet to bring me on."

Although it was Djalili's first meeting with Tarbuck, they had corresponded.

"When I was at the Edinburgh Festival I paid tribute to mainstream comics like Jimmy Tarbuck, I see them as my comedy heroes more than the alternative comedians.

"He saw my comments and sent a letter. At this corporate event, he was very supportive of me. When I told him of my Merseyside connections, he said I was a good lad. He patted me so hard on the back that the food popped out of my mouth."

Meanwhile, his acting career continues. He is valet to Heath Ledger's Casanova in director Lasse Hallstrom's latest film.

"The role was so underwritten that the director told me I could do what I wanted."

He wrote himself new dialogue and "made myself integral to the film." Did it work?" I will leave that up to others to judge."

NO AGENDA, with Omid Djalili, at the Royal Court Theatre, 8pm, January 25

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Comedian Omid Djalili