WHILE his fellow comedians such as Joe Pasquale and Jim Davidson revel in the fact that the audience are just a hair’s-breadth away at the Wyvern Theatre, Stewart Francis isn’t convinced.

He rather they were that bit further away.

“I don’t know if that’s such a good thing, I mean too close is too close,” said the Canadian.

“They don’t want me all up in their grill...see I’m down with the kids, I know the lingo.”

Since his appearances on BBC shows Mock The Week and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, Stewart has become a familiar face to millions of people and his show, Tour de Francis, is packed full of the one-liners and stories that won him a new legion of fans.

“If people are familiar with my work then they know what to expect,” he said.

“It is silliness, mayhem and the odd song thrown in for good measure.

“I love me, I do exactly the kind of comedy I want to listen too. I would come and watch me.”

Stewart, whose parents are both British, has now settled in the UK and said he loves life in London.

“I love everything about life in the UK except....Phil Tufnell. You thought I was going to say the weather didn’t you? I’m like that,” he laughed.

“I’ve lived here on and off during my life so it wasn’t a big culture shock moving here. It’s great.”

Last month he was supporting Ricky Gervais at Wembley Arena.

“There are 8,000 of Ricky’s fans all watching me and just waiting for him to come on,” he said.

“I know that nobody tends to like the support act so I was very self-deprecating at the start and I think there were a few of my fans in the audience too. It actually went pretty well.”

There is one gig that has so far eluded Stewart but would be one of the pinnacles of his career.

“For some strange reason I really want to do the Royal Variety Show,” he said.

“I was shortlisted last year but didn’t make the final cut. I just think it would be a really nice feather to have in my cap.”

Until then, the Wyvern Theatre will have to do.