Bishops Love Sci-Fi.

Last night saw another of those surreal Mostly Comedys I've grown accustomed to expect.

February 2017's Hitchin Mostly line-up: Jenny Collier, Glyn Doggett, David Ephgrave & Ardal O'Hanlon (left to right).

It’s reached the stage where we’re fortunate enough to have big names at the club as a matter of course, with the odd leap occurring at regular intervals. Only four months ago we had Rory Bremner on the bill, which was both ridiculous and ridiculously good; the dust had barely settled from this to be kicked up again by yesterday’s headliner: Ardal O’Hanlon.

Ardal O'Hanlon at Hitchin Mostly Comedy (16.02.17)

It’s no exaggeration to say we’ve been after him for years. While I’d hoped our diaries would eventually sync, there was always the stumbling block that he lived in Ireland, which made it less likely we’d find a time when he happened to be in England and free.

David Ephgrave at Hitchin Mostly Comedy (16.02.17)

Thankfully, the stars aligned yesterday with wonderful results. Yet again, the kid inside me pinched himself as he tried to get to grips with the fact the man behind one of his favourite sitcom characters was onstage at an event he’d organised. It’s one of those things that shouldn’t happen, but it did. There’s always a risk when you meet an act you’re a fan of - or watch them perform - that you’ll wind up feeling disappointed; they have a lot to live up to and long way to fall. Yesterday was yet another example of time this didn’t happen in the slightest: he was lovely and generous in his praise of everyone on the line-up (and the gig itself) and was also on brilliant form. Bizarrely, he’d barely aged since his Father Ted heyday; perhaps he’s secretly been supping from the Holy Grail.

Jenny Collier at last night's Hitchin Mostly Comedy (16.02.17)

The show was in fact good all round. The other comic on the bill, Jenny Collier, was brilliant - and just as excited to be sharing the bill with O’Hanlon- and our stuff went well too. I also had a tinker with the new material I tried at last week’s Big Nose Comedy, which seems to have legs. You’ve got to love jokes with limbs, haven’t you?