Jasper Carrott at Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre review

Comedian Jasper Carrott’s TV breakthrough came 45 years ago - and while his topics have barely changed, neither has his knack for having an audience in stitches.

Now 78 and having survived a quadruple heart bypass, he no longer perches on a stool to deliver self-deprecating anecdotes, instead pacing the stage while pondering ageing, obesity and making comic observations without the need to turn the air blue - as those who saw him at Stamford Corn Exchange over the weekend will appreciate.

His humour isn’t gentle and fun is poked this way and that, but Carrott never resorts to shock tactics, and cleverly puts perceived lewdness down to our mucky minds and never his intention.

The Corn Exchange in Broad Street has attracted a sound clutch of comedy acts lately, with Mark Steel last month and Marcus Brigstocke (Thursday, June 8) dishing out the laughs, while Alfie Moore is back in October with tales from Humberside Police that make Leslie Nielsen’s ‘Police Squad!’ seem a sensible outfit. But Jasper Carrott is one of the bigger names to grace the venue - at least among the over 40s, who turned out in droves.

Fond memories of his BBC TV shows in the 1980s and 1990s - which included those weird and rather wonderful motor insurance claims - meant the Corn Exchange sold out its single night of Carrott in no time at all. An extra date was added - again a swift sell-out.

Saturday’s show didn’t disappoint, and although Carrott wasn’t on stage the whole evening - Fake Thackray, a tribute to the comic singer/songwriter Jake Thackray was given two slots - Carrott was energetic, entertaining and rounded off with some absolutely side-splitting excuses for people’s motoring mishaps.