GIVING up sweet things for Lent, training for a London Marathon and putting on a UK wide tour- Patrick Monahan is on a mission... to make people happy. The loveable comedian has named his latest tour, The Cake Charmer, which shows his love for the tea time treat.

And he will be bringing cake and a positive outlook to both Amersham and Maidenhead in the coming month.

Patrick Monahan has just been on our TV screens in the ITV1 show, Splash! The programme took on 20 celebrities to teach them how to dive and Patrick was the seventh to be eliminated.

But it was another TV show which really boosted him into the spotlight in 2011, when he won ITV's Show Me The Funny- a competition for stand up comedians.

Since then he has taken part in BBC1’s Let’s Dance for Sport Relief and has been spreading his happy go lucky comedy around the world. His latest tour looks at what makes people happy.

The 37-year-old said: "It was something I read- they were saying what makes people happy?

"I am quite a positive person- all my shows are quite positive, especially in this day and age.

"Comedy in Britain- there is such a wide range of styles. Look at TV- there is quite a lot of dark, edgy comedy. For me, it is totally the opposite.

"People come and want to have a chill out. You see some of the stuff and you think, 'Oh my God.'

"There is even stuff which makes me blush. My show stays positive.

"So there was this story about what makes people happy and I built my whole show around it.

"The top answer I put was cake."

And many of his fans bring cakes and sweets to the show. But as he is on Lent at the moment he is unable to enjoy the sweet stuff. But don't worry, he has been finding other ways to dispose of it, including handing it out to the audience at his shows and even handing them out on a delayed train back from one of his gigs. People also bring lots of boxes of Cherry Bakewells.

He said: "I love Cherry Bakewells. When I am turning up for a party everyone else brings illegal stuff and the like, and I bring Cherry Bakewells."

The Irish/Iranian/Teessider comic is known for his feel-good comedy, mixing anecdotes, stories, and plenty of audience banter and participation.

He said training for the marathon, which is on April 13, and giving up sweets has actually been quite good timing, especially as he is on tour, where it is notoriously difficult to find a decent meal after the show.

He is running for Zoe's Place in Middlesborough. It is a home from home for babies/infants who have life limiting and life threatening conditions and offers palliative, specialist respite, and end of life care for infants from birth to five years old.

He said: "I was never a fan of running- I didn't used to like it. "But I am doing it for the hospice and once you have a cause it is great.

"It is brilliant. It is good motivation.

"Once you actually do it you manage to switch off. "I don't get much of a chance for doing sport. When you are on tour and gigging you can't very easily meet up every Sunday for a kick about.

"But with running I can grab my trainers and put on a pair of shorts and go for a run."

He is brining his next tour Patrick's Adventures in Monahan Land to Edinburgh Fringe Festival in the summer. He is also a regular MC and headlining act across the London and UK comedy circuit, including the prestigious Comedy Store and the Royal Albert Hall.

Patrick is at The Potters Arms in Winchmore Hill, near Amersham on March 27 at 8pm. Tickets are £15 from 01494 726222. The price includes food in the interval- either slow roasted confit of duck with spring onion mash and port and orange jus or homemade Thai salmon fishcakes with new potatoes and a citrus dressing.

He returns to Norden Farm in Maidenhead on April 3 at 8pm. Tickets are £12 (£10 conc) from 01628 788997 or go to www.nordenfarm.org

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