PORTRAYING one half of Morecambe and Wise shot Daniel Rigby to fame and led him to being able to call Victoria Wood his friend. Now he is starring at The National Theatre in Richard Bean's One Man, Two Guvnors alongside a host of stars.

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre is in for a treat as it is just one of five venues which is showing new play One Man, Two Guvnors after it finishes its stint at The National and before it heads to the West End.

Daniel Rigby, 28, plays Alan, an aspiring actor in the very funny play based on The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni.

The story follows permanently ravenous Francis Henshall, played by High Wycombe's James Corden, as he struggles to cope with having two masters.

Alan is in love with Pauline who is engaged to be married to one of Henshall's masters, who is actually a woman disguised as her dead brother, and so the melodrama continues as his character over states every line and throws himself around the stage.

Rigby, who won a leading actor BAFTA for playing Eric Morecambe in BBC's Eric and Ernie alongside Victoria Wood at the beginning of the year, said it is a nice cathartic feeling to get all that out in one go.

He added: “It is my first time at the National. It is a great privilege. It is one of the best places that I have ever worked.

“It is a institution that looks after actors very well and pays well for a theatre job, which is a rare thing to find in this country in the theatre industry. It is a joy to be in the building.”

Director Nicholas Hytner brings the play to life where sex, food and money are high on the agenda.

Rigby added: “It makes no bones about the fact it is a piece of entertainment. It goes for that shamelessly and tries to do it to the best of its ability. It feels unpretentious, which is a rare thing in the theatre.”

His first love is comedy and his stand-up is currently on hold as he enjoys other ventures. He is juggling a couple of filming jobs at the moment including filming for a new BBC Two sketch show, Watson and Oliver.

And it was appearing as Morecambe in the BBC drama showing Morecambe and Wise's rise to stardom which led to more job offers.

He said: “There is no question. It was one of those jobs I can't believe I am in a position to say it is a job that has changed things for me.

“A job you hold out for as an actor- a job you can do to the best of your ability. That was one of those jobs.

“My prevailing feeling was one of sheer terror that I might end up doing a job that people thought was crap and they would want me hunted down and burnt for it.”

But he had no reason to worry as the critics praised the show and Rigby's performance. Victoria Wood played Morecambe's mum, Sadie.

He lodged with Wood for a while at her home in London.

He said: “I didn't have any where to live and she said she had a spare room. She is a great inspiration. I am proud to be able to call her a friend. She has been so generous – she has been very kind.”

And he said he absolutely will carry on with stand up as it is his passion, even though he still gets nervous before comedy sets.

He said: “I don't think I have got the nerve. I always feel like running away to another country when I am about to go on-stage.

“I think it is a sociopathological thing with comedians The desire to do it has to be so pathologically strong it overbears the unadulterated fear that runs through your veins.”

Daniel Rigby stars in One Man, Two Guvnors at the Waterside Theatre from September 27 to October 1 at 7.30pm with Tuesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm. Tickets range from £13.50 to £26.50. Call 08448717607 or go to www.ambassadortickets.com/aylesbury to book.