Stephen K Amos is bringing his sparkling charm and witty jokes to Maidenhead next week as he begins in new UK tour.

Fresh from sell-out tours of Australia and New Zealand, the London-born comedian is bringing his latest tour, Welcome To My World, to Norden Farm on January 16.

Since arriving on the comedy scene back in 2001, Stephen has had millions of people laughing and his latest tour will be no exception. Known for involving the audience in his routines, the comic will be posing some thought-provoking questions to his fans at Norden Farm next week.

The comedian’s new show will see him broaching some challenging subjects, from our own personal awkwardness, right up to international political issues.

The funny man said: “Even in this day and age, we still don’t like to talk about things like race and sexuality or how much money you earn, all those awkward dinner party conversation fillers.

“There’s a certain weirdness that can spark up in those areas and that gives me a springboard to be awkward within the show and ask the audience the awkward, challenging questions.”

Stephen is also hoping to gauge the audience’s reaction to some of the more serious issues he is concerned with.

“Bearing in mind what’s going on with Russia at the moment, where they’re going into Ukraine and grabbing bits of a country that was once theirs, I wonder why the world is reacting the way it has? Is the reason we’re not properly taking Russia to task is that they’re a superpower and a big danger to us, so we’re just paying them lip service? How would the world react if the indigenous people of Australia tried to claim what is theirs rightfully?”

The audience can also expect to hear Stephen’s views on the current political landscape in Britain.

“At the recent European elections, there was a move to the far right. Over here, it seemed like UKIP was the only party running in the elections. On TV, radio and in print, it was all about them. And all I can gather from their policies is that they have views on immigration and Europe, and nothing else. Yet people have rushed to make this protest vote. I’d like to think it’s a flash in the pan, and we’ve now seen what happens when people don’t exercise their fundamental right to vote. But history has taught us that wake-up calls don’t always get heeded.”

Despite tackling these rather contentious political issues in his show, the comic knows full well how to make sure the audience’s spirits remain high with some playful jokes.

“Ultimately, my main focus is that they’ve got to laugh. The people who come to my shows are, generally speaking, the converted, so there’s no point in me just telling them about race and politics and getting all this applause, that’s just pointless. So I’m giving them the jokes and getting it down to a very basic level. Think back to Martin Luther King and his great speech about having a dream: I’ve always thought how the world might be a different place if the night before that speech, he had eaten some cheese. So, it’s all about keeping it up and down, making a point but keeping the laughter flowing.”

Having taken the UK by storm, performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival every year since 2003, hosting and performing on Live at the Apollo, appearing as panellist on Have I Got News For You and Mock The Week, hosting his own documentary and then conquering the comedy circuit in Australia and New Zealand, Stephen is now hoping to wow America with his comedic talents.

“I’m going there for maybe three months to get a lot of stuff under my belt. One of the main things is to put yourself out there and get yourself known; my goal is to get onto the late night comedy shows because they have yet to see a black British comic on there. I don’t want to jinx myself or sound big-headed but I would absolutely kill it. There was a big resistance towards any British comics for a while, but they love Monty Python and the surrealness of Eddie Izzard. It’s definitely a market waiting to happen.”

Despite his penchant for discussing political issues, Stephen is adamant that he won’t be following Izzard (who has hinted that he would like to run for London Mayor one day) into public office.

“Even in my job, I don’t harm anybody; if you don’t like my kind of comedy you can just switch me off. But it stirs something up in people when you talk about politics, and by its very definition, people will either love or hate you and some will write what they want about you.

"I do accept there’s freedom of speech, but what is it about the internet and Twitter which just compels people to go and slag someone off? Ten, fifteen years ago, what did these people do? Did they sit in their own houses just banging their heads against a wall because an outlet wasn’t there?”

After trying his hand at stand-up, acting and presenting and ruling out a career in politics, what’s next for the comedian? After hosting his own chat show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, talk show host could be the next achievement for Stephen.

“I think we are due a black talk show host. We had such fun doing it in Edinburgh and I think I’m good with people, a very good listener and I can run with stuff that happens in the moment. And I’m not one of those cruel comics.”

Stephen is bringing his show to Norden Farm, Altwood Road, Maidenhead, on January 16. Tickets are £17. Visit www.nordenfarm.org for more information and to book tickets, or call the Box Office on 01628 788997.