An unashamedly middle-class comedian is relishing the prospect of performing in the ‘happy hunting ground’ of Epsom.

Hal Cruttenden, 43, will be appearing on the panel of TV game show Mock the Week just before his gig at Epsom Playhouse this month.

Cruttenden told VIBE that he enjoys poking fun at people who are Southern, English, white and ‘slightly above middle British’.

Cruttenden says: "The people I attack the most are middle class and suburban, but I do it in a fun way.

"Somewhere like Epsom gives me a lot of targets. It’s a happy hunting ground for me. It’s a place where I feel on home territory."

Speaking while on tour at the Edinburgh Festival Cruttenden says many of his audience there have already seen four or five shows before him.

He says: "Edinburgh is the most challenging place to do comedy. You have to take yourself down a peg or two for being English.

"I’m looking forward to a place where I can relax."

Also to help make him feel at home in Epsom, Cruttenden’s mum and sister are coming to the show.

Cruttenden says he first broke into comedy while doing traffic reports on TV.

He said: "It was working with a friend doing a comedy workshop. I went along and joined it and none of the rest of them kept going."

Despite having gone on to play Live at the Apollo in front of 3,000 people, Cruttenden says nothing has ever matched the buzz from his first show.

He says: "At your first gig most people know that I’m going to do this. Even though it’s terrifying, it’s the biggest buzz."

Cruttenden says he enjoys being a comic on the panel of Mock the Week in July and is looking forward to appearing again this month.

He says panellists have to speak up and be funny at the spur of the moment, adding: "It’s a show that a lot of comics are afraid of.

"You have to be thinking about what’s in the news that week and what your funny angle is going to be."

Cruttenden, who makes jokes about footballers, Facebook and food among other subjects, is on a UK tour with his show Tough Luvvie.

His humour is billed as a ‘unique mix of camp and straight, warm and catty’.

Tough Luvvie

Epsom Playhouse, Ashley Road, Epsom

Thursday September 19

8pm

From £12

Over 16s

Call 01372 742555

Visit www.epsomplayhouse.co.uk or www.halcruttenden.com