ONE of the most colourful and controversial comics of the past 30 years will be entertaining and perhaps enraging audiences at the Ludlow Festival.

Jim Davidson will be performing at the festival on June 30 in a show that is sure to be anything but bland.

His appearance on the programme is a further illustration of how the event is keen to attract an audience beyond the traditional Ludlow Festival goer.

In an interview with The Advertiser the comedian said that performing live in front of an audience is what he enjoys most.

But he says that he does not know what will be in the show because after so many years at the top of the profession he has the confidence not to have to over prepare.

“It is easy, or at least I find it easy, and the Ludlow Festival sounds like something that will be fun,” said Jim Davidson, who has also recently played at the Regal in Tenbury.

He said that he did not know Ludlow but had heard about the festival.

The man who at one time was a regular on prime time television now does most of his work in front of live audiences.

“I enjoy the spontaneity and the feedback from the people,” said Mr Davidson, who will appear at Ludlow Castle.

Most of his work now is in the UK but he has recently completed a successful tour in Australia.

He says although he likes travelling and going to new places he does not like staying in hotels in this country because they lack quality.

In a colourful life the 60-year-old who has been a supporter of forces charities and has appeared in a string of successful family television shows but on stage he is noted for his adult humour.

In 1975 Jim Davidson auditioned for the TV series ‘Opportunity Knocks’ and was allegedly told by presenter Hughie Green to ‘go away’ but he was much more successful shortly afterwards in the talent show ‘New Faces.’

The peak of popularity arguably came in the late 1970s and early 1980 with five series of ‘The Jim Davidson Show’ that earned him the accolade as ‘the funniest man on television’ from readers of the TV Times.

He was also the host of the popular BBC programme ‘The Generation Game’.

After such a long career that has seen more ups and downs than a rollercoaster Jim Davidson told The Advertiser that he still loves his work.