Comic John Robins is riding on the crest of a wave as he follows up Edinburgh Comedy acclaim with a UK tour

JOHN ROBINS, in his own words "stand-up comedian, vibe magnet and London’s saddest DJ", brings his award-winning stand-up show The Darkness of Robins to two venues in the region this week... Stockton Arc tonight and Durham Gala Theatre tomorrow night.

He is currently on tour with his Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning stand-up comedy show .

Fresh from scooping the main prize at the Edinburgh Fringe last August, Robins has been playing to filling to full houses across the country.

Robins says he would love to promise The Darkness of Robins isn’t an extended yell of a show, but he can’t. He’ll shout, snarl and sneer in his attempts to grapple with life’s fall-outs, break-ups and the aftermath in what promises to be a pivotal moment in his being. Powerful, angst-ridden comedy at its finest, this is a must-see show that secured the Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show prize at the Edinburgh Fringe just gone.

Robins said: “To take a show like this, which is at heart quite personal and intimate, to some of the best rooms in the country is a real challenge and I cannot wait! This show is the result of a strange and transformative year, and it means a great deal that people want to come and see it. Especially touching have been the responses from both men and women who saw themselves in the frustrations and self-reproach the show explores, and most importantly found themselves laughing at a man in his darkest hour. I hope everyone that sees it finds some motivation to view their own moments of darkness in a brighter, more forgiving way.”

Robins n has firmly established himself on the comedy circuit since his debut in 2005, and with fellow comedian Elis James has enjoyed a meteoric success with The Elis James and John Robins show on Radio X, which, like Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Adam & Joe before them, has spawned one of the UK’s most popular podcasts. The pair recently completed an acclaimed UK tour, selling out Shepherd’s Bush Empire within minutes.

As well as winning the 2017 lastminute.com Edinburgh Comedy Award, John has recently appeared on the Live at the Apollo (BBC 2) Christmas Special and Celebrity Mastermind (BBC 1). He has won two Chortle Awards, headlined Live from the BBC (BBC2) and appeared on Mock The Week (BBC2), Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled (Dave) and Stand Up Central (Comedy Central). He also has a host of radio credits under his belt including BBC Radio 4’s The Now Show, The News Quiz and Dilemma.