Russell Brand's catchphrase 'The Swines' is about to ring out for audiences in the North-East

"{PEOPLE who only know me from the tabloids think I'm just a swashbuckling, womanising twit. But I'm actually just a fragile, insecure man trying to make his way through life," claims Russell Brand.

As always, the truth about the 31-year-old, once sacked by MTV in 2001 for turning up dressed like Osama bin Laden, is probably somewhere in between.

One fact is unarguable, the stand-up comedian, actor, TV personality, columnist and radio DJ is in demand and tickets are selling fast for his North-East appearances at Sunderland's Empire Theatre and Middlesbrough Town Hall (July 11 and 12 respectively). But the reformed heroin addict has made courting controversy part of his act and enjoys a love-hate relationship with the media and the entertainment industry. As a result he was voted Best Newcomer and Most Annoying Person in 2006.

He says: "People have been manipulated by the media into thinking I'm some sort of pervert. OK, I have been photographed with women from time to time, so I'm not entirely blameless. But in all honesty, I feed my cat Morrissey far more often than I sleep with strangers, but no journalist has ever written an article about that - 'Brand obsessively feeds his cat. He looms over him in a lascivious manner and leers, 'do you want some dinner?' The cat-feeder is just not an interesting press stereotype.

"The tabloids need accessible characters and easy-to-grasp concepts. Look at the phrases they use - 'love nest,' 'tot,' 'perv' - the minimum number of letters and the maximum impact. The lothario is an archetype that the press want to fulfill."

Then again Russell has sought to extend his notoriety by engaging in slanging matches with celebrity dads Bob Geldof and Rod Stewart after expressing more than a passing interest in their daughters.

One recent press story said he rampaged through London's Tube and he responds: "The thing that was most offensive was the idea that I'd travel by Tube. After years of leaping over the barrier and giving all my friends' addresses when I was caught and given £10 fines by the inspectors, the notion that I'd spend one second on the underground after I could afford not to was what really rankled."

The comic famous as Big Brother's Big Mouth and for his Saturday night Radio 2 show is a growing force as a film and TV actor. His Hollywood debut, opposite Christina Ricci and Reece Witherspoon, is due to be seen in October with the release of contemporary fable, Penelope. "I play the pivotal role of Sam, the jazz club owner," reveals Russell. "I'm sure that producers agonised for weeks beforehand - 'shall we call the film Penelope or Sam the Jazz Club Owner?' Eventually, they plumped for Penelope because she's in every scene and Sam is in two disposable sequences which may not even make the final cut."

He is certain to be seen as Flash Harry in the St Trinian's remake and there are rumours of an action comedy deal with Eddie Murphy and Chris Rock. There's also talk of him appearing as a stalker in a new three-part ITV series of Cold Blood alongside Jemma Redgrave, John Hannah and Matthew Kelly.

In between this, and hosting awards ceremonies, Russell has signed a deal to write his autobiography which, true to form, may well be called My Booky-Wook. But he reckons that live performance is his first love. "The stage is where I feel safe. There is this great sense of a bond with the audience. Radio is fantastic, and TV presenting and acting are wonderful, but they are, of course, all huge team efforts. By contrast, stand-up is very immediate, confessional, redeeming and warming.

"It's what I have instead of a life. When I'm doing stand-up, it feels like I'm untethered and in contact with something more important than the monotonous grind of daily life."

Essex-born Russell, who is a proud season ticket holder with West Ham United, says that one of the ideas discussed will be revolution. "I think we should storm Parliament, stage a sit-in protest, demand a change to the system and all take our tops off. Of course, the shirt taking-off will be optional... although the removal of trousers and pants will be mandatory."