JASON Manford will play a brace of Work In Progress shows at Pocklington Arts Centre on September 27 and 28 as he limbers up for his 2018 national tour.

The 35-year-old Salford stand-up, actor and radio and television presenter promises "a wealth of comedy anecdotes, misunderstandings and audience banter", delivered with charm and teasingly intelligent wit, on his first Pock visit since his sold-out gigs in 2013.

"The return visit of Jason Manford further enhances the venue's national reputation on the comedy circuit, which has blossomed in 2017 with sold-out performances by Chris Ramsey, Rob Beckett and Jon Culshaw, while tickets have sold out in record time for John Bishop's shows on April 12 and 13," says manager Janet Farmer.

"We're extremely pleased to have secured two dates on Jason's warm-up tour; we feel this highlights how highly regarded the venue and its audiences are. We have some fantastic shows coming up in the next few months, such as the multi-award winning Tony Law in A Law Undo His-elf What Welcome on May 6 and Katy Brand's smash-hit Edinburgh festival show, I Was A Teenage Christian, on May 26."

Tickets for Manford, Law and Brand are on sale on 01759 301547 or at pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk