HAILED as the spiritual son of Frankie Howerd - well, it couldn't have happened any other way could it? - Alan Carr is in fact the son of sporting parents. His father, Graham, was manager of Northampton Town from 1985 to 1990, while his mother was a bodybuilder.

He may now write a What's Hot and What's Not weekly column in The Times's Monday football supplement, The Game, but the saucy boy is more game for a laugh on Channel 4's Eight Out Of Ten Cats and The Friday Night Project.

As sold-out live shows await Carr in York tonight and tomorrow, Charles Hutchinson hears his story.

Why do audiences connect with your tales of being a football weakling raised by the manager of Northampton Town FC?

"Because I'm so camp, no one would imagine that's where my roots lie. No one would think that I come from a long line of footballers. My grandfather played for Newcastle United and my uncles for PSV Eindhoven.

When I was growing up, my parents thought it was a dead cert that I'd be a footballer, too."

Did you strive to meet those aspirations?

"I went through a phase of trying to please my dad by playing for the colts, but I was just rubbish. I'd spend the whole game toe-punting the ball over someone's fence."

Was your father determined you should take it seriously?

"I was forced to go to the park to play football, and because my dad was a manager, he didn't make it any fun. The other kids would have a laugh, but we'd have to do stomach crunches and go on training runs. For me, football simply equalled pain. So I never fell in love with the game.

"That sort of attitude is true of a lot of fathers; they want something for their children so much, they take the fun out of it. It's a good lesson for parents - let your children find their own way in life."

What route did you take?

"I went to Middlesex University to study drama and theatre studies, but unfortunately, in most of the productions we did I spent my time wearing a black all-inone outfit and moving furniture around on stage.

"I was hoping to get spotted, but every time I went on, they turned the lights off. A lot of agents came to see our productions, and I'm sure they thought, 'Ooo, that chest of drawers was moved magnificently'.

"For the first two gigs when I did stand-up, I had to bring on a chest of drawers, just to ease me in gently, but I immediately adored performing."

So, rather than being a joke at football, did you decide it was better to make a joke out of life?

"They say that 'tragedy plus time equals comedy, ' don't they?

I've had loads of tragedy, so I've probably got at least three more shows like this in me.

"No one wants to hear about me scoring goals in the FA Cup Final. People love misery and disappointment. If you want those two things, this show won't let you down. It's an hour of misery and disappointment."

How do people react to such a confessional show?

"People love an underdog, and they tap into that element in this show. It strikes a chord because it's about trying to live up to your parents' expectations.

"We all have pushy parents and we all feel we have been a disappointment to them. After the show, all sorts of people come up to me and say things like 'I was always picked last as well' and 'My dad played for Fulham and I was a disappointment to him, too'. There are quite a few Trisha moments going on, I can tell you."

Honesty is a big factor on those Trisha-type shows. How important is it in your new live show?

"It's vital to go inside yourself to find material. It's got to be something from the heart, or it's worthless. You've got to want to get it out of your system.

"With this show, it was vital for me to exorcise this stuff. It also shows me in a different light and fills me out as a character. People like to see bits of me they didn't know about. It offers people a bit more depth.

"It's a bit like Through The Keyhole - without Loyd Grossman rummaging through my smalls, obviously. Oh, I think I'll have to go and have a shower at the very thought!"

One final question, Alan, what does the old Northampton Town boss think of your chosen career now?

"To use a football phrase, he's over the moon. He loves the fact that I'm a stand-up. He absolutely laughs his head off when I'm on telly. When I was working in a call centre, he was more disappointed. But as soon as I got on the Royal Variety Show, he began to think, 'Actually, he might be funny'.

"Being a stand-up and being a footballer - both take real balls.

In fact, I think being a stand-up is the only thing that trumps being a footballer, because players have to quit the game at 35 and often end up working in factories or pubs. For instance, Neil Webb, the former England player, is a postman now. So I've ended up exceeding my dad's expectations."

  • Alan Carr, Grand Opera House, York, tonight and tomorrow, 8pm, both sold out. Box office: 0870 606 3595.