WHY is Omid Djalili calling his latest tour show Schmuck For A Night?

"I like the word ‘schmuck’. It means fool or buffoon. You have to be a schmuck to do comedy in today’s climate," says the Iranian-British stand-up comedian, actor and writer, who plays the Grand Opera House, York, on Sunday. "I’m embracing the schmuck in me to take on the big issues of our day. Plus, it’s a word that ends with ‘uck’ which can only be a good thing."

The tour, which began last September, is now stretched out to 110 shows and finds Djalili touching on such subjects as Brexit, ISIS and President Trump, although he does not consider himself to be "party political".

"I have no party political agenda, but I'll talk about what's going on around us trying to contribute to the discourse," he says. "In fact that’s what the show should have been called: ‘Schmuck Talks About What’s Going On Around Him Trying To Contribute To The Discourse’."

Tickets for Djalili's 7.30pm gig are on sale at £24.25 on 0844 871 3024 or at atgtickets.com/york