IF laughter is the best medicine, then Dave Spikey is one of the best qualified to dish it out.

Now nearing the end of his 60-date national tour, one of his last shows takes place at Colchester’s Charter Hall, on November 21.

Working on the premise “laughter is the best medicine”, the first leg of his Best Medicine Tour – Repeat Prescription, kicked off in February and will end at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London, at the end of November.

A former chief biomedical scientist at the Royal Bolton Hospital, Dave won Celebrity Mastermind, recording the highest ever score, answering questions on human blood.

He has been on a mission to improve the nation’s health by having a good laugh at tales of stunned guinea pigs, wasp allergies, the sun going round the moon and the many ways you can make your own fun.

Dave is probably best known for co-writing and co-starring in Phoenix Nights with Peter Kay, but he has actually been on the comedy circuit for nearly 20 years.

It started in 1990 after winning the North West Comedian of the Year Award, from which he got many gigs all over the country.

Dave once famously supported Jack Dee, Max Boyce, Cannon and Ball and Eddie Izzard, all in the space of one week, and his sell-out live tours have shown he has lost none of his stand-up skills.

He has also been a team captain on four series of Channel 4’s 8 out of 10 Cats, and more recently he has written and co-starred in the ITV comedy, Dead Man Weds, and BBC1’s Magnolia.

* Tickets for his Colchester show are priced at £19.50 and £17.50.To book, either call the box office on 01206 282020, or visit www.charter-hall.co.uk