AN award-winning comedian is coming to Bolton as part of a rib-tickling double bill next week.

Boothby Graffoe, winner of the Time Out Comedy Award and a Perrier Award nominee, will be at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton, on Friday, November 8.

He had five series on BBC Radio 4 and recently toured the USA and Canada with his hilarious monologues, one-liners and improvisational material.

Known for his surreal sense of humour and work with Canadian band Barenaked Ladies, he will appear with Patrick Monahan, winner of ITV comedy talent search Show Me The Funny.

Boothby, from Hull who now lives in the Midlands, said: “We’re individual acts.

“We’ll probably do an hour each. It’s like twice the comedy for the same price. It’s a good deal for Bolton.

“I’ve just finished touring and am just starting again.”

Throughout the rest of November, Boothby is on the road with Canadian four-piece Barenaked Ladies, a band which combines humour with an eclectic mix of folk, pop and rock.

As well as dates in Edinburgh, London and Dublin, the comedy and musical pairing will call into Manchester’s Academy on November 25.

Speaking of touring, he said: “It’s not America. It’s not like you are travelling thousands and thousands of miles.

“There’s a place in Manchester I did a gig the other night, XS Malarkey, they do fantastic gigs there and it’s £5 to get in.”

One of his recent shows, Scratch!, sees the arch-surrealist give a typically skewed look at what he calls the weird little world of the UK lottery scratch card.

He said: “I always say, if you’re lucky enough to win the lottery, you’re unlucky enough to live in a country that’s got one.

“It’s been created, you must have this thing called money.

“It’s a nonsense.

“You can’t eat it.

“Look at America, it’s £14 trillion dollars in debt.

“The richest country in the world has got no money.”

Boothby Graffoe and Patrick Monahan will be at the Octagon Theatre on November 8.

Tickets cost £10, call 01204 520661.