WHEN presenter Terry Christian first went on stage with his one-man show, he planned to do a 45 minute set.

But it turned into a 90 minute cathartic romp, from the days of his Catholic upbringing to his 30 year career 'making an idiot of myself'.

The Naked Confessions of a Recovering Catholic, coming to The Met, Bury, on Friday, May 15, promises to take a hilarious look at the guilt-ridden, and occasionally dark, realms of life.

The award-winning television and radio presenter, born and raised in Old Trafford, first performed the show two years ago, has done about 40 dates and plans to take it to the Edinburgh Festival.

The 54-year-old said: "I've had three reviews and they have all been really good.

"I'm at that age, if I was 25, they would be raving about it but, because I'm an old git, it's not enough to be very good, you have got to be great.

"Because I'm a bit lazy, I tend to float in and out of it.

"I'm organising a proper tour now and I've got a new show for after this.

"I have never done the same set exactly twice.

"I tend to live off spontaneity.

"I don't know whether it's laziness or fear."

The show sees him tackle sex, violence, priests, nuns and takes a snapshot of a life overlooked by an all-seeing, and often unforgiving, God.

He said: "When you're told you're evil from the age of four, you might as well commit the crime anyway.

"You end up having a twisted moral compass."

Describing the show as "not for kids", it brings all the maverick qualities he has been known for since bursting onto screens on notorious, late night entertainment programme, The Word, in the 1990s.

He said: "It's like 'Am I opening up? Am I telling you the truth or is that part of the comedy?

"It's twisty and dark.

"And it's funny.

"What's great about doing it in the North, people go with the flow.

"Down South, it's almost like you are being monitored, as if you are speaking from the heart and giving them a lecture."

It was 1981 when Terry found himself unemployed and was asked, along with 99 other out-of-work young people, to appear on an ITV chat show.

This led to him landing his own show Barbed Wireless, on BBC Radio Derby, and a successful career for the "lazy, lucky git who was out-of-work at the right time" followed.

Terry, who appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2009, has managed several bands and is a long-time supporter of the Manchester music scene.

The father-of-two said: "Even back in the '80s, I was playing The Stone Roses when no-one else was playing them.

"I used to play three Stone Roses records a night on my Key 103 show.

"I used to promote bands and manage bands and you kind of get a bit worn out going to gigs.

"There's so much good stuff in Manchester that people are not aware of."

Aside from his stand-up show, Terry is also gearing up to host his fifth Mad Manc Cabaret event on Saturday, May 2, at The Dancehouse, Manchester.

The eclectic mixture of some of the best music, spoken word, comedy and interviews will feature Bolton singer-songwriter Cherry Ghost, internationally-renowned author, playwright and poet Lemn Sissay and Salford singer Ren Harvieu.

Terry said: "The shows have been fantastic.

"It's just different, nobody does more than three numbers, maybe 10 minutes on stage.

"I've been thinking about doing it for the last 10/15 years.

"You would go and see three bands and they would pretty much be the same and I'd think, why is there no variety?

"Often you would watch a band just to hear three songs so why not stick them all on the same night?"

Cherry Ghost, fronted by Bolton-born Simon Aldred, heads up the bill which will also showcase singer Yvonne Shelton, who fronted songs such as Evolution's '90s dance anthem, Everybody Dance, and Belfast hip hop sensation Jun Tzu.

Terry said: "This might be the last time Cherry Ghost performs.

"He doesn't want to be an artist anymore, he wants to be a songwriter.

"He's doing this as a favour.

"Yvonne has sung with some of the biggest people in pop — backing vocals with George Michael, Elton John, Simply Red."

The line-up is completed by poet/stand-up comedian Marvin Cheeseman, former Intastella front woman, actress and playwright Stella Grundy, 15-year-old singer-songwriter Kaiden Nolan, punk poet Thick Richard and singer/songwriter/producer Dabridge.

Terry said: "It sounds very cultured and civilised but it's quite rowdy in a good way.

"It's got that vibe of being in Manchester on a Friday night."

Mad Manc Cabaret is on at The Dancehouse, Manchester, on Saturday, May 2, at 8.30pm.

Terry Christian: The Naked Confessions of a Recovering Catholic, will be at The Met, Bury, on Friday, May 15, at 8pm.