A DOCTOR who has people laughing in the theatre is off to the largest arts festival in the world after perfecting his performance at The Met Theatre.

Dr Kevin Jones ­— billed as the funniest doctor in medicine ­— is taking to the stage at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival later this a month after honing his show at a sell out preview at the Bury theatre.

His show "Telling the Wrong Man he had Cancer and Other Hilarious Stories" is running for six nights at the festival, and features brilliantly delivered tales from his career in medicine, which has taken him across the country including to the now closed Bury General Hospital where he shares the story of the title of the show as well as the time he saved a man's life in Bolton

Dr Jones, a consultant at the Royal Bolton Hospital said: "I was absolutely delighted with the reaction from The Met audience.

"I think they took it all in good spirit and helped me with decisions about which stories to feature, and of course, what to wear.

"The preview show was very important. I needed to know that I had picked the right material; needed to know the way it built up to the finale was right; needed to know my timings were spot on and also needed to rehearse my delivery in front of a live audience."

He added: "I have to be aware of course that it is my home audience and pretty much self-selected. They have come knowing exactly what to expect and it is their sort of humour. I can’t get smug."

There are tales of death certifications and sexual mishaps too.

Dr Jones said: "Preparations are going very well.

"I feel I now know exactly what material to use in the 50 minute slot.

"As I have six shows, I can always tweak it a bit as the week goes on but I feel I have a very good core of material.

"I was extremely nervous about things to start with but now I am confident that things will go well and I am getting truly excited about the prospect.

"My son William is coming up with me to help with the technical side of things and I have some Edinburgh based friends who will act as front of house ushers.

"It is an extremely fast turnaround for the show. I have to get the whole audience into the theatre in under 10 minutes and get them all out at the end in five minutes. The show does seem to have stirred up some media interest."

The last night of the show is sold out, with only a few tickets remaining for the Monday and Friday shows.

"In total 80 per cent of seats are already sold out, " said Dr Jones, " I believe by some miracle I will fill the place every night. I don’t understand why but I am truly delighted."

There is a long-standing tradition of doctors in comedy making the move from medicine to entertainment.

But said Dr Jones, who lives in Harwood, said: "I would never give up medicine for comedy. Medicine is my true vocation and I have loved being a doctor. I think the reason I do well with the comedy is that I have an unfair advantage. I talk about medicine and everyone is interested in that subject. It is a different angle on life and gives me a great advantage. I am not going to Edinburgh to use it as a springboard for my comedy career. I am going purely for the experience and to be able to say I did it. I may even put it on my gravestone."

The show runs is on from August 20 to 25 at 6.50pm at the grand Symposium Hall of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh.

Pick up a copy of The Bolton News on Monday with a profile of Dr Kevin Jones in the Monday People section.