Things are certainly happening quickly for Alan Carr. Two years ago he was just another struggling stand-up and really notable only for sharing his name with the famous stop-smoking guru.

But suddenly the self-deprecating, snaggle-toothed camp comic is on Countdown's Dictionary Corner, trading quips with Jonathan Ross and even making C4's previously painful Friday Night Project watchable.

It is easy to see why television has plucked him from the pack. Strolling onstage in Reading, Carr revealed a timeless ability to conjure comedy out of the mundane. Whether it was working in a bleak call centre, grim B&Bs or orange-faced perfume counter assistants, he mined his subjects for every laugh.

On having his credit card cloned and used in Tesco, he had mixed feelings: "Half of me was fuming, half of me was, 'think of the points'."
There are clear antecedents here. Larry Grayson dwelt on the misadventures of his wayward chums Everard and Apricot Lil, Carr has Monica and Scally Karen.

Like Peter Kay and Victoria Wood, he specialises in the kind of nostalgic brand-name dropping that gives thirtysomethings a fuzzy glow.
One vivid story involved a trip to A&E with his flatmate after "she fell and came down awkwardly on a Toilet Duck."

This is defiantly old-school end-of-the-pier stuff, delivered peerlessly. The best moments are the most autobiographical. A large chunk of the second half recalled Alan's football manager father's fruitless attempts to further his son's soccer career.

Unfortunately, with his brace and glasses Carr was always the last one picked for the team. But when it comes to ITV picking its next prime-time star, it would be no surprise if Carr was the first choice.

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