Scottish comedian Richard Cobb is set to return to the village where his comedy journey began.
After sell-out performances at the Edinburgh and Brighton Fringe festivals, the West Linton-native will return with a brand-new show, Running Joke.
The show will be performed at the Graham Institute on December 21 and will explore a variety of themes including the pressures we put on ourselves and our competitive nature.
Mr Cobb said: "My last show was all about battling to remain present in a world full of distraction and nostalgia.
"This year, I want to explore the stress we insist on putting on ourselves when we compare it with the fortunes of others and the ugly competitive nature that can bring out in us."
He added: "I'm annoyingly competitive to the point that once I even locked my mum in the summer house during an intense Easter egg hunt but she still managed to win.
"I feel like I set myself up for inevitable disappointment if I don't do as well as someone else and I create this narrative that I'm in competition with everyone when the reality is I'm my own worst enemy."
The show chronicles the events of the last 18 months since Mr Cobb's wedding, where he set himself a series of spur-of-the-moment challenges that he describes as an "early midlife crisis".
These include getting a tattoo, writing a Fringe show, becoming a dog dad, driving on the M25, and running the Edinburgh Marathon.
Originally from West Linton, Mr Cobb now lives in London with his wife Sara and their pug Larry.
He landed in comedy in 2021 after writing four books on his phone about growing up in 90s Scotland and trying to forge a path through school, family holidays, and doomed relationships.
These stories form the basis of a lot of his material and are delivered in a relaxed storytelling style.
Citing the motivation for his comedic style, Mr Cobb said: "My favourite film is Big Fish which explores the larger-than-life stories a father passes on to his son.
"I love the idea of passing something on one day outside of photos which don’t really paint a full picture.
"I’ve found sharing stories about intricate details of growing up and the lessons learned has sparked fond memories in audiences which would have otherwise remained in a box they’d long since forgotten about."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here