THE America’s Got Talent 2015 winner, British ventriloquist and comedian, Paul Zerdin has announced a UK tour that includes two local dates.

Entitled ‘Spongefinger’, the tour takes in Shanklin, Isle of Wight, and Portsmouth this autumn.

Zerdin, who recently appeared on Michael McIntyre’s Big Christmas Show on BBC One on Christmas Day, is arguably the UK’s number one ventriloquist.

He made his TV debut in 1996 as the first outright winner – by over 100,000 votes - of LWT’s The Big Big Talent Show, hosted by Jonathan Ross. Since then he has appeared on countless TV shows including Comedy Central's The World Stands Up, ITV1's Comedy Rocks with Jason Manford, Tonight at The London Palladium, The Princes Trust Gala and three appearances at The Royal Variety Performance.

Winning Series 10 of America’s Got Talent in September last year, Zerdin and his sidekicks soon went viral on YouTube, receiving millions of views from around the world. Since his win, Zerdin has completed a headline show at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas and is also in talks with various US TV networks, so make sure you catch him tour his home-turf first!

Paul said: “I was born in London and still live and work here, so despite the great international reception I’ve received since winning America’s Got Talent, it’s fantastic to be able to tour and entertain audiences across my homeland! I’m looking forward to introducing Sam, Albert and Baby to audiences across the UK - although Sam is definitely getting too big for his boots, having demanded his own dressing room!”

Tickets for ‘Spongefinger’ are available at venue box offices and through Ticketmaster. For a full list of tour dates please check www.paulzerdin.com

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SPONGEFINGER - UK TOUR 2016

Saturday 15th October Isle of Wight Shanklin Theatre 01983 868 000

www.shanklintheatre.com

Sunday 16th October Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms 023 9286 3911

www.wedgewood-rooms.co.uk