TO say Omid Djalili’s career has been varied would be something of an under-statement.

A master of stand up comedy, he is also a talented actor, appearing in a range of productions, including Oliver! in the West End, Howard Marks’ biopic, Mr Nice, US sitcom The Paul Reiser Show and more recently swashbuckling TV drama Moonfleet.

He even competed on the ITV diving show Splash! as one of a team of celebrities coached by Olympian Tom Daley.

“When you hit your forties you understand life better, but at the same time your body is more prone to fail, so you have to find a way of joining your received wisdom with physical prowess,” says Omid. “A lot of men who hit 40 try to do things that make them feel more alive because they want to prove themselves. That’s why I did Splash! I wanted to do something out of the box, stretch my courage and prove I was still a young man at heart even though my bits were dropping off.”

Growing older is one of the themes Omid is addressing in his new show, Iranalamadingdong.

“I’ve done lots of different things and enjoyed them but stand up is definitely a love,” he says. “I’m not often happy with myself as an actor. I get upset when I see myself acting on screen, mostly because of the way I look. But as a stand up it’s always a bonus if you look heavy or awkward or damaged…in my case it helps in fact.

“When I was working on Moonfleet last summer Ray Winstone told me, ‘I don’t feel I come alive on set until I’ve done a fight scene and thrown my first right hook.’ Similarly, I don’t really feel I’ve come to life unless I’ve triggered laughter from a crowd.”

So what else does the new show cover? “Relationships. I think I’ve maybe come to understand the secret to them now,” says Omid. “I know when a woman gets married, she has to learn to forgive her man from day one. Because men are idiots ­— before they become conscious human beings, that is.

“They can take years doing the wrong thing before they learn to adjust their behaviour. So women need patience and forgiveness ­— and a voice to articulate what the man is doing wrong in a way a man can hear, otherwise it’s over.”

He has been outspoken in comedy in the past, but Omid says his act has become less overtly political.

“I don’t feel the same pressure to talk about things in the news any more. On Twitter, comics feel they constantly have to comment on things that are trending and put their oar in. But nowadays if everyone is talking about fracking I’ll just talk about (1970s singing duo) Peters and Lee,” he says.

“Most comedians I know have a filter missing. They usually ‘go for the gag’, even if it’s at the expense of total social humiliation, but they still do it because they know it’ll be a great story they can tell later, or even use on stage. It’s almost as if comics need to be loved and talked about more than being respected.

“Stories circulate among comedians about who did what and when, and stories are told with such relish they almost become myth.”

Is he happy with where his career is now?

“Well, I think in life you have to count your blessings otherwise you’ll never be happy,” he says. “But I haven’t worked out the reason why I’m overweight yet, and I really shouldn’t be. It’s an issue that takes precedence, so forgive me for not really answering your question.”

Omid Djalili is at St George’s Hall on Tuesday, October 7. For tickets call 01274 432000.