DON'T be too surprised if you see Omid Djalili burst into song when he performs at Derby Assembly Rooms.

The comedy star has enjoyed a highly successful spell in musical theatre and it's now in his bloodstream.

"I dance as well on this tour, which wasn't something I had planned," he says. "There was to be no silliness; I was going to reinvent myself as an artist but now the show's all singing and dancing – it has crept back in again and I'm really upset that the audiences seem to like it.

"Basically, I'm just a stupid fat luvvy who loves to sing.

"I actually travel on tour with three other guys, who are all really funny. One of them says we are like The Goons.

"The tour manager is like Peter Sellers as he does voices; the support act is a genius, so he's Spike Milligan and the technical manager makes things, so he's Michael Bentine. And they decided I was the fat, unfunny one who sings all the time. So my own crew think I'm Harry Secombe.

"But I do like to sing, so I guess I am the Harry Secombe of comedy right now."

It has been more than three years since Omid last undertook a stand-up tour, so he's delighted to be back on the road.

He says: "I have done the odd comedy gig to keep the muscles from atrophying but I couldn't have left it any longer as it took me about 30 gigs to get used to it and believe in myself again.

"A lot of it is mental; your brain telling you that you are no good, you are wasting people's time and money.

"It's like putting yourself in the furnace to see if you can purify yourself so it's a very worthwhile experience.

"It was gig 54 in York where I finally thought it was really coming together. The show develops as we go along, sometimes one step backwards before two steps forward, which is why a long tour is good."

Like most stand-ups Omid finds the experience an exquisite mix of pleasure and pain.

He says: "I hesitate to use the word torture, that's too strong a word as we are lucky to be doing it; lucky to have an audience. But there is an intense mental angst you go through to make the show as entertaining as possible.

"But, when it goes right there's no better feeling; the pay off is really high and comedians get it better than most as when an audience roars with laughter that's such a confirmation that it's hitting the spot."

The title of the show is Tour of Duty, the best of a host of suggestions when Omid threw a challenge out on Twitter for fans to help him find a name.

He says: "There was one I liked which was The Unbearable Lightness of Being Omid Djalili. But Tour of Duty was the first suggestion and hit a nerve with me. There is a militaristic thing going on in the world right now. There's the death of Bin Laden and Gaddafi, the Arab Spring ... a reminder that British troops stationed abroad are essentially peace keeping forces. It's a subliminal message that says 'I'm back on the road and I'm a peace-keeping force'. I like to see myself as that although I antagonise a lot of people doing this show so it hasn't really worked out that way."

In the show, Omid searches for a common theme between key current events such as The Arab Spring, last summer's riots and the News International scandal. He has developed a theory that connects them all but you'll have to go to see him to enjoy the benefit of his wisdom.

Away from stand up, Omid has enjoyed rave reviews for his portrayal of Fagin in West-End smash-hit Oliver!, gained praise for his award-winning role as Mahmud Nasir in The Infidel and featured in Sex And The City 2 and Brit-hit Mr Nice. Add two series of his BBC1 TV show and a couple of big-selling DVDs and you have the varied career Omid loves.

"People have thrown some delicious opportunities at me," he says. "When Cameron Mackintosh points a finger at you and asks you to do a massive West End musical you have to take it seriously.

"But after things like that I did crave being a writer, director, performer of my own show again, which is why I'm back doing stand-up.

"I have more of my own projects lined up but sometimes someone throws something at you that you just can't turn down."

In fact, Omid is currently mulling over more offbeat career challenges.

He says: "There's a couple of surprising things that again have been thrown my way.

"I can't talk about them but they are so left field and so ridiculous, really ridiculous. If they happen, it will really surprise you.

"It's like someone up there is the puppet master playing around with me. These ideas are so way out there it might make people smile. You will see."

WHAT: Omid Djalili

WHERE: Derby Assembly Rooms

WHEN: Friday, February 17, 8pm.

TICKETS: £19

BOX OFFICE: 01332 255800