THE sound of the Valleys will rumble through Poole and Bournemouth this weekend, as Rhod Gilbert comes to town.

The stand-up comedian has sold-out dates at the Lighthouse Poole and Pavilion theatre on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

He’s chosen the bizarre title of The Man With The Flaming Battenburg Tattoo as the name of his tour. The 43-year-old has made a name for himself by riffing on what he describes as “the frustrations of life”.

He jokes a lot about being Welsh, and finds funny things to say about mundane subjects such as baggage handling and duvets. His stand-up rants on life’s minor irritations are legendary, but this year, he’s a mellower fellow altogether.

He’s now so laid-back he even let someone tattoo a Battenberg on him. A regular on Live At The Apollo and with his own BBC One show, Ask Rhod Gilbert, he’s one of the country’s hottest comedians.