COMEDIAN, actor, writer, presenter - even Phill Jupitus is struggling to describe what he does these days.

"Let's face it, when you have a broad portfolio there's no job title for what I do now," he laughed. "I do so many different things, it’s what you are at that moment that counts."

So that means for the time being he's Phill Jupitus, musical star, as he plays the pompous baron in the hit musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang which is at the Lowry, Salford Quays until the middle of January.

Based on the classic movie, the show also stars Jason Manford and Claire Sweeney. But amazingly Phill has never seen the original 1967 film starring Dick van Dyke.

"When you have a show that people are more than familiar with I think it’s quite important to do it your way," he said. "So I have not seen the film and I don’t plan to see it until I finish in this job.

"Even as a kid I didn't see the film. My mum very big on taking me to see Disney but not so much the live action stuff.

"I have seen a little bit of Gert Frobe, who played the Baron on YouTube, but he's much older than me and he was properly European wasn't he?

"Let’s face it, it is a big daft show about an invented country so you can get to muck about.

"And that’s the essence of this job. If you can tap into that part of your brain that takes you back to when you were a kid and you used to play and use your imagination, you're halfway there."

He may not have seen the movie, but having toured the UK in the musical, Phill has been totally seduced by the story of the madcap inventor and his flying car.

"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is quite a traditional show in a way," he said. "But it's dynamite. It's got everything there that you need."

Phill is full of praise for fellow comedian Jason Manford who plays the lead role.

"Jason when I watch him has wrung every single gag out of the tea towel that this show is, he really has," said Phill.

"Every moment where he could get something he has and there are a couple of lovely little moments which he has put in.

"Why I think he’s so brilliant at this part is Caractacus Potts is a dad with two young kids and Manford’s got five of them. He’s more than qualified on the dad front and he’s really brilliant at that thing of being a father of young kids and explaining things. It's great to watch him on stage."

For the show's run at the Lowry, Phill will be staying with Jason at his home near Stockport.

"We’ve bunked together on tour so we are used to each other's space," said Phill.

So are they becoming the new Morecambe and Wise?

"As much as that is a lovely thing to say we both know nothing could be further from the truth," he said. "Firstly we don’t share a double bed as we’re spreaders we’re like starfish so it’s not a good match. We’d end up bickering!"

The show having an extended run allows Phill the luxury of settling in.

"You can get to see the underbelly of the place," he said. "It’s surprising how little you get to see of a place in a week. You think 'Oh I’m going to go there and do this and that' but you don’t do any of it.

"There’s a day of getting yourself sorted and moving in, then a day of doing a show then a double show day when you can’t do anything and before you know it the weekend’s round the corner and you’re screwed.

"Manchester’s a city I’m more than familiar with, I've been to the Lowry before both with the stand-up show and also I think with the Blockheads (a massive fan of the band's late, lamented singer, Phill did a tour with the band when he got to sing some of the classic hits).

"All the usual touchstones of Manchester life are on the list like the Whitworth and all the record shops in Northern Quarter and on Oldham Street," he said. "Just having the city to see at your leisure is something I really like."

Phill's also having a great time working with former Brookside star Claire Sweeney, who plays the baroness.

"She's got this amazing voice and was working club singer from 14 so she's got the stage in her blood which makes her really easy to be on stage with and that’s such a blessing," he said.

"When you are a comic and you’ve got ability to drift off piste occasionally, it’s good to be on stage with someone who doesn’t get rattled when that happens.

"I’ve learned a lot from her. She’s a wonderful soul is Sweeney and I’m very fond of her."

You get the impression that Phill is having a ball and is just enjoying the variety that his life brings him.

"It’s not a real job is it?" he said. "I mean having a short attention span is not a job title and that's what’s going on here really.

"I’m not designed for conventional life. As you know because you can read Wikipedia with the best of them I was a civil servant for five years. I was with Manpower Service Commission. I had a line manager called Dave. It was my annual assessment and I remember sitting opposite this guy, who was a lovely fella, and he went 'this job Phil, it’s not really you is it?' He was right."

From an ill-fated career in the Civil Service, Phill is perhaps best known as the host of Never Mind the Buzzcocks, a show which ran for almost 20 years.

But it's stand-up which will be his focus next year when Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ends.

"Manford and I did a benefit show which was the first time I'd done stand-up in over a year," said Phill. "The freedom of not having a script and being able to say anything and lark about I really enjoyed. It reminded me, I needed to do stand-up again."

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the Lowry, Salford Quays, until Sunday, January 15. Details from 0843 208 6000