WATCH out world, madcap comedian and former King of the Jungle Joe Pasquale is out on the road with his new stand-up show The Devil in Disguise.

On Sunday he will round off the latest leg with a date at Burnley Mechanics.

Before his visit to East Lancashire, he took time out to answer a few questions about the show, his daredevil exploits and his career.

What will you be getting up to in The Devil in Disguise?

I’ve got lots of new silly stuff for this show. For instance, I’ll be singing a new song, “Can You Guess What’s Inside My Sandwich?” I’ll be doing a silly dance at the same time. I’ll be doing a tribute to Sammy Davis reading and painting, and I’ll be getting people up on stage. It’s an eclectic and fast-moving show. I hope people will have a really good night.

You clearly have a whale of a time performing stand-up. What is it that you love about it so much?

I love the fact that you never know what’s going to happen next – because I don’t know what I’m going to do, either! I also love the enthusiasm of the fans.

Recently you’ve become a bit of a daredevil both in ITV’s Live at the Palladium and other TV shows.Why you enjoy these daredevil stunts so much?

It’s a validation of life. It makes you feel alive if you experience things in their most extreme form.

What is the scariest thing you’ve ever done?

I spent a week in prison in Costa Rica for a documentary called Prisoner X. The idea was to show that prisoners here don’t have it so bad. There conditions were terrible. The inmates have to pay someone to look after their clothes on the washing line. There were 900 prisoners, and 600 of them had knives. A lot of the guards brought in drugs, which made things worse. I wasn’t allowed to stay in the jail overnight because it was too dangerous. The week before, a prisoner had been killed during the night.

You had a similarly full-on experience on the survivalist documentary, Alone in the Wild, didn’t you?

I did three days’ training beforehand with Chris Ryan, the ex-SAS soldier. He’s a fantastic teacher. They had the worst rainfall for 80 years in Guyana, but Chris managed to live like a king. He lit a huge fire in his camp – it was like Bonfire Night – and built this amazing flat complete with guttering. I’m surprised he didn’t have a telly! I was starving – I didn’t have anything to eat for a week. I lost two stone. But Chris was like Henry VIII, chomping on a leg of lamb.

What has inspired you to take on these challenges?

I read a book called “Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway” by Susan Jeffers. That changed my whole concept of where my boundaries are. Do I want to be 86 and thinking of all the things I could have done, but didn’t? I’d rather die at 60 and take every opportunity put in front of me. I remember a film called Tuesdays with Morrie starring Jack Lemon. Morrie is an old professor who gives his student lessons in life. He teaches him that you have to learn to die before you can learn to live. I always think like that. So if I snuff it today and a samurai warrior severs my artery, at least I was taking advantage of every opportunity!

You have been a hugely popular comedian for several decades now. What do you think is the secret of your success?

I love silliness. Unfortunately, most adults grow up and forget the kids they once were. Most of us lose touch with the person who made us interesting in the first place. All the pressures of adult life take over, and we start adhering to the things society tells us to do. I’m appealing to that childish person we all once were. I try to stick to silliness!

Joe Pasquale, Burnley Mechanics, Sunday, September 3. Details from 01282 664400 or www.burnleymechanics.co.uk