With an award nomination and a sold-out run at this year’s Edinburgh Festival, a guest appearance on Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow and a rapidly expanding tour diary, things are really hotting up for Liverpudlian stand-up John Bishop.

“It has definitely stepped up a gear,” he admits.

“When we started off this tour the plan was to do 35 dates.

"It’s currently up to 70, and the way demand is looking we will probably close the book at 100 shows.”

John came into the comedy game later in life after having previously worked as a nightclub doorman, a semi-professional footballer and in a high-flying marketing job for a pharmaceutical company.

His new career was sparked in 2000 by a night out after breaking up with his wife.

“One night when I was trying to drown my sorrows I went to a comedy night,” he says.

“I ended up on stage complaining about my situation and it made other people laugh.

"I suppose it’s that desire to find someone else more miserable than you, and then laugh at them.”

The following year he made it to the final of comedy competitions So You Think You’re Funny?, The Daily Telegraph Open Mic Award and the BBC New Comedy Award among others.

And then, in his own words, he started to take comedy seriously.

“About five years ago I started giving it more attention, and three years ago I went full-time. Since then it has gone from strength to strength.

“In the time elapsed I had got back together with my wife, we had three kids and all the associated expenses, all those things that play on your mind.

"But I never did this in order to earn more money, I did it in the hope that I could pay the bills and be happy.”

His new show could be described as his mid-life crisis explored on stage.

“I was watching a documentary about Elvis,” says John.

“It made me think because I’m now the same age as The King when he died.

“One of my kids didn’t know who he was, which all of a sudden shows that we live in a different world.

"Elvis was the most famous person on the planet, there wasn’t anyone who didn’t know him.

"He wasn’t having to compete with YouTube or a world where everyone is famous for a bit, the whole Andy Warhol thing we have now.

“He’s also one of the few singers who can make me cry.”

Elvis is just a touchstone for the show, with the main focus being on John’s own experiences, but some Elvis fans did turn up at the Edinburgh run, which sold out even before John was nominated for an award.

“I was lucky because I had sold out every night, and I was doing extra shows anyway,” he says. “I couldn’t do any more when the Edinburgh Comedy Award shortlist was announced!”

He is now enjoying taking the performance on the road, which will see him tour up and down the country until May.

“I’ve got kids, so it’s a good way of being away from home. It’s like being a cowboy on the range. I like going to new places.

"There is nothing better than the pleasure of doing a good show somewhere — it’s what comedy is all about.

* John Bishop: Elvis Has Left The Building, King George's Hall, Blackburn, Friday January 22, 8pm. Tickets sold out.