FAMOUS funnyman Russ Abbot is to take the lead once again in a Blackpool Winter Gardens musical.

And he's doubly delighted to be playing Dr Dolittle in addition to being back by the seaside.

He told me: "It's purely coincidence that I'm back in Blackpool -- that's just the way the tour is running. But when I looked down the list I thought, 'That's interesting, I'll be able to get in a good game of golf!'

"And the good doctor is a great role, even if he does have more than 600 mouths to feed if you count the mice."

Russ returns to the resort after starring last summer as the only adult in the children's show Goosebumps at the Opera House.

But the man who describes himself as "more of a character actor than a comic" has no qualms about now working with electronic animals.

"It was very strange at first keeping eye contact with a pig and a parrot, but I've become used to it now. And this show is very different from Goosebumps in that there is no tampering with the script, just a little tidying up here and there. "To be honest the script leaves a lot to be desired. It never was a great text and keeps reminding and re-reminding the audience of what's going on, but that's not what this show's really about.

"The animatronics from Jim Henson are fantastically lifelike and there has been no expense spared. I must add that Julie Andrews, as the voice of Polynesia the Parrot, peaks at every performance! One parent came up to me after the show and said her daughter wanted to know how they got a person small enough to fit inside the parrot."

TV fans can also catch Russ in an episode of ITV's Heartbeat in December. He will be donning tights for Christmas panto in Bromley and there's talk of another series in the vein of the highly successful September Song, which was partly filmed in the Blackpool.

"I'm looking at one or two ideas," added Russ. "But hopefully the next part will be like the teacher in September Song, which was a beautiful piece. I'll never retire -- just play older parts!"

Dr Dolittle opens at Blackpool Opera House on November 29 and runs until December 16, with performances on Monday to Saturday evenings at 7.30pm and matinees at 2.30pm on Wednesday and Saturday.

For tickets costing from £14.50 call Blackpool Live on 292029. Concessions and group discounts are available.