Comedian Ardal O’Hanlon has said the Isle of Man reminds him of his home country Ireland, ahead of his new show appearing at the Gaiety Theatre in November.

‘Not Himself’, which will take place on Wednesday, November 5, has been described as a ‘blend of personal reflection, observational humour and classic storytelling’.

The show, while rooted in his own life experiences, avoids being overly autobiographical, instead offering audiences a series of comedic routines shaped by identity, upbringing, and unexpected life moments.

Despite the ironic title, the comedian acknowledges that Not Himself is, in fact, deeply personal.

He said: ‘It’s kind of about where I am in life right now. It’s shaped by experiences and reflections on how I’ve ended up the way I am.

‘It's a collection of jokes, stories and silly routines, I suppose - but they are always shaped or informed by something.’

One such experience, which features in the show, involves an invitation to an audience with the Pope to celebrate comedy - an event that O’Hanlon himself admits sounded implausible at the time.

The show is structured but intentionally loose, allowing room for improvisation and occasional audience interaction.

‘Stand-up, by its nature, is flexible,’ he said. ‘Even though you’ve got a script, you can always stop to chat to someone, or surprise yourself with a new idea in the moment.’

O’Hanlon is best known for his iconic roles in Channel 4’s ‘Father Ted’ and BBC’s ‘Death in Paradise’, even once appearing in an episode of ‘Doctor Who’.

He is no stranger to acclaim, having won a British Comedy Award and earned BAFTA nominations for his role as Father Dougal McGuire in Father Ted, a performance that remains one of British TV’s most beloved comedic characters.

However, O’Hanlon prefers to keep his stand-up material focused on comedy rather than past acting credits.

‘Father Ted gets a fleeting mention,’ he said. ‘But as a stand-up first and foremost, I want to be judged on the work I do on stage.’

O’Hanlon has performed in the Isle of Man before, first coming to the island in 1996.

He has described the island as ‘beautiful’, and said it reminds him of ‘Craggy Island’, the fictional island featured in Father Ted off the west coast of Ireland.

‘I do my best to have a look around when I’m there, and I usually go for a walk along the seafront by the Gaiety,’ O’Hanlon said.

‘The last time I was there, we got stuck at the airport because an airline went bust and our flight was cancelled.

‘No disrespect to the people of the Isle of Man, but I was desperate to leave and get to my next show! We ended up getting the ferry to Liverpool, and it was all a bit of a rush.

‘I wouldn’t say I know the island inside out, but it reminds me of Ireland. It’s a bit like Craggy Island, actually.’

Tickets for Ardal O’Hanlon’s ‘Not Himself’ are priced at £27. To find out more or book tickets, you can visit https://www.villagaiety.com/ardal