Come closer, Irish comedian Jimmy Cricket can still crease up an audience with his daft one-liners.

The veteran comic, now 73, looks and sounds no older than he did in the 1970s and 80s when he was at the top of his game and had his own TV show.

And there's more, he bowled at least two maidens over when he performed two Christmas shows back-to-back at the Criterion Theatre, Blue Town, on Saturday.

Jimmy, real name James Mulgrew, bounded onto the stage to his Irish jig of a theme tune resplendent in his distinctive hat, tails, red bow-tie, braces and wellies marked left and right and went on to knock everyone for six.

For years, he took the mickey out of being Irish but now steers a more politically correct course with a barrage of humorous badinage.

Cricket: "Doctor, I keep thinking I'm a famous rock star."

Doctor: "That'll be the day."

Cricket: "See!"

Or the Peter Pan DVD he bought on the "never never."

He also dipped into dippy impressions, attempting to play Singing In The Rain with kitchen utensils - Wetherspoons.

And there was more.

He turned out to be a nifty juggler and proved he was no slouch playing the saxophone, either.

He wrapped up his act, as all comics used to do, with a song.

This one was called Santa Bring Back My Wellingtons which was written after a thief stole his concrete Wellies, presented to him by the late Ken Dodd on his 50th birthday, from outside his home.

Also on the bill were the Criterion Allstars Band led by Roger Nicholas on bass with Barbara Hockey on keyboards, Tony Smith on lead guitar, Mark Forton on drums and Jim Carroll on rhythm guitar.

They were joined by Elvis Presley-inspired super singer Adam Whitmee, who brought the house down with Pavarotti's opera favourite Nessun Dorma, and Sheppey's own Cindy Kent, lead singer of The Settlers, who led the audience in Christmas songs.

Cricket delivery

Jimmy Cricket is no stranger to Sheppey.

He has played Minster Working Men's Club, run by Rotarian Ray Seager, several times .

But it was his first appearance at the Criterion Theatre.

He said: "This is a beautiful little theatre. It is the jewel in Kent's crown.

"I was really fascinated to hear it had been bombed during the First World War and then rebuilt.

"It reminded me of when I played the Grand Opera House in Belfast in the early 1990s six months after it had been bombed during the Troubles."

Maidens bowled over

After the first of his two shows at the Criterion, Jimmy Cricket was reunited with two waitresses he first met when he was forging his showbusiness career as a Butlin's Redcoat.

It was 50 years ago that he started telling jokes to holidaymakers at the Essex holiday camp in Clacton.

Serving diners were waitresses Cathie Isbell and Irene Bracher, now both 71 and living on Sheppey.

Cathie said: "We knew him as Irish Jimmy in those days before he was famous.

"As soon as we heard he was coming to Sheppey we booked tickets. He is still very funny."

Jimmy said: "It was a delight to meet the girls again."