Comedian Dara O'Briain is the latest top performer to be signed up to play Margate Winter Gardens as the venue's reputation as a must-visit destination continues to grow.

The booking on Friday, March 5, is another coup for entertainments and facilities manager Paul Palmer, whose dogged determination to attract nationally-acclaimed performers resulted in classy comic Michael McIntyre's sell out summer show.

Paul said: "Michael's promoters received fantastic feedback from him about the venue, the way he was looked after by the staff and critically the rapturous reception that he got from our audience."

In the last year the theatre, which celebrates its centenary in 2011, has seen top bands like Kasabian and Stereophonics and funny man Jimmy Carr among those centre stage.

Top American rock band Bowling For Soup play the theatre in coming weeks, while boy band phenomenon JLS have booked two dates at the Winter Gardens in January.

Mr Palmer added: "As word spreads in the industry about Margate, we hope to attract even more top line performers."

He is still following his dream to bring three of his favourite show-stoppers to Margate - Lee Evans, Russell Brand and Eddie Izzard.

Dara O'Briain is regarded as one of Ireland's funniest comedians. His big break in the UK came in 2003 when he hosted BBC2's Live Floor Show. This led to an appearance as guest and, ultimately, four appearances as guest host of the popular news quiz, Have I Got News For You.

Dara sold out an entire run in Edinburgh in 2002, a feat he was to repeat for the next three years. By 2005, he was the biggest selling solo stand-up comedy show at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Dara has hosted six successful series of the BBC comedy show Mock the Week. Other notable TV work includes two documentaries recreating the legendary British comedy novel Three Men in a Boat, where he rowed down the Thames with Griff Rhys Jones and Rory McGrath. He also fronted the BBC comedy interview programme Turn Back Time and co-starred in the acclaimed BBC Radio 3 drama, Your Only Man.

Tickets for Dara's show are priced at £19.50 (plus a service charge) and go on sale tomorrow (Friday) at 10am. Contact the box office or telephone 01843 296111 for further information.