AN endless stream of people wave at Dave Spikey as he makes his way past a lingerie store along a busy shopping street — but, as he says, if they didn’t, something would be wrong.

The Bolton comedian, and star and co-writer of Phoenix Nights and Dead Man Weds, has had a busy year performing live, honing his stand-up act for a forthcoming tour, writing a book, working on new material and preparing for An Evening With Dave Spikey at the Reebok Stadium on Friday, October 24.

“I’m in Manchester at the moment, walking past Agent Provocateur and all these women in there are waving at me, which is a bit embarrassing. I hope they’re waving because they recognise me from the television,” he says. “It’s lovely really, it’s all part of it. I’d be worried if people didn’t recognise me.”

Dave is performing for the Samaritans on the day I speak to him, and he is also the current RSPCA’s winner of the James Newton Memorial Trophy, for which he says: “I’m sure there are people out there who deserve it more than me. I’ve got a trophy for it at home. It’s bigger than the World Cup.

“I know it sounds very altruistic and I don’t want to go on about it, but I will do as much charity work as I possibly can if I’ve got the time.”

He certainly earned his RSPCA award. Earlier this year Dave, who is the patron of Pet Rehome in Bolton, travelled to Vietnam and China with the Animals Asia Foundation, which is campaigning to stop bear farming, and he even ended up spending a good portion of his recent holiday in Spain rescuing a dog.

Dave’s night at the Reebok, billed as “An Evening With Dave Spikey”, is something that has been in the pipeline for some time. He says: “They have been asking me for a couple of years, but I didn’t think it would work before, as I was playing the Octagon and Albert Halls and I thought it would be too much.

“I thought now would be a good time to do it and at least I will be able to say I have played at the Reebok,” says the lifelong Bolton Wanderers fan.

“It should be a really good night. You really can’t beat the food that they cook there, and Steve Royle, who will also be appearing, is worth the money alone.

“My set will be a mixture of that from the Best Medicine tour and some new material. A nice meal, a couple of glasses of wine and some comedy — it should be a really nice environment to watch it all.”

Dave is also writing a book based on part of his comedy routine and the inspiration for the title of his TV series Dead Man Weds — funny newspaper headlines and articles.

The book is due out before Christmas 2009 and features, without giving too much away, 10-pin bowling with ferrets and a story about a naked Grim Reaper attempting to hitch a lift in Morecambe.

“I’m also rewriting my programme about a Sunday football team and hoping to turn it into a film,” he said, adding that he would be touring the country between February and June and September and December.

Tickets are still available for An Evening With Dave Spikey at the Premier Suite at the Reebok Stadium priced £65 (bronze ticket), £95 (silver ticket) and £125 (gold ticket). The prices include a three-course meal and can be booked from The Bolton News on 01204 537343 or 537254.