He’s worked throughout print, television and radio for more than 30 years, but Danny Baker is finally heading on tour.

The broadcaster and writer is currently travelling the length and breadth of the UK with his Cradle to the Stage show, stopping off at the Tivoli Theatre in Wimborne on February 22 as part of a 35-date run.

Despite it being new territory for him, Baker is obviously excited about the tour.

“The stage has always been my first love,” he says.

“Let me put that another way. I have never done anything like this before in my life.

However, to travel from town to town addressing a fabulous gathering of like-minded chums each night seems to me exactly what Shakespeare would have done had not the hefty rent at The Globe kept him in London.

As a consequence, William Shakespeare toured about as frequently as Kate Bush.

“Well, not me. I own very few theatres anymore and so I am now totally free to charge about here and there wowing the folks with my anecdotal back catalogue, games involving sausages and impressive six octave range.”

Baker’s recent bestselling autobiographies were adapted into the hit BBC series Cradle to Grave and he is currently working on the third instalment.

Although the show is essentially based on his life, he’s not promising continuity for his audiences.

“No two nights of this extravaganza will be the same,” he admits.

“This is less of a boast than admission that a) I am hopeless at learning scripts and b) I still have no idea what I am going to include.

“Perhaps you can help? If you’ve read my books, watched the series based on them or, indeed, ever caught anything I have presented on television/radio, then maybe you might contribute to the feast of reason and flow of the soul that I guarantee these evenings will contain.

“Questions like, ‘Did your friend really eat saveloys from a pith helmet’ or ‘What was meeting John Lennon/Michael Jackson/David Bowie/Kenneth Williams like?’ or, I suspect, most popular of all ‘How comes you’ve made so many rotten TV programs, Dan?’”

Baker can currently be heard on Saturday mornings with his award-winning BBC Radio 5 Live show, which includes his usual mixture of music, sport, guests and, of course, his signature encyclopaedic wit – something he promises to bring to the stage for his tour.

“I will of course arrive in front of you going off like a Cacophonous Catherine Wheel of Chat, armed with hundreds of tall tales to tell – many complete with proof from my family picture album to stop you thinking I am simply raving.

“I’ve been at this showman racket a full 40 years now my friends – there is truly much to discuss and plenty to be held to account for.

“A night at the theatre can either be deep dish or high kicking. What I promise to haul before you is very much in the latter category. Content wise I will make Springsteen and Dodd look like short changing slackers.”

It may have been a long time coming, but he clearly can’t wait to take the stage.

“This is the sort of radio I’ve always wanted to do, ie, radio without radio. Just me and you,” he says.

“In fact, if you don’t show up I’m going to do it in your local theatre anyway. So you may as well come. Why should the ushers have all the fun?

“So, in short, roll up, pile in and hang onto your hats. I am back where I belong. On the stage! Shove over Tommy Steele – there’s a new sheriff in town! See you there.”

  • Danny Baker is at the Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne, on Wednesday, February 22.

Tickets from tivoliwimborne.co.uk or 01202885566.