TWENTY years ago an aspiring actor from Georgia, America, came to England in search of theatrical fame and to experience life in a different culture – well, Reginald D Hunter got half of what he wanted.

“My sister had been over here already and she told me all about how it rains all the time, they have little refrigerators, the police don’t carry guns,” says 41-year-old comedian Reginald.

“It sounded like another planet to me and I was totally in awe.

“I’ve found living in England to be incredibly intellectually informing, very alcoholically stimulating and even more sexually frustrating,” he says, with a Frank Bruno-esque chuckle.

Now a successful comedian of stage and TV, things could all have worked out so differently for Reg, had he found work in his first love, the theatre.

“I became a stand-up out of necessity really – I had to earn money somehow,” he admits.

“Deciding to pursue stand-up comedy was one of the three good decisions I have made in my adult life; the others were coming to England, and joining Rada. The rest of my adult decisions have been somewhat questionable,” he quips with a refreshing honesty.

So during his time in England what has Reg come to learn about us as a nation?

“Well, you always have to pretend that you’re not surprised.

“If I’m surprised by something I’m like, ‘Wow, holy s**t, how did that happen?’ but you guys just say ‘oh well, yes, of course that is what we expected to happen’.”

Tomorrow Reg embarks on a mammoth 55-date tour of the UK, but insists it’s no big deal.

“Touring is just gigging in nicer rooms.

“My last show at Edinburgh Fringe was a total disaster and it makes me cringe thinking about it so I want to get out again.”

Before he even gets to Bournemouth Pavilion on May 12, Reg will have a chance for redemption at such glamorous locations as Telford, Finchley and Basingstoke.

“I have played all over the world but I’m actually most comfortable and confident playing in these sorts of places, because they speak English. It definitely helps – it gives me a chance,” he says with another Bruno-style laugh.

Reg is as well-known – if not better known – for his TV work on comedy panel shows like Have I Got News For You and Mock the Week, but insists his true love is being on the stage.

“Stand-up is art and TV is business,” he says with a serious tone – for the first time.

“To be honest I don’t actually like doing all those TV panel shows.

“I wouldn’t be allowed to do the sort of TV I would like to do, because I’d want to show people that it’s okay to be offended.

“I do genuinely get offended when people say I’m a blue comedian or a race comedian.

“When you are the only black guy out drinking at night with lots of white folk, the subject of race is going to crop up.

“I actually get offended when people say I’m offensive.

“There is no official government standard line.

“There is this other side to us that people tend to ignore.”

So, what’s next?

“Oh I don’t plan that far ahead, that’s why I’ve never been great with girlfriends. They’d say ‘Shall we go on holiday in June?’ and I’m like ‘I don’t even know what I wanna do tomorrow! I may not even still like you in June’!”