WHEN you are a comedienne used to performing in the back room of a spit and sawdust pub, it must be a dream come true to take centre stage at major theatres across the land.

That is how Sarah Millican feels after landing a spot at this year’s Royal Variety Performance.

The stand-up comedienne, from South Shields, Tyneside, was a virtually unknown audio book producer before she won the Best Newcomer award at the Edinburgh Festival two years ago.

Since then she has been catapulted into the spotlight, with spots on 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Mock The Week, and two sell-out tours that included a visit to the Tivoli theatre in Wimborne earlier this year. After selling out all 120 dates on her debut tour, Sarah Millican is back on the road with a new show that arrives at the Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre on April 20, 2012.

Tickets are on sale from Friday, March 18.