DARA O'Briain is on telly a lot – Mock the Week, the Apprentice You're Fired, Live at the Apollo, we've even seen him Stargazing with scientist Brian Cox.

But bringing his Craic Dealer tour to Bournemouth he insisted he was delighted to be back doing live stand-up and there's no reason to doubt him. For while Dara is reliable as a panel show host and entertaining poking fun at fired Apprentices, he is at his best on stage, simply making people laugh.

Much of his new material was spot on, including a rant against TV psychic Sally Morgan, his musings on how best to tackle a burglar and his attempt to explain the workings of a toaster to the Renaissance masters.

There was also some superb ad-libbing when interacting with members of the front row. Gentler in style than many of today's more abrasive comics, Dara never humiliates his subjects but simply feeds off them and the Bournemouth audience didn't disappoint, with a chap whose pretence at being a bus driver lasted all of two minutes and another who gave his occupation as a “knowledge author”.

Dara will be back on our television screens next week but let's just hope he starts yearning for the stand-up buzz again soon.