A FAVOURITE pastime of the Welsh expatriate is to point out exactly how many of Britain's luminaries are, unbeknownst to most, actually Welsh.

They include Motorhead's Lemmy, John Cale of the Velvet Underground - and the late, great Tommy Cooper.

The inept magician and comic genius was born in Caerphilly in 1922 and famously died on stage, leaving a live TV audience helpless with laughter.

And this month the magic of the man in the fez returns to Wales in Jus' Like That, a tribute show starring TV and chart star Jerome Flynn.

He said: "I had long had an affinity with Tommy. I had thought of writing something as a tribute. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would play him, but I feel blessed to do it.

"He always annoyed me as a kid. I couldn't understand why his jokes and tricks always went wrong.

"As a teenager, I didn't watch much television but after drama school I rediscovered him. He was the greatest comic we have ever had. He had this ability to take you to the edge.

"I wanted to inhabit him. He sets the clown in me free and it's what he does with everyone who impersonates him, and that's everyone.

"There was a sadness about Tommy, too. He was very impractical and needed looking after. But anyone who met him remembers him with joy. I have discovered that talking to people who knew him. There was such love for the man."

Jus' Like That, written by John Fisher and directed by Simon Callow, has enjoyed a successful run in the West End.

It comes to the New Theatre, Cardiff from October 12 to 16 and tickets range from £7 to £20 from the box office on 02920 878889.