Mock the week comedian Dara is Tickling The English with his new book.

Dara has built a reputation as being one of the funniest Irishmen on the circuit. He joins Holly and Phil to talk about his new book Tickling The English - a tour diary and travelogue, which explores the traits and traditions of the British Isles.

Dara came up with the concept of the book whilst listening to a late night phone-in about the UK being one of the top ten countries to live in. He could not believe the negative responses from the listeners.

He asked himself: "How could the people of England be so happy, while, at the same time, reserving the right to be so desperately unhappy? Next time I tour this country I'm going try and find out."

Dara's take on the British includes ponderings subjects as diverse as fudge, complainers and road signs: "They are unexplored delights that go zooming past your window at 70mph. I now desperately want to go to the 'Billing Aquadrome' (off M1, junction 16), also 'Gulliver's Land' (M1, junction 14) and most of all, 'Birdworld' (M3, junction 4)."

Along the way, Dara educates the reader on quirky facts that are associated with the towns playing host to his shows. For example: Preston was home to the UK's first KFC, and  Birmingham invented the 'Balti' and has more canals than Venice.

Dara has a very distinctive writing technique. "I sit in a room at night, chained to a desk, with a bottle of wine. I have scraps of paper in front of me covered in scribbles." The jokes start flow after two glasses of wine. "After the fourth glass, I'm too drunk. I just sit there, happily remembering how funny I used to be, back there about two glasses ago."

Dara is famous for his audience inclusion. He says: "I see the audience as a massive untapped source of great comedy ideas. Otherwise the show is just me on-stage reciting words in the same order each night and, with respect to actors, how dull would that get?"