AN IMAGINATIVE storytelling comedian will headline the LOL Comedy Club at Bournemouth Pavilion on Saturday, February 15.

James Dowdeswell combines deft stand-up with daft stories and has recently featured on Russell Howard's Good News.

He has also appeared in Ricky Gervais' Extras playing the Count, and in Edinburgh and Beyond on the Paramount Comedy Channel. Currently filming his own comedy show about wine, James is a regular headliner at comedy clubs across the world, having performed everywhere from Shanghai and Dubai to Bali and Belgium.

Supporting James will be Debra-Jane Appelby, the winner of both the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year and Funny Women Comedy Award in 2005. She performs across the country, sharing her Northern no-nonsense take on the world and accumulating accolades wherever she goes.

Debra-Jane has been a guest on BBC Radio 4's Women's Hour, appeared on the BBC's 28 Acts in 28 Minutes and has featured a number of times on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Also taking to the stage will be Ross Smith, a newcomer to the comedy circuit having only started gigging in 2015. Now a regular at some of London's biggest comedy clubs, Ross is developing a reputation for his personable, relaxed style and contemporary material underpinned by clever wordplay and self-deprecating humour.

In 2018, he made headlines around the world when he agreed to go on holiday with complete strangers, taking the place of another man called Ross Smith. His viral adventure and the aftermath is the subject of his debut Edinburgh show, I Am Ross Smith.

The MC of the night will be Ben Van Der Valde, a stand-up comedian, actor, improviser and presenter who performs across the continent at RAF bases and large corporate events. He also hosts comedy workshops and warms up the audience for Deal or No Deal.

As well as being a regular at the Edinburgh Fringe, Ben walked the entire London Underground network to raise money for The Refugee Council and founded the Church of the Holy Kazoo with comedy legend Mark Thomas.

The comedy night begins at 8pm. Tickets are £17.50 in advance, available from BH Live, or £23.75 on the door.