MY phone rings and an abrupt female voice says: "Hold the line please."

Then a sexy, confused male Geordie accent says: "Hello?" First of all I thought it was a funny phone call, but then I realised it must be the comedian I had been waiting to call me from Ireland Ross Noble.

"It's been an absolute nightmare," explains Ross. "First I couldn't get an outside line, then all the buttons were stuck and I had to smash it against the side of the bed to release them. Personally I would have just gone to another room to make the call, but they wanted to get me another phone."

At just 25, Ross has established himself as one of the hottest performers on the international comedy circuit, and at the beginning of January he embarked on a UK and Ireland tour.

"It's been really good so far, not very tiring at all," says Ross. "I do get some days off, and I only work a couple of hours a night. It's weird, it's only stuff like the telephone which is annoying.

"It's always sort of interesting because in England everything is run with precision, and I don't have to think about anything while touring. But the Irish are so laid back, almost to the point of not functioning properly."

On Thursday his massive 45-date tour arrives at the Windsor Arts Centre.

Ross has been to Windsor three times before, but one time was particularly memorable.

"I did a gig at the ex-servicemen's club a few years ago and it was hideous," laughs Ross. "Just because they were all trained killers. I lasted for hours up on stage because I didn't get off. They were just having a real go at me so I stayed up there."

But Ross's heart has not always laid with comedy.

"I wanted to be a stunt man when I was a kid," he says. "I got into comedy when I was about 14. A friend and I used to mess around doing shows at parties. We used to juggle and uni-cycle, but then he decided that he wanted to get a proper job. Then I won some tickets to see a show with Jack Dee, Jo Brand, and some other names, before they got famous. And I thought that's what I should be doing."

Ross got onto the bandwagon of the comedy circuit, playing in clubs and doing a few shows.

But did fame come quite quickly for Ross?

He explains: "It was quite a gradual build-up really. I just tried to get more and more gigs, and they got better.

"Then I went up to Edinburgh, and then I started travelling around the world."

When Ross jets off to the four corners of the globe, which country has been his favourite gig?

"Probably in terms of the best place to be while doing gigs it's Australia. Everything is just really nice, especially the weather. You can be swimming around in the pool, then an hour later be up on stage still with slightly sun-burnt skin.

"There's a bit of a difference between the English and the Australians because they don't tend to get involved quite as much. The Australians are quite happy to sit back and just listen."

Ross is known for never taking the easy option. Avoiding the lure of TV light entertainment, he continues to tour the world and has built up a loyal following, as well as an impressive range of awards and nominations.

But what keeps him on stage rather than in front of the camera?

"I like the fact I'm my own boss with stand-up," explains Ross. "You are there, and you call the shots. If I have an idea, I will just say it.

"I prefer working live on stage, and also because I'm not a big fan of TV. Once you start going on TV people forget you're a stand-up act. The only benefit is that you achieve some sort of fame. But just because you are famous doesn't mean people will come and see your shows. I want to be known as a stand-up not a light entertainment personality."

Ross says that he gets his material from everything.

"I could be talking away, and suddenly think of a fence post I had seen that wasn't anything at the time but is funny when I'm on stage," he explains.

For tickets for the show call 01753 859336