A SCOTTISH comedian is celebrating 30 years in the business with a new anniversary tour across the country.

Fred MacAuley will be making several stops to the Borderlands in the coming months, with a gig at the Buccleuch Centre in Langholm on May 27; the Eastgate Theatre in Peebles on June 8; and The Maltings in Berwick-upon-Tweed on July 7.

In May 1988 at the age of 31, Fred looked at how his life was going and decided to do something radical. Working as an accountant and company secretary just wasn’t fulfilling enough for him.

So, he entered a ‘So You Think You’re Funny’ competition at Glasgow’s Mayfest and, with scarcely five minutes of his own material, he walked on stage as a stand-up comedian for the very first time.

Within a short couple of years, the father-of-three, was MC’ing at The Comedy Store in London and decided that he should hang up his accountancy boots, gloves, pencils and calculators once and for all.

Since February 1, 1993, he’s been a full time comedian, TV show panellist, TV and radio host and writer.

A regular at the Edinburgh Fringe and with many tours under his belt, people around the UK and abroad are familiar with Fred’s humour.

A mixture of satire and observational comedy has kept Fred at the forefront of the UK Comedy scene for the past three decades.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Fred’s initiation into the world of stand-up comedy, he’s setting off to perform at his favourite venues around Scotland for his third successive summer tour.

Fred said: “I used to do my tours in the Autumn around England, but I’ll be honest, you soon tire of dark autumn evenings on the road to places that even the locals have never heard of.

“I’ll go anywhere that’ll have me, it’s like having a summer holiday with a wee bit of work thrown in. And, yes, the golf clubs will be in the back of the car.”

For more information, and to make a booking, visit www.fredmacaulay.com