Wiganer Chris's first-class delivery

Chris Washington is fast becoming one of the most sought after acts on the comedy circuit, and will perform at the 70th Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August having taken up stand-up just five years ago.

The Golborne funny man first performed at the Fringe in 2015, completing a half-hour show as a warm-up act, but described being invited to perform a full hour as a significant feat.

“It’s quite a milestone to do your first one-hour show,” he said.

A Royal Mail worker by day, Chris created an entire routine based on anecdotes of his life as a postie in 2015, and admitted that the job has its benefits for planning his sets.

“I’m still a postman, but that gives me plenty of time to think through my routines,” he revealed.

The 28-year-old’s set, titled Dream Big (Within Reason), and focuses on “keeping your dreams in check”.

The show’s blurb describes: “In 2005, he (Chris) saw a shooting star and wished for Brookside to be recommissioned.

“However, small dreams should never be confused with a lack of ambition, because things are shaping up quite nicely for the lad who cried genuine tears of joy when his girlfriend won a Dyson.”

Chris first took to the stage in 2012, catching the comedy bug after his maiden gig at a pub in Tyldesley.

And a mere four years later, he was supporting comic superstar Jason Manford.

Chris said: “It was surreal because I’d watch him on TV before I ever started doing comedy.

“And suddenly within a few years or so, I’m in the same dressing room as him, ready to go in front of 600 people at Harrogate Theatre.”

And although an audience of 600 might seem downsized compared to the packed-out arena tours of comedians including Manford, Chris is not losing any sleep over his current level of success.

“I’m very content with how things are,” he said.

“I just want to do this as my job, and I’m not setting my sights on arenas or anything. It would be great if it happened, but I just enjoy what I’m doing now.”

He added: “Don’t think too much about where you could be. I never thought I’d be going to Edinburgh Fringe to do my own show, but I am.

“The whole idea of the show is about being content, which I don’t think is a bad thing at all.

“I often find myself surrounded by comedians who are disappointed at not getting big breaks or TV opportunities. If you spend your life chasing and chasing, then you’ll never enjoy what you’ve already got.

“If you just enjoy things, good things happen.”

Chris is also set to appear at independent music festival Kendal Calling in July, and has organised a string of preview Fringe preview gigs in Wigan, every Monday night from 7pm up to July 10 at Little Fifteen in Wallgate.