Australian comic Brendon Burns has been performing comedy since the age of 19 and although he denies it, has gained a reputation for his controversial material.

We spoke to the award winning funnyman as he prepares to bring his latest ‘shocking’ jokes to open Blackburn’s comedy festival.

After more than 10 years at The Edinburgh Fringe Brendon won the if.comedy award, an accolade that had been his aim from day one of his career in the early nineties.

But the road to success has not been an easy one for Brendon, documented by himself with a trilogy he performed at Edinburgh from 2004, which examined his life – culminating in his mental breakdown and drinks and drugs rehabilitation at the Priory.

Since receiving the award Brendon has been on tour with his show, So I Suppose This is Offensive Now? around the world, and there are plans to take it to America next year. He has also signed a book contract for Fear of Hat Loss in Las Vegas, the tale of a drug-fuelled adventure in the American desert when he, The Aristocrats producer Paul Provenza and comic Barry Castagnola went in search of a photograph of perfect happiness.

The 37-year-old is also no stranger to the small screen, his television career began, alongside Sacha Baron Cohen and Ricky Gervais, as a performer on Channel 4's late-night spontaneous comedy show The Eleven O'Clock Show. He also briefly presented I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here Now on ITV2. But it is the big screen where Brendon’s hopes for the future lie.

However it is live – and especially in his solo shows – where he has forged a reputation, with six live CDs to his name. This most recent show, which he is bringing to a sold out event at King George’s Hall to open the comedy festival, is to promote his latest DVD and raise his profile further.

“I’m looking forward to King George’s as I have not had much chance to do any stand up of late what with the book and the DVD, I’m looking forward to that live reaction that comedians enjoy the most.” says Brendon.

So what can the audience expect from the man, dubbed the Sex Pistols of comedy.

“It’s just the funniest stuff I can think of. I want people to leave feeling they’re glad to have spent money to see me, and they’ll be laughing their guts off.”

But he doesn’t agree with his controversial reputation. “Gone is the era when comedians were seen as the moral barometer,” says Brendon. “And I am not crossing the line, I just say what people are already thinking. I don’t want to just comment on life and make people smile because they agree I want to make them laugh out loud.

“People have heard a lot about my past and maybe that’s where the controversial thing comes from but I don’t know if I’d change a thing. If I could speak to the 19-year-old me that started out and could warn him of obstacles but tell him that in the future I’d win the if.comedy award I’m sure I’d say, fantastic, I don’t want to change anything.”

l Brendon Burns opens the ‘You Must Be Joking’ comedy festival at King George’s Hall, next Friday. MC Tony Burgess also presents comedians John Scott and Alex Boardman for the Frog and Bucket event.