Bob Saget is a titan of entertainment in his native US – but more one for comedy purists over here in Blighty. 

That’s because Saget’s biggest hits – such as iconic sitcom Full House and the long-running America’s Home Videos – weren’t shown over here. 

However, if you’re not familiar with his output, you have a chance to right that wrong: Saget performs stand-up at London’s Leicester Square Theatre on Friday 21 September.

We caught up with a comedian who’s been in the game for 43 years. Oh, and fans of cult Norm MacDonald vehicle Dirty Work: you have our permission to at least think about getting excited…

BOB, WHAT A TIME FOR LAUGHTER, RIGHT?

This is when we come out. You watch the news, your news is as painful as our news. I’ve had an affinity for English humour my whole life, Monty Python was something I worshiped in my teenage years. I’m incredibly upset with how many things in the world are going and I’m sure a lot of people feel the same way. To be doing this big theatre tour and coming to London is a big deal for me, it’s an honour.

I want people to know that I don’t just do below the belt comedy; I do a couple things that are above the belt. Forty-three years of being a stand-up is not just something you pick up, you’re born to do it. I haven’t been this excited about doing a gig since Carnegie Hall. 

ARE PEOPLE SOMETIMES SHOCKED WHEN THEY COME TO YOUR GIGS?

It was a 10-year transition. I was on Full House for years. It was a shock for some people. I did that show in most countries and they would dub my voice. Then when I would do stand up a couple people would walk out. People were expecting a family orientated guy, like on Full House – I played a guy who would Dust Bust and Hoover. I guess they expected me to clean the theatre! Since then I’ve done a lot of specials and people get it now, which is even more wonderful. They know there’s a twisted artist inside of me forever and the other stuff is acting jobs which I love so much.

YOU WEAR A LOT OF DIFFERENT HATS, ISN’T THAT A WONDERFUL APPROACH TO HAVE TO LIFE?

I really love directing. I just directed a movie called Benjamin, so that will be out I think by the end of the year. I love doing everything, I wrote a book that was a New York Times Bestseller, it did pretty well and people liked it. John Oliver interviewed me about it and it was supposed to be a 20-minute chat and then a Q&A, but we ended up talking for around an hour and 20 minutes. We fell in love on stage and we had this crazy, voracious appetite for nullifying the pain with discussions of small woodland creatures.

There is a kindred spirit and a delight that I feel when performing with the audience. I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to the gig…

OF COURSE, UK COMEDY FANS WILL KNOW YOU FROM DIRTY WORK…

It was a year of my life spent with some great comedians; Norm Macdonald and Artie Lange were pretty hilarious. We’re trying to do a sequel believe it or not. We’re discussing it and trying to get the right at the moment which is the hardest part… 

HOW DO YOU HARNESS THE LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE THAT IS NORM MACDONALD?

I directed it and he wrote it with two guys, Fred Wolf and Frank Sebastiano, and they really did make a perfect comedy script. There’s a lot of darkness to it and yet there’s something earnest, which is what makes it so funny. I was pretty proud of it as a director and everyone should see it. [Don] Rickles was so funny that I just let the cameras roll.

Bob Saget performs at Leicester Square Theatre, London on 21 September 2018. Tickets are available at LiveNation.co.uk