comedy

He left Ireland a building labourer and came back a star. When Jimeoin emigrated to Australia in 1988, the last thing he expected to end up doing was hosting his own chatshow on national TV. But Australians, lovers of Benny Hill to a man, took to him with indecent haste and now Jimeoin is their "biggest comedy star", has written three of his own series and has won a Best Comedy Record award for his debut album, Goin' Off. Meanwhile, in his native Ireland no one bar his friends and family had ever heard of him. Now they have. The Melbourne-based comic sells out every time he sets foot on Irish turf, and has even played a private gig for ex-Irish PM Albert Reynolds. Not bad for a brickie. Tonight he comes to London (Cochrane Theatre 12, 13, 27 May, 2, 3, 15, 16 June 0171-242 7040), bringing with him an irrepressibly quizzical air and some mean impressions - be amazed as a potato, a lemon squeezer and a metal armband instantly transform into Anthony Quinn in Guns for San Sebastian.

Elsewhere, Jo Brand has gathered together an impressive rabble for Saturday's Wimbledon Theatre benefit (0181-540 0362) for the Children's Hospital of Brasov, Romania. For £15 you get Eddie Izzard, Julian Clary, Mark Lamarr, Arnold Brown, Jenny Eclair, Nick Revell and The Artist Still Known As Arthur Smith.

Anyone strapped for cash may like to win freebies for Harry Hill at the Queens Theatre tonight. The first 10 callers to dial 0171-494 5072 win a pair of tickets courtesy of metro. If you miss out, see him on next week's David Letterman (see small screen p16 for times). Hill has just got the nod to appear on the Late One's show, ahead of Steve Coogan, Harry Enfield, Victoria Wood and Jack Dee.