HE was an icon when the 'Madchester' music scene was at its height and he helped put Nirvana on stage for their first British TV slot.

But as a 'recovering Catholic', Terry Christian says he still feels a twinge when he talks about his religious upbringing on stage.

The 54-year-old will be performing his debut stand-up routine at the Parr Hall on Saturday, October 18, so expect lots of controversial references to an all seeing and often unforgiving God.

"Well it’s the ultimate thing to rebel against," said Terry.

"I broke into the business by being that angry young man. I was a kid on the dole and then on a TV programme about unemployment and social issues and that got me a gig on the radio.

"A lot of the humour is about me blaming God for my own mess ups and the state of my head.

"When you grew up Irish Catholic like I did you’re just a terrified kid. Can you imagine telling a kid that he might go to Hell?

That was what one of the nuns said to me when I was six because I was whistling under my breath in church.

"I’m a 'recovering Catholic'. So I still have twinges. Even when I talk about God and Jesus on stage I get a bit giddy."

Fans of Channel 4's The Word will remember Terry best as the host of the anarchic and strange youth show.

So you had the likes of Rod Hull and Emu meeting Snoop Dogg while Nirvana's historic and notorious first TV appearance in 1991 was among the highlights.

Terry said: "The irony about that was it was also the first show for Interstellar, a Manchester band, who were really good but nobody ever remembers them because Nirvana were so good.

"I remember seeing them in rehearsal and thinking wow. It was really powerful.

"Kurt Cobain was moaning about Interstellar because they got into Nirvana’s dressing room and raided all their champagne and sushi!"

Terry's also became a voice of the 'Madchester' scene with his evening slot on Key 103 in the late 80s.

He added: "The Madchester thing was a genuine buzz. It was really special.

"What is interesting now is how it has been sustained. If you look at those bands that didn’t make a lot of money in the era like the Stone Roses, Happy Mondays and New Order they'll still sell out gigs now.

"And If you look at Manchester and this area between Manchester and Liverpool everything happened here like club culture with northern soul."

The second part of Terry's show sees a no holds barred q and a.

He said: "The q and a is one of the best bits as I’ve had such a mad career.

"Robin Williams recently died and he was the first big Hollywood star I interviewed in May 1990. I’ve been to Eddie Murphy’s house and had an hour of James Brown playing the piano and singing to me."

- Terry Christian presents Naked Confessions of a Recovering Catholic at the Parr Hall on Saturday, October 18. Visit pyramidparrhall.com or call 442345 for tickets