IT is hard to imagine comedian Arthur Smith as a young boy.

The 60-year-old made his name as a loveable grouch in BBC's Grumpy Old Men where he and the likes of Jeremy Clarkson and Bob Geldof would put the world to rights with moans about everything from road signs to obnoxious mobile phone users.

But Arthur was actually stage-struck when he was just eight. It was a school production of Peter Pan and he was Captain Hook.

He said: "I came on in my coat hanger hand intending to terrify the audience and they all started laughing and the more I tried to terrorise them the more they laughed and I realised I enjoyed the laughter."

And more than 50 years later he still does.

"It’s a wonderful, intoxicating feeling to think that everyone is laughing because of something you’ve done," Arthur told Weekend.

"Laughter, however momentary, is a great communal relief from the world of misery. It’s an extraordinary thing."

But it was not easy because Arthur started out when the alternative comedy scene was in its infancy.

He added: "We were of a fairly leftist bent and there were definitely two camps. There was the kind of old school of comedians like Bernard Manning and we were the new bunch who grabbed the attention of the media.

"There’s a comedian for every conceivable taste now. However weird you might be they’ll be a comedian out there catering for you.

"It’s great. Comics come from America and Australia to make their name in Britain. It is one of the great homes of stand-up."

Arthur's stand-up style proved perfect for Grumpy Old Men and he also helped pave the way for satirists like Charlie Brooker.

He said: "I think there’s room for satire and as we’ve seen recently it can hit home rather strongly. You need to laugh at people in power because that is a very strong weapon.

"It’s demeaning and undermining which is what you want to do to people in power – or at least challenge them."

As for being grumpy? Well, it is only going to get worse says Arthur.

"It comes to you as you grow older," added the self-appointed Mayor of Balham.

"There is always new stuff coming in and the older you get the harder it is to keep up with it all.

"So it is really a natural state and we British are particularly good at being grumpy because we’re self deprecating.

"The Americans are no good. They’re too upbeat and optimistic whereas we’re naturally a bit gloomy.

"As you get older the mindless enthusiasm of youth and self-help nonsense can be irritating too."

But Arthur's grumpiest moment has to be when he turned down a lifetime achievement award at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards in 2005.

He said: "For me there’s nothing more boring than having to dress up to attend an awards ceremony. I know for some people that would be a pleasurable event but sitting there as they read out lists, I hate it really. I knew I’d done alright so I didn’t need an award. If there was money involved I would have accepted it.

Arthur, who is also well known for his poetry and Leonard Cohen impressions, will be performing at the Statham Lodge Hotel as part of Lymm Festival on Sunday.

He added: "There are a lot of young male comics with haircuts telling us about their girlfriends and how it’s going badly and I for one can tire of that a little.

"I’m trying to expand out. It’ll be mainly comedy obviously but I like to sing a song and I may do a magic trick as well.

"I will be grouching about the world, telling some gags and I’ve got ‘Leonard Cohen’ coming.

"I’ll be reciting the odd poem and generally pontificating on the glories of the Lymm Festival. I might not be able to spell Lymm but I’ll be an expert on it when I get there.

"Oh, and I might have a naked woman appearing at some point. It’s a long story."

Red Dwarf fans might recall seeing Arthur in the classic episode 'Backwards'.

He played a pub manager but his role was played in reverse, allowing him to have a bit of fun while filming the part.

Arthur, who originally auditioned for the character of Rimmer, said: "My whole part was run backwards so I said to Rob and Doug, the writers, it doesn’t really matter what I say because no one will be able to understand it.

"So I just swore outrageously much to the bemusement of the studio audience. There are still 'Dwarfies' who like to run Backwards backwards to see what I was saying."

Fans will also fondly remember the comedian's surreal show, Arthur's Seat, when he toured the country...on a motorised sofa.

"Who would say no to that? It was brilliant thing," said Arthur, who gave up alcohol after his near-death from pancreatitis 13 years ago.

"If anyone is depressed they should put them on one of those because wherever you go people are just so delighted.

"When I did it they were waving and laughing and it’s one of the most affirmative things you can do.

"It was MOT registered and everything. The guy who owned it said he drove it to the South of France once and every 20 miles he was pulled over by the police and he realised after a while they were all radioing ahead saying: ‘You’ve got to see this guy’."

DAVID MORGAN