JUST over a year ago Russell Kane was caught out for lying about his age.

The Sun revealed in April 2015 that the comedian and presenter was five years older than he claimed.

Russell admitted to Weekend he has a bit of a hang up about getting older and he is still guarded about his actual age – he would only confirm that he was born in 1975.

But, in a way, who can blame him?

Most of us of a certain age have probably wished for a fountain of youth and it is worth remembering that Russell works in the fickle, youth-focused showbiz world where getting older can be seen as a curse.

Now Russell has turned the whole debacle to his advantage with his most successful stand-up tour, Right Man, Wrong Age.

He said: "I was desperate to find something to write about. You need a negative to start with and the only thing I’ve got is my refusal to get older or grow up.

"I thought: 'I’m in denial about my age but I’ve suddenly started throwing my skinny jeans in the bin – something’s happening here'."

Just as Russell was having that dilemma about growing up, he discovered that his wife Lindsey was pregnant.

His current routine puts that period of his life under microscope with Russell arguing that no one is ever the right or wrong age for what is happening to them.

He added: "I thought the show was going to be about getting to a certain age, growing up, getting married and having kids.

"But it turned out that age has got nothing to do with growing up at all.

"There are just as many 18-year-olds that act like old men as there are 70-year-olds who feel like children.

"So it turned into a show about realising when the time is right to grow up – whatever your age is.

"It is primarily done through the lens of having my first kid. But you don’t need to have kids or be interested in children to enjoy the show. There’s also stories about my dad, my mum, my auntie.

"It’s observational stand-up. It’s emotional, funny – all the things you want. People are a bit teary at the end."

So why do you think we are all a bit obsessed with age?

"I think it's because as a society we’ve lost the definition of middle age," said Russell, who made history by winning both the Edinburgh Comedy Award and Melbourne Comedy Festival’s Barry Award in one year.

"If you read Charles Dickens or anything like that you know when middle age starts. It starts younger than any of us wants to admit and it finishes at about 65 and then you’re old.

"Now it doesn’t exist anymore. My daughter Minna now has a 50 per cent chance of reaching the age of 103.

"The goalposts have moved, fashion has moved and technology has changed the way we perceive ourselves."

The subject matter has obviously struck a chord with the public who have come out in their droves to see the routine.

The Right Man, Wrong Age tour was supposed to run from February to May but has now been extended until at least December. Russell will be at the Parr Hall on Wednesday, October 5.

The former advertising copywriter added: "For some reason I can’t work out, it’s sold better than any other tour I’ve done. I don’t know if it’s because of my TV work or the Facebook rants I’ve been doing.

"We’ve extended to December and that is also selling out so I’ve got a feeling in my waters it might extend again."

It is just as well because Russell said that the stage is still where he thrives.

"There's no other buzz like it," said the comic, whose favourite gig was Live at the Apollo.

"I'm still hooked on it. I love doing TV although, with the internet, it is becoming less relevant sadly.

"You can go and do the Royal Variety Show, log on to your ticket sales and nothing’s happened.

"But if I go onto my Facebook page and do a rant about 'Brangelina' (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie) that will sell a few hundred tickets.

"You cannot beat the thrill of going out to a thousand people and smashing a gig.

"I care about every gig. I turned up at Huddersfield the other night for a student gig. I could have just collected the money and done 20 minutes for 18-year-old freshers who don’t know any better.

"But I thought about the gig, I planned my stuff, I warmed up my voice and had a stormer. What is the point of doing it if you don’t have that passion?"

Right Man, Wrong Age may explore what we think about ageing and growing up but Russell has been toying with preconceptions long before the tour started.

His real name is Russell Grineau and long before he cut his teeth as a comedian he changed it by deed poll to Lord Russell Grineau as a social experiment.

The surname may have changed but Russell's nobleman title remains.

"It’s still my name," added the Stupid Man, Smart Phone and Britain Unzipped presenter.

"On my credit card it says Lord Russell David Anthony Kane. It was for a college project about perception and class before they changed the law so couldn't change your title.

"I would dress up as scruffy as I could and go into Sainsbury’s and buy value beans, be really cockney and then hand my card over.

"I wouldn’t say anything but I would observe their reactions..."

- Russell Kane is at Parr Hall on Wednesday, October 5. Visit pyramidparrhall.com for tickets

DAVID MORGAN