AMERICA’S Got Talent-winning ventriloquist Paul Zerdin is bringing his zany cast of characters back to the Savoy next week – including Sam the cocky teenager; Albert, the 96-year-old with a razor sharp wit, and the Baby, who believes the world revolves around him.

Paul Zerdin – Jaw Drop UK also features dim-witted American bodyguard Roger and an outrageous Urban Fox, plus the return of TV and radio character, Alasdair Rimmer, who is eager to make a comeback with Paul’s help.

Paul promises “an evening of top-notch stand-up comedy and ventriloquism, including his famous human dummy routine with an exciting new twist”.

The puppeteer and ventriloquist took the US by storm 10 years ago when he won America’s Got Talent with his zany show, and he’ll be back wowing fans at Monmouth’s Savoy on Friday, October 3,

Arguably the UK’s number one ventriloquist, he made his TV debut back in 1993 as the host of GMTV’s Rise and Shine.

He then went on to win ITV’s The Big Big Talent Show, hosted by Jonathan Ross and has appeared on countless TV shows, including The World Stands Up (Comedy Central), The Stand Up Show BBC!, Just for Laughs Montreal Comedy Festival, Comedy Rocks with Jason Manford (ITV1), Tonight at The London Palladium with Bruce Forsyth and Bradley Walsh (ITV1), Michael McIntyre’s Big Christmas Show (BBC1) and The Royal Variety Performance.

Winning Series 10 of America’s Got Talent in September 2015, Zerdin and his sidekicks soon went viral on YouTube, receiving millions of views from around the world.

A Gold Star Member of The Inner Magic Circle who lives with his sponge family in South West London, his career has reached new heights ever since, heading to The Las Vegas Strip for a headline residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in 2016 before appearing in spin-off shows America’s Got Talent - The Champions and Britain’s Got Talent - The Champions in 2017 and 2018.

Since then Paul has toured the US and UK with his critically acclaimed All Mouth, Puppet Party , Hands Free and Puppetman shows.

His character Sam in his absence said: “It’s so exciting to be back on the road in the UK. We’ve played Hollywood, New York, Vegas and now… Monmouth! I just hope we can all get through the tour without a big bust up like last time!”

The Guardian has lauded him as “technically immaculate, it’s what he does with his slick talent that really sets him apart,” while The Scotsman describes him as “a ventriloquist at the top of his game, Zerdin is in a league of his own… a show so polished it shines”.

Tickets are £22.50 (over-65s and U16s £21) from the Savoy box office, or online at https://monmouth-savoy.co.uk

A busy month of live entertainment at the Savoy also includes comedy theatre with Dirty Dusting (Sunday, October 5), tickets £25, and Robin Morgan, Kiri Pritchard-McLean and guests as they record a brand new series of the topical comedy panel show What Just Happened? for BBC Radio Wales on Wednesday, October 8, with entry free.