LAST year, the magnetic Irish comedian Jason Byrne won the Sony Radio Gold award for “the best use of an audience”.

In their citation for Radio 2’s The Jason Byrne Show, the judges declared that it was, “Organic comedy with great timing and huge warmth. The judges were won over by the best use of the audience in any entry this year and by its consistent laugh-out-loud moments.”

Looking back, Jason says: “That connection with the audience was what clinched the award. The judges couldn’t believe that I was doing it off the cuff. But I was just thinking on my feet. That’s basically what I do.”

And it is that spontaneity that makes Jason such a terrific stand-up.

Currently on a UK tour with new show, People’s Puppeteer, it follows his hugely successful debut Cirque du Byrne last year, and promises to be another tremendous night of comic pyrotechnics.

“For last year’s show, Cirque du Byrne, I wore a ringmaster’s hat and jacket,” he says. “It was good to have a uniform. I’m old-school and think it’s nice if the comedian has clearly put a bit of an effort into the show. I want the audience to think, ‘He’s wearing a uniform – good on him!’ “I couldn’t wear the same thing so I had to think what else was circusy. Then I came up with the idea of wearing a puppeteer’s uniform because I use the audience as puppets and get them up on stage to do stuff. But nobody should panic! They can rest assured that there are no puppets in this show. I can see people now texting in, ‘Thank God for that!’”

Famous for his onstage antics and stunts, every single night on Jason’s tour is different.

A comic who by his own admission is easily bored, he is constantly pulling new humorous rabbits out of his entertainer’s hat – and he thrives on his rapport with the crowd.

“The audience is vital to me,” he says. “I want them to feel that night is the only night that will happen. It’s their night. I’m giving it to them.

“The more I involve them, the more unique it feels for them. I go on stage saying, ‘Everybody get on this train. I don’t know where it’s going, but let’s all jump on it anyway.’”

Jason, who won the Chortle Award for Best Headliner in 2007, adds: “The audience leave the theatre, saying, ‘Wow! What was that?’ I’m pretty diverse and appeal to all ages. People bring along their grannies and granddads. But I’ve never met anyone who comes out, saying, ‘That was disappointing”.

u Jason Byrne performs at Southampton Guildhall on Thursday.

Show starts at 8pm.