HE’S made ventriloquism cool again.

With his host of puppet sidekicks and fresh take on the traditional art form, Paul Zerdin has impressed audiences of millions, including The Queen.

A You Tube sensation who has just returned from a sold-out Edinburgh run, he’s bringing variety back.

“It’s an old-fashioned art, I just do it in a new way,” he tells me.

“It goes back thousands of years. It’s a bit like circus, it had become a bit of a joke, a bit embarrassing. But look what Cirque du Soleil has done, there’s been a complete revolution in circus.

“I’d like that to happen with ventriloquism and, thanks to shows like Britain’s Got Talent, it’s some way there.

“Love it or hate it, that show has been a hit. There’s a massive audience for traditional entertainment and it’s given the Royal Variety Show real kudos.”

The 39-year-old is a Royal Variety Performance regular in recent years, where many of the comical antics seem to go on backstage.

“One year I shared a dressing room with Julian Clary, Alan Davies, Frank Bruno, Bradley Walsh and Stephen Fry. Now that was an eclectic mix to say the least!

The Spice Girls were next door as well.

We all had a great time!”

Camp comic, Julian Clary, has become a friend and Paul appeared in panto alongside him last year in Southampton, with another mate, Nigel Havers.

In fact, he enjoyed Jack and the Beanstalk so much that The Mayflower is the only theatre in England to be treated to his sell-out Edinburgh show No Strings.

There audiences will meet his most famous character, Sam, loosely based on Zerdin’s three-year-old nephew who “says all sorts of silly things and makes me laugh all the time.” He was developed for a children’s programme for GMTV which “was ousted in favour of Barney the Dinosaur.”

Sam’s voice has dropped now there’s a new kid on the block, Baby, who will get up to all manner of mischief including accosting a woman in the front row to breastfeed him.

Plus, meet Albert, the granddad who’s still chasing women but can’t remember why. His latest storyline is hearing loss, prompted by Paul’s Dad who “gives me so many ideas.”

Then there’s new character, game show host Alistair, the TV presenter who has tried everything but never made it. Who could be based on any number of people.

“I soak it all up, everything I see. I like people watching and it’s a huge help in my job.”

Fascinated by The Muppets and Sesame Street from a young age, he was destined for stardom after becoming the first winner of the Big, Big, Talent Show with Jonathan Ross.

“When I failed all of my GCSEs, apart from Drama and English, I thought maybe I could be a magician. I had a box of tricks before I had puppets.

“I was working part-time in a magic shop and then as a magician and was one of those annoying people that would approach you during a romantic meal and ask if you would like to pick a card.

“After a while, I decided I preferred ventriloquism and so I learned it. It’s something anyone can learn, it’s not something you’re born with. You’ve just got to really want to do it.

Paul, who is developing a number of new ideas for TV, does have one more piece of advice for prospective puppeteers though. “The puppets are all well and good, but it’s all about the comedy.

If it’s not funny, then all you are is a bloke standing there talking to himself for two hours.”