One of the UK’s best-loved stars appeared at the Ludlow Assembly Rooms.

The celebrated stage and screen entertainer Julian Clary visited the town last night with Mail on Sunday journalist Peter Hayter for an evening “in conversation” in aid of the charity Caitlin’s Kickstart Award. 

The comedian’s famous wonder dogs (the latest being Valerie) proved to be high on the list of topics, but Julian said Valerie was not putting in an appearance. She was at his parents’ house. He joked: “She has no talent.”

Julian’s slightly unusual obsession with his hens also came under discussion. He said he thought he would get some chickens to complete his dream of living life in the country.

“I have got this house in the country, and I had the gingham table cloths and the white picket fence,” he explained. Describing the chickens as “very camp” and purely ornamental,  he added: “They are not obliged to lay anything!” 

Julian is also working on his second novel. He said: “I have finished the first draft of ‘Devil in Disguise’. It is about murder. It is set in Northampton, Berlin, and Camden Town, but in the second draft perhaps Ludlow will make an appearance.”

Peter, who now lives in Ludlow, organised the evening, and enjoyed catching up with his friend of 30 years. The cricket correspondent for the Mail on Sunday had plenty of stories, dating from the time the pair toured together with student theatre companies in the 1980s.