...with his anti-American show

Robert Newman is to take his US-bashing show on tour - to America.

The comic will perform his current show From Caliban To The Taliban - 500 Years Of Humanitarian Intervention in the States towards the end of his year.

His visit will coincide with a book tour to promote his upcoming third novel Fountain At The Centre Of The World.

The comic told the audience at his gig as part of the Leicester Comedy Festival last night he wasn't quite sure why he agreed to do the dates.

"I have a strong will to fail," he said. "It's the voice in the back of your head that pretends to be your friend but tries to ruin your life."

He joked that he might need to make some alterations to the script, which tells of how America has been involved in foreign wars in every year since the 18th century - except 1892.

However, there is also strong liberal market in the US, which propelled Michael Moore's equally anti-American book Stupid White Men to the top of the New York Times bestseller list.

Published: 10 Feb 2003