THERE’S a barrel-load of laughs planned at Colchester Arts Centre this season, and it all starts this weekend.

First up is a welcome return to the UK stand-up circuit for Irish comedian Sean Hughes.

From winning the prestigious Perrier Comedy Award at the Edinburgh Festival in 1990, Sean has gone on to present radio shows on BBC 6 Music, appear in his own sitcom, become a team captain for the music panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and provide the voice for Finbar the Shark in Rubbadubbers on CBeebies.

He has even turned his hand to acting, with parts in the Last Detective, Coronation Street as Eileen Grimshaw’s love interest Pat, and most recently, Sgt Lake in the ITV Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple production of They Do it with Mirrors, which was shown on New Year’s Day.

He’s at the arts centre on Saturday. The next day Tom Wrigglesworth takes to the stage with his Edinburgh show, An Open Return Letter to Richard Branson.

Multi-award-winning comedian John Bishop sets the stage alight with laughs on February 19, with his show Elvis has Left the Building, while March sees sets from the likes of Alex Horne, Jo Caulfield and Richard Herring.

On April 3, another Perrier award winner, Laura Solon, comes to entertain with her Edinburgh smash-hit show, her first since she won the prize in 2005.

For a rundown of the comedians coming to the Colchester Arts Centre, go to www.colchesterartscentre.com or call the box office on 01206 500900.

l Read the Gazette’s interview with oneline gagmeister Tim Vine, who is appearing at the arts centre on February 13, in tomorrow’s Weekend section.