Jimmy Carr brings the punchlines to Charter Hall Colchester

The British-Irish comic Jimmy Carr, 50, headlined Charter Hall, in Cowdray Avenue, Colchester, last night to a sold-out crowd for Jimmy Carr: Terribly Funny 2.0.

Interestingly, before the show had even started, the screen urged the audience to text a mobile number to ask Jimmy some questions or mark a special occasion.

Beginning a few minutes into 8pm, the lights went down, and a screen welcomed the audience to two hours of their lives that they won’t be getting back.

Popular - The Comedian brought his Terribly Funny 2.0 show to Charter Hall (Image: Newsquest)

Relentless - Jimmy's ability to handle hecklers in the crowd is unmatched (Image: Newsquest)

Jimmy bounded onto the stage as a swaggering rap theme song rang out across the hall.

From the get-go, the TV personality and author, warmed up the crowd with a round of quick-fire jokes.

With the crowd now suitably heated he said: “I’m with the good people of Colchester, I should be alright?” and he also commented on Charter Hall asking if “anyone here is up for badminton?” before launching into more "controversial" jokes.

Throughout the night, the rapid rate he could list off punchline after punchline was entertaining as he traversed the topics of relationships, intimacy, serious criminal offences, identity, religion, parenthood, sexuality and much more.

Although some jokes were clearly distasteful and extremely dark, to Jimmy’s merit he makes it painfully clear that they are simply meant to be taken as jokes.

• Recommended reading: Mayor hits back at Jimmy Carr after comedian compares Colchester to war-torn Ukraine

He said: “I will treat everyone with respect, but I will make jokes either way.”

Jimmy may have taken the micky out of anyone and everyone yet it was interesting to see him poke fun at himself.

He mentioned his hair transplant, and how he’s done “his best to avoid both” taxes and death, a reference to his previous tax avoidance scandal in 2012 and cosmetic surgery.

He also commented on cancel culture and said: “The joke that will end my career is probably out there, cancel culture isn’t bad, I’ve been cancelled loads of time and I’m still here.”

Undoubtedly, the best parts of the show were the audience interactions and Jimmy’s masterful comedic timing when making references back to certain jokes made during the show.

The crowd would erupt with laughter whenever the Eight Out of Ten Cats host would strike-up a conversation with an audience member or whenever he took on a heckler.

One individual, a man named Simon, who Jimmy referenced throughout the show (and many others), heckled from the back of the hall and claimed that Jimmy is a lot shorter in real life.

Leaping to it, Jimmy, who is 6ft, states the obvious in a patronising tone: “You’re sitting far away sir. Is this your first-time heckling? What do you do Simon?”

This was one of the tamest and politest heckles of the night I can mention in the article.

The final hour of the performance saw jokes about marriage proposals, and more audience interactions where some of the hilarious and bizarre text messages sent in from the crowd were displayed on the screen.

Amusing - One of the text messages from the audience (Image: Newsquest)

After numerous laughs and unplanned entertaining moments with the crowd, Jimmy finished the show and said goodbye to the Colchester crowd.