John Sergeant in Lincoln this Sunday

John Sergeant started his career as a comic actor then trained as a journalist and became the BBC’s Chief Political Correspondent.

He seems to have come full circle, going back to his comic roots with appearances on TV programmes such as Have I Got News For You?, QI and, of course, Strictly Come Dancing.

It makes for a rich vein of material for John’s visit to Lincoln this weekend so Hello Lincoln asked him a few questions to get a taste of An Audience With John Sergeant.

What can people expect at your show at The Drill on Sunday, February 15?

They can expect a lot of fun, I speak about my whole career which started as being a comedy actor on a BBC series, to being a war correspondent in Vietnam, all the way to appearing on light entertainment shows like Strictly Come Dancing. The shows are always good fun as the audience are able to ask questions, some of them are always the same but I don't mind at all. Some common questions are about what it's like to fly a Spitfire or what Margaret Thatcher was like, but it's a chance for people to see what I'm like in real life. 

Can you give us one highlight from your career?

One of the highlights that always comes to mind is when I was able to interview Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in Paris, when she had just heard the results of the leadership election, which she hadn't done very well in against Michael Heseltine. It resulted in an amazing scene of pushing and shoving with her Press Secretary at the time, Sir Bernard Ingham. It of course spelled the end of her career, but it made me famous! 

You’ve had a long and varied career - what makes you want to keep getting up on stage to entertain people aged 81?

Well, if you're asked to come to a lovely place like Lincoln, I'm always glad to. Lincoln holds some great memories for me, it was where I was given an Honorary Degree by the University of Lincoln and of course it's not far from RAF Coningsby, which is where I have filmed some of my documentaries, we filmed the Lancaster Bomber and were lucky enough to fly to Germany and visit the place where they created the V1 missiles. 

You have achieved so much in your career - do you think your Strictly appearance has overshadowed other achievements. If so does it bother you?

I often get asked if I am still dancing, as if my partner Kristina Rihanoff and I are dancing together every weekend still. It's charming to be remembered, but I was only on the show around ten weeks!  

Can you name something people might not know about you?

Well people can find out more at the show, but one thing people might not know is that I was almost killed in Belfast while reporting there. I won't say any more, as journalists often say, don't scoop yourself!

An Audience With: John Sargeant takes place at The Drill, Lincoln on Sunday, February 15, tickets are available at www.lincolndrill.co.uk