A Trowbridge funnyman is having a laugh after being picked to be on comedian John Bishop’s new TV show.

Glenn Burford, 31, of Heather Shaw, applied to be a part of the new Sky 1 programme, John Bishop’s Only Joking, after workmates at Airsprung spotted a piece in the Wiltshire Times featuring the Liverpudlian appealing for Wiltshire wise- crackers to come forward.

There has been a nationwide hunt for the country’s funniest joke tellers to be part of the show which features the stand-up star and other famous comedians.

He said: “Two of my mates from work, Chris Carr and Pete Harding, always pick up the paper when it comes out and saw the piece. The next day at work they grabbed me and said I should give it a go.

“I love comedy, so I decided to get in contact with the producers. I’ve always been the joker of the pack, but I never expected to get on the show.”

As part of the application, Mr Burford had to submit a two-minute video of himself telling jokes. The show’s producers then decided he had the right stuff to tickle the funny bone of the nation.

TV crews came to visit him at work and recorded him telling 25 jokes in front of his colleagues, some of which will be featured on the show.

Mr Burford said: “I think how it will work is that they’ll play clips of the members of the public telling their jokes and then go back to John in the studio who’ll play off what is said.”

Mr Burford, who mixes observational comedy with one-liners, lists the Scouse funnyman as one of his favourite comedians, along with Michael Mcintyre, Lee Mack and Micky Flanagan but his biggest inspiration is Lee Evans.

He said: “For me, Lee Evans is the main man. I’ve always loved him, I’ve been to see him many times and I always go to his signing events.”

Mr Burford said he got a lot of his material from everyday family life with his wife Marie, 31, and children Jacob, eight, and Skyla, five.

He said: “You just tend to get jokes from little things that happen in life and I always carry a pad which I jot silly little things in.

“I’m so pleased to have been picked. I’ve never done anything like this before, apart from in front of the mirror, but now I’d really like to start doing open mic nights, trying new material out on the audience, and hopefully go from there.”

John Bishop’s Only Joking will be screened on Sky 1 in January 2013.

Glenn Burford’s top five gags -

* I asked my little boy what the capital of England was. He said E.
* I picked up a hitchhiker the other day.
You got to when you’ve run them over.
* I see Susan Boyle has a new book out – Fifty Shaves A Day.
* I booked a table for Valentine’s Day. That ended in tears because she is rubbish at snooker.
* My wife came downstairs the other day and said: “After 14 years and two kids they still fit, they still fit” and I said: “Love, it’s a pair of gloves”.