±«Óãtv

Katie Taylor, the newly-appointed head of In-house Entertainment, announced today that Michael McIntyre will host the 2010 Royal Variety Performance in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales. The show will transmit on ±«Óãtv One this December.

Michael began his stand-up career in 1999 and now hosts ±«Óãtv One's primetime Saturday night award-winning Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, which will return later this year for a second series.

He has performed twice before at the Royal Variety Performance and has appeared three times on ±«Óãtv One's stand-up showcase, Live At The Apollo. His debut stand-up DVD, Live And Laughing, was the fastest and biggest-selling debut of all time and his follow-up DVD, Hello Wembley, became the fastest-selling stand-up DVD of all time.

In 2009, Michael played live to half a million people in 54 arenas, including a record-breaking six nights at Wembley and four at London's O2.

At 34, Michael will be the youngest-ever host of the event.

The Royal Variety Performance will once again be raising funds for the Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund and will take place at London's Palladium theatre – the home of variety – in its 100th birthday year. The line-up will be announced in due course.

Katie Taylor said: "I'm thrilled that Michael has agreed to host the Royal Variety Performance for us this year. ±«Óãtv One viewers know and love him well from his hugely successful and award-winning Comedy Roadshow series and from Live At The Apollo, and I just know he'll be a brilliantly lively and infectious glue that will hold the Royal Variety Performance together."

Michael McIntyre said: "I got my big break at the Royal Variety Performance in 2006 and returned in 2008, but now to host it is such an honour and I'm unbelievably excited. The Queen and Prince Charles alternate their attendance. This year, and on both of my previous appearances, I will be performing for Prince Charles. I can't wait to entertain him for a third time, although it does seem obvious that the Queen is avoiding me."

The 2010 Royal Variety Performance is a ±«Óãtv production and is executive produced by Nick Vaughan-Barratt.

KT