A LEGENDARY cricket commentator who has filled the airwaves for over 40 years is set to give an insight into his experiences and adventures at nearby theatres over the coming months.

Henry Blofeld has been a regular commentator on the BBC radio show Test Match Special (TMS) since 1972 and received a farewell ovation at the home of cricket, Lord's, last summer when he retired.

Now he is touring with his show '78 Retired' which will be performed in Monmouth, Birmingham, Cheltenham and Shrewsbury- amongst others.

“I’ve been having all sorts of adventures that I am eager to tell everyone about, and I’m just not the sort of person who can tolerate inactivity so I cannot wait to get on the road," said Blofeld.

Blofeld was a promising young cricketer, but his career was curtailed after being run over by a bus. Blofeld has always lived the life less ordinary, and has made even the grimmest England batting collapses bearable.

When Blofeld started on TMS, he says, he was instructed to remember that it was a unique programme, and that while the job was in part about cricket commentary it was even more about 'providing company' for the listener.

He added: "TMS, like everything, is evolving. The commentators today are excellent, so professional, but I suppose when I began there was a little more room for the strong individual characters, the willing enthusiastic amateurs. In the old days, the BBC wasn’t oppressed by the fog of political correctness.”

He will be performing at Shrewsbury's Walker Theatre- March 25; at Cheltenham's Pittville Pump Room- April 5; Swindon's Art Centre- April 6; Bristol's Redgrave Theatre- May 19; Monmouth's Savoy Theatre- May 20; Birmingham's Mac- May 27.

For tickets and more information visit www.henryblofeld.co.uk.