Alistair... or is that Gary on the line?
The star of the hit show The Big Impression is heading to Leicester next week.
And for the actor and comedian it will be a great chance for him to use the voice of one of the city's most famous sons.
"Gary Lineker was one of my first impressions. I was aware of him as a footballer from 1979 on star soccer when he scored for Leicester.
"I remember Hugh Johns saying something like, 'look at that boy go' as he raced into the penalty box to score.
"In 1990, I actually moved to Nottingham to study the East Midlands accident and I spent a lot of time in Leicester because it's so specific and soon after I was doing impressions of Gary.
"One of my first jokes was about him having sex, poking fun at his clean cut image."
Luckily Gary manages to see the funny side.
Alistair said: "We have met several times and he doesn't mind me doing it.
"In fact he told me the first time he heard me do it he was travelling in a car with his brother Wayne and I was doing his impersonation on Radio 5. He said to me: (adopts Gary's voice) 'Is that? Is that supposed to be me? It doesn't sound anything like me does it Wayne?' To which his brother replied: 'It sounds exactly like you Gary'."
Soon after, The Big Impression was scheduled to run on the BBC before Match of the Day. Gary told Alistair he would tape both shows and watch them to check the likeness.
He said: "I think he became aware of how much he raises his eyes and the funny burping sound he makes before he speaks. He always says he does not mind the impression though, because he thinks he always comes across quite well."
Obviously it won't just be a Lineker-fest. Alistair has plenty more characters in his locker.
Simon Cowell, Arsene Wenger, Frank Skinner, and Tony Adams all get the McGowan treatment.
As do Adrian Chiles, John Terry, Bear Grylls, Harry Redknapp, Alan Carr, Fabio Capello, Jimmy Carr and Boris Johnson. And Leicester's other instantly-recognisable celeb Gok Wan, too.
The new show is a return to the stand up circuit for the 44-year-old and he says he relishes being back on stage.
There's no make-up or costume changes – just Alistair, a microphone and an his array of voices.
"The great thing about stand-up is you can be your own script editor and constantly re-write your material," he says.
"Stand-up is about inviting the audience into your world rather than producing something homogenised. I feel that now I'm realising my own voice.
"Years ago, I'd see comedians leaving the circuit and then coming back, and I'd think, 'why?'
"But now I completely understand that. There are a lot of new gags I want to tell and a lot of new ideas I want to give vent to.
"Since the end of the TV show, I've had four years to refuel, and now I'm relishing coming back with all this fresh material."
Info
Alistair McGowan will be performing his new show The One and Many at the Athena in Queens Street, Leicester on Thursday, October 15, as part of his 2009 tour.
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