Anyone who watched Sue Perkins' day-time shows will remember her candid sense of humour.

Best-known for programmes such as Channel 4's Light Lunch and Late Lunch with side-kick Mel Giedroyc, she has also written for French and Saunders and Absolutely Fabulous, and appeared on shows from Have I Got News For You to Question Time and Newsnight.

Now, fresh from a stint on BBC's reality show Edwardian Supersize me, she is appearing at Pocklington Arts Centre as part of her Reiterate UK stand-up tour - without Mel.

The Disappointing Second Show might only be her second attempt at solo stand-up (hence the title), but it has already enjoyed a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Festival 2006.

It is borne out of living through life's pitfalls and dealing with sadness, disease and rejection, says Sue.

"It's not really depressing, it's a comedy show, " she assures. "It maybe sounds depressing but I find it hilarious. Things like that make you the person you are. It's quite a celebration of how brilliant things should be.

I don't even strive for anything more than that or it will become pointless."

The show jokes about family, about being brought up a Catholic and the expectations of the older generation.

There are anecdotes about touring the UK, being useless with technology, her home town of Croydon and her childhood.

There is also much material she's gleaned from her 98-year-old homophobic grandmother.

Sue has reluctantly talked about her sexuality since 2002, when ex-girlfriend Rhona Cameron outed her on I'm A Celebrity? Get Me Out Of Here.

She can now joke about her grandmother's disapproval, but it can get tiring, she says.

"I have to deal with her prejudice which is bellowed down the old people's home, and that she doesn't approve of me particularly but keeps forgetting, and I keep having to remind her that I'm not married, " she said.

"It can happen about four or five times an afternoon."

Sue has been performing since university. She met Mel while studying at Cambridge and the pair were members of comedy performance troupe, the Footlights.

As well as performing and writing together, they struck up a friendship which is still going strong.

She doesn't tend to suffer with nerves, she says, but still finds stand-up without Mel quite scary.

"I did it in Edinburgh without Mel and it was terrifying, " she says.

"I made a lot of mistakes and people were kind enough to keep supporting me. I'm still very green and very raw at it, but feel this show represents a real leap in my ability."

Now, life is good. She feels at home when she is touring and enjoys the freedom of driving around at night, visiting different places and being on the road, she says.

After the tour, there are two or three radio series in the pipeline, and a few "bits and bobs" to consider, she says, and things are going pretty well.

"I don't think I could do a show about disappointment and make jokes about it if I weren't content, " she said. "So yeah, I think I'm in one of my most comfortable stages of my life."

Sue Perkins, The Disappointing Second Show, Pocklington Arts Centre, May 5, 7.30pm. Tickets £13. Box Office 01759 301547.