I saw Manchester comedian Jason Manford at Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena and Dion Dublin was a surprise guest

And as Jason Manford started with his brilliant observational comedy routine he could have been speaking directly to me.

Without ruining the act Jason started his Manford All Seasons Show looking at life of a late 30s early 40s parent. And I’ve got to face it. I'm a mum-of-three who turns 40 in January.

We had a difficult journey to Liverpool. The mad scramble to finish work on time, deliver children to grandparents before embarking on the journey from Lancashire to Liverpool all proved rather stressful.

But, as Jason said ‘I put my shoes back on after work and made the effort to get off the sofa’. I love Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena, it feels grand without being too big. It’s easily accessible and most importantly feels safe. It also attracts loads of big names.

Before the show we enjoyed drinks and Asian nibbles in the Sodexo Live VIP Lounge. The staff were attentive, the wine was crisp and the food was delish. What more could you ask for?

Soon it was time for the main event and as we manoeuvred to find our seats I could feel the stress of the day starting to disappear.

A DJ played Manford in and out of the arena - an unusual but quirky touch.

What I like about Manford is his cheeky chappy - Manc persona. He seems really relatable.

And that couldn’t have been said more when he started to reflect on his life as a parent.

He compared children to narcissists. He went through the 9 markers psychiatrists look for when deciding if someone is a narcissist. I was laughing so hard - I had tears running down my face. I looked to the side at my husband to find he was exactly the same.

Another highlight of the show was when Manford was discussing how met long term friend Dion Dublin at Soccer Aid. While telling an anecdote about the showering after a game and referring to Dublin as ‘a tripod polishing a beer glass’ he appeared on stage doing just that.

It's clear to see there is a lot of love between the pair. Dublin was at the show with his wife marking her 40th birthday.

Overall, Manford was the best he has ever been. Quick to respond to the crowd with seamless delivery and effortless laugh out loud moments.

His show Manford All Seasons is touring the UK until summer 2025 with more shows in Manchester, Bolton, Blackpool, Stockport, Middleton, Middlesborough, Bristol, Bath, Chester, Newcastle plus others.

If you’ve been a fan of his over the years and loved him on the comedy panel shows, you will undoubtedly love this show too! I give it 5 out 5.

For show information or tickets visit Manford’s website here.