Listen to a previously unreleased recording of Linda Smith in stand-up at the George lV pub, in Sheffield, in 1986, taken from The Very Best of Linda Smith: I think the nurses are stealing my clothes (CD, Hodder)

Driving Miss Smith, the biography of the brilliantly funny comedian and radio broadcaster Linda Smith, has been adapted for a stage that is about to begin a national tour.

Bringing her comic genius to live audiences once again, Celebrating Linda Smith is a unique show featuring carefully selected cuts of her comedy in audio and visual clips from shows like, The News Quiz, Just a Minute and I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue.

Friends, fellow comedians, actors and musicians will take audiences on a journey through Linda's life in an adaptation of her biography written by Warren Lakin, her partner of 23 years, published in November 2007.

Times obituary: Linda Smith

Linda Smith, comedian and president of the British Humanist Association, was born in June, 1960. She died of cancer on February 28, 2006, aged 45

BACKGROUND

• Driving Miss Smith by Warren Lakin

• Radio comedian Linda Smith dies, aged 48

• Laughing to the end

• Celebrating Linda Smith

The show is directed and narrated by two of Linda's closest theatrical friends from her days in Sheffield - Kate Rutter and Mike McCarthy - and draws on some of her best comedy material throughout her career from 1983 to 2006. Stand-up acts include the award-winning comedian Hattie Hayridge and readings are from the BBC's Charlotte Green and Corrie Corfield.

Each performance will feature musical contributions from friends, such as the singer-songwriters Barb Jungr, Carol Grimes and Sandi Russell, plus there will be guest spots from TV and stage actors, like Gwyneth Strong, best known as Cassandra in Only Fools and Horses.

The ten-week national tour starts on Thursday and coincides with Love Women, the annual campaign to raise awareness of ovarian cancer. £1 from the sale of each ticket will be donated to Ovarian Cancer Action.

For more details of the tour and dates visit www.lindasmithcomedy.co.uk

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