Rob’s journey sees him swing by Warwick Arts Centre

But popularity did not come easily to multi-award winning performer and writer, who spent many years becoming an “overnight success”.

Those years of struggle form the basis of his new autobiography, Small Man in a Book, and the accompanying tour which comes to the Warwick Arts Centre on Sunday October 30.

Rob said: “The year 2000 seems to be the natural cut-off point because it is when I arrived and won awards.

“The book is about my struggle and keeping on going in the face of failure.

“People relate to that far more.

“There is far more drama in that than in me writing, ‘And then I said to Rod Stewart’.”

The comedian’s breakthrough came at the turn of the century through the comedies Marion and Geoff and Human Remains.

Before this he had trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff before abandoning his course for a job as a quiz show host for BBC Wales.

Moving to London did not immediately enhance his show business career and after a short spell as a tele-salesman, Rob went on to present a shopping channel show, perform at conferences and earn a slot at a comedy club.

Events took a turn for the better when he had a short role as a traffic warden in Guy Ritchie’s hit film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, this preceded his reunion with his old friend Hugo Blick, with whom he produced the aforementioned Marion and Geoff.

The start of Rob’s success is where his book ends.

In the years that followed he has appeared in and on various comedy programmes and game shows, most notably in the role of Uncle Bryn in the Bafta Award-winning sitcom Gavin and Stacey.

Writing Small Man in a Book helped Rob to remember the days before he was a household name and he had a lot of fun creating the funny but poignant account.

He said: “The process of writing came very naturally to me.

“Someone said that writing a novel is like filling a swimming pool with a syringe.

“But writing a 90,000 word autobiography, you can’t think of it in that way.

“You have to take it one day at a time, it’s like being in Alcoholics Anonymous.”

Rob describes story as one of triumph over adversity and one which will enthral readers.

He said: “By the end, I’m like Rocky!

“He kept on going and never gave up, it’s a catalogue of heroic failures.

“What drove me? I can’t do anything else.

“I certainly can’t be a tele-salesman.”

Small Man in a book is now available in shops and online.