After a relatively quiet few years the nation’s favourite fox is touring across the country with The Basil Brush Show. Nazia Dewji caught up with Basil for a chat about life past, present and future. 

Nazia Dewji: What have you been up to recently?

Basil Brush: All my old mates have gone on to do marvellous things so now I team up with Mr Stephen. But it has been 15 years since I made my comeback. I was on CBBC until 2012 and now I am pushing my full-on programme. Some people think I was born on stage, but I actually started off with magician David Nixon.

ND: What can audiences expect from your upcoming shows?

BB: I think they are going to love it. It is going to be a 4D experience. I want to get all the little boys and girls into the theatre and the grown-ups too. It’s going to be interactive and so much fun.

ND: Basil, you were the first puppet to ever win a game show after you won the Weakest Link in 2010. How did you feel about that?

BB: They thought I was as daft as a bat but I was as cunning as a fox. I am pretty good at game shows.

ND: Where do you see yourself in the future?

BB: I could see myself running for Prime Minister or I could represent Surrey.

ND: The people of south-west London are not huge fans of urban foxes. How do you feel about that?

BB: I’m not an urban fox, I’m a posh fox. I love visiting the Richmond Hill Hotel or the Petersham Hotel - they both suit me just fine. I do enjoy an afternoon tea where I can dunk my ginger nuts too.

ND: What is your favourite joke?

BB: At the moment, English football. It’s often very funny. What do you call a deer with no eyes? No-eye-deer. Boom boom! I think the grown-ups might think they have heard it before though.

ND: How often do you go to the dentist?

BB: I go about two or three times a year but I’ve only got a couple of teeth so I do most of the work myself.

ND: You’ve always been quite trendy. Where do you shop?

BB: I know, I am quite dapper. But I can’t always pick clothes off the peg because I can’t always reach. But I often go down to Baby Gap.

The Basil Brush Show; Epsom Playhouse, Ashley Avenue, Epsom; Wednesday, May 27; 11am and 2.30pm; £12; call 01372 742555, visit www.epsomplayhouse.co.uk