Omid Djalili thinks about his "belly" 10 to 15 minutes every day

He told the Daily Telegraph when asked to describe "the absolute worst" element of life: "My belly. I have always struggled with having a belly. I was always a fit person, but somewhere in my 30s this tyre started forming around my stomach. "I'm very aware of it every day, it crosses my mind every 10 to 15 minutes of every day.

"It might sound obsessive but that's the truth. Being overweight is the thing I hate most.

"I know I shouldn't hate it, I know I have to love it away and change my diet and my lifestyle, and I'm trying very, very hard to do that.

"I know for a man of my age, having a big belly is dangerous, it raises the risk of heart failure, it can take years off my life.

"But it's an enormous terrible thing I just hate about myself."

He also said he hates about the public "judgement on your soul" directed at comics if they make a joke perceived as offensive.

And he described a terrifying encounter that left hum fearing for his safety which he had with a group of Pakistani Muslims who cornered him after he made a gag about the Muslim call to prayer.

He said when asked to open up about the "worst encounter" he'd had with a member of the public: "There have been a few hairy ones. I did a show in Birmingham where I made a joke about the Muslim call to prayer.

"After the show, these four big Pakistani Muslim guys in suits asked me to come into the back room after the show.

"They told me what I was doing was disrespectful, and that they wouldn't take any action but I should drop it from my set. They were all over 6ft tall.

"I tried to make a joke that I'd never seen such tall Asian men.

"They didn't think it was funny. The only way I could get out of there was complete compliance and agreement.

"I remember saying, 'Brothers, I have been in two minds about that joke and you're absolutely right that it's wrong, I regret doing it, thank you for the feedback'.

"I think if I hadn't, I wouldn't have got out of there safely."