RABBI Lionel Blue may come across as a doting grandad, signing off our interview with a sincere "Goodbye, my dear, and God bless", but he is still a force to be reckoned with.

Known to millions for his poignant Thought of the Day on BBC Radio Four, which he has religiously undertaken for 30 years, its clear the 75-year-old is nowhere near ready to lie down.

Not only does he continue to juggle the busiest of schedules with the most resilient of spirits, but is currently fighting off, with good humour, a rare form of skin cancer following his recovery from prostate cancer in 1998 and two heart attacks.

Combine this with his reputation as a loud champion of gay rights, regularly talking openly about his relationship with his partner of 22 years, Jim, and you can't deny you have a remarkable character in your midst.

Next Thursday, Blue, who maintains his greatest achievement is "cheering people up", will share moments of his extraordinary life with Worcester theatregoers at Huntingdon Hall, aiming to give not just a show but an experience littered with warm, witty anecdotes - which he's pretty pleased about.

"I have to fit it in around writing, broadcasting, praying and goodness knows what but I love going to theatres," he said.

"If you are writing for people or broadcasting on the radio, you are always removed from them, but when you come to the theatre, there is living flesh and blood.

"I feel like I want to jump down from the stage and give the audience a cuddle and will happily stay and chat until the last one goes. I enjoy it and love theatre people. They are very helpful, much more so than in the churches and synagogues.

"You're also not wearing robes, there's just an empty stage and a mike."

Blue is enthusiastic to the last, a character trait which has obviously contributed to his formidable reputation as an after dinner speaker and prompted the title of most popular cleric of any faith in a 2001 poll.

"I've got merrier as I've got older which is odd," he mused.

"I think I was an over serious child but as you get older your body is like an old car, it starts letting you down, and you have to laugh.

"I think my 70s are much nicer than my 60s, I thought my 60s were nicer than my 50s and so on."

Born in London's poor East End in 1930 and attending about a dozen schools, he ended up at Balliol College, Oxford, reading History, where he caught the religion bug after falling, literally, into a Quaker meeting for farmers.

After debating becoming a monk, he eventually studied at the Leo Beaeck College (where he now teaches) to become a Rabbi and was made Religious Director for Europe for Reform and Progressive Synagogues of Great Britain.

He has written about a dozen books, ranging from spirituality and prayer books to cooking and humour, and was cookery correspondent for many years for the Universe as well as monthly contributor to the Tablet.

He has always been ecumenical and was a founder member of the Standing Conference of Jews, Christians and Moslems in Europe, not to mention appearing on TV and delighting in meeting his "congregation" at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Most of all, however, he is a sympathetic listener who treats problems with a good dose of humour, an essential ingredient of his God-slot on Radio Four.

"You never preach at people, you've got to talk to them," he said. "You are not in the pulpit and the more personal the experience the better.

"People might be listening in the bath or over their kippers and rashers in the kitchen so it has to be integrated into life and the mood of the programme.

"I get into the station early to hear the news and brood about it, because if there's a disaster and you come along with something jokey, you have to start from scratch."

His zest for life knows no bounds but a particular source of admiration for the cleric is his fellow cancer sufferers.

"At the moment I'm finishing a course of therapy for cancer and its amazing the good humour.

"People help each other no end with jokes.

"I heard a nurse say to one man, 'It's no use, you can't live forever', to which the old boy replied, 'Do you mind if I try?'"

"Mine's a very rare cancer but they have done about two operations on it and I have a course of radio therapy every day.

"At the moment I'm only too happy to leave London and come and have a laugh in Worcester. I feel I'm entitled to it."

For tickets, costing £12 (concessions £11), call the box office on 01905 611427.

Voices from the Welsh valleys

THE first choir to lead the singing at a Welsh Rugby Union international match at Cardiff Arms Park is making a welcome return to Worcester.

The Cwmbach Male Voice Choir played at the Swan Theatre six years ago and made such an impact, they have been invited back to sing at the venue on Saturday, July 3.

Formed in 1921 in Cynon Valley, South Wales, the group has performed at prestigious haunts ranging from the Royal Albert Hall to St David's Cathedral.

They were also the first choir to sing behind the Iron Curtain at the Bela Bartok Festival, in Hungary, in 1961.

For tickets to the 7.30pm concert, costing £12 (concessions £10), call 01905 611427.