A real likely lad: Rodney Bewes celebrates poet Dylan Thomas at Walton's Riverhouse Barn

One-man show A Boy Growing Up sees Bewes bring nine of Thomas’ short stories to life from a BBC radio studio set.

Bewes says: “It’s funny stories that were autobiographical, about Dylan staying with his uncle on a pig farm and going on a coach outing.

"I’m not Dylan Thomas. I’m just doing his stories.”

50s stage show A Boy Growing Up which saw Emlyn Williams portray Thomas inspired Bewes.

He says: “I was fascinated that it was just one guy on the stage. It was very funny.

"When I came to look at the stories again I thought I couldn’t get a better title than A Boy Growing Up.”

Bewes’ signature role is Bob Ferris in The Likely Lads and Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads.

Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais’ comedy Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads has a huge fan base including Britain’s Got Talent hosts Ant and Dec.

In 2002, along with Bewes, they appeared in an ITV1 remake of classic episode No Hiding Place entitled A Tribute to the Likely Lads.

The 1970s sitcom continues its repeat run on BBC4 on Wednesday, May 1, and, explaining the secret behind the cult sitcom’s success, Bewes says: “The writing. That isn’t false humanity. The writing was terrific.”

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of The Likely Lads. Bewes and co-star James Bolam, who played Terry Collier, have not spoken since 1976 after the Basil Brush show presenter told the press that Bolam’s wife Susan Jameson was pregnant.

Despite years of silence Bewes would love to work with Bolam again in a new Likely Lads show.

Bewes says: “It would be fabulous. It makes me laugh just thinking of the two of us sitting on a park bench aged as we are now remembering.

"If Terry opened his mouth and said ‘How’s Thelma [Brigit Forsyth]?’ not really wanting to know.

"That’s your first laugh. I’m sure the script would write itself."

A Boy Growing Up; Riverhouse Barn, Walton; April 28, 2pm; £12, call 01932 253354, or visit riverhousebarn.com.