Iranian stand-up Omid Djalili says talking about the terrorist attacks on America has made him a better comic.

He has written 20 minutes of material surrounding the atrocities from his unique viewpoint as a Briton from a Middle East background, which he will perform at two solo shows in London this weekend.

Djalili says he was ready to pull the gigs after the tragic events of September 11. "I didn't feel funny," he said in an interview with Chortle. "But the terrorists would have won if I'd cancelled the show.

But finding humour in such a difficult subject forced him to dig deeper, and talk about wider implications without going for the easy gag.

"The challenge is to talk around the subject that's happened, to try to make sense of a senseless act.

" But it's all very fertile ground," he said. "My mind's been racing. I was surprised how much I came out with.

"This is a new kind of comedy. It's given me a real chance to become better as a stand-up."

Djalili received a good reaction when he tried out his new material at the weekend, and will now use it in the solo shows at the Bloomsbury Theatre on Friday and Saturday.

For the full interview, click here.