British comedian Jimmy Carr to perform in Whanganui next January

Jimmy Carr's 12-date tour of New Zealand begins on January 11. Photo / Supplied

Acclaimed British comedian Jimmy Carr will bring his "Terribly Funny" tour to Whanganui next year.

According to its promoter, the show features jokes about "all kinds of terrible things".

"Jimmy will be telling jokes to an adult paying audience who've got a good idea what's in store.

"But they're just jokes - they are not the terrible things. Jokes are little lies. Nothing more than wonderful, funny, joyful tricks, constructed from language."

Carr has performed 2500-plus shows to more than 2.5 million people, winning the British Comedy Award for Best Live Stand-Up in 2006.

His most recent stand-up special, His Dark Material, was released last year.

Away from the stage, Carr has been the host of panel show 8 Out Of 10 Cats for 20 seasons, and spent a decade presenting Big Fat Quiz Of The Year.

He has also hosted three series of Roast Battle on Comedy Central UK and recorded his own Netflix panel show, The Fix, in 2019.

There was no point to the show, except to make the audience laugh, the promoter said.

"Having political correctness at a comedy show is like having health and safety at a rodeo.

"Now you've been warned, enjoy the laughs."

Jimmy Carr will perform at the Royal Whanganui Opera House on Thursday, January 12.

It is the second stop in a 12-date nationwide tour.