I can't think of a title for this either...

When I first decided to cycle from the southernmost point of the British mainland to the easternmost, westernmost and then northernmost points it wasn't going to be anything other than a bike ride. That was what I wanted to do. For the challenge.

Then I was persuaded to do a stand-up show every night along the way and so - even though the show wasn't about the ride - it seemed odd not to acknowledge the cycling in the title somehow. Which is why the show first took on the rather literal name: Sit Down, Pedal, Pedal, Stop And Stand Up.

If I'd thought at the time that there was any likelihood of the show touring again once the bike ride was over I probably would have called it something else. Something more multi-purpose. But because I didn't think of it as a tour in those terms - and indeed, touring was something I thought I didn't want to do - the idea simply didn't occur to me.

I'd last toured a stage show in 2005 when I took Googlewhack around the States and I hadn't done straight stand-up since as far back as 2001. The bike ride wasn't planned as a way of getting back into stand-up... the stand-up was a way of making the bike ride more of a challenge. It was a way of adding a deadline to each day and forcing me to keep going on the days I imagined I'd want to give in.

I loved the ride. It turned out I also loved doing the shows. I'm glad I discovered that.

Trying to set up a show every night to fit in with a bike ride is a ridiculous thing to do. Certainly from any commercial perspective. The route is what the route is. I was aiming to cycle 50 to 60 miles a day. And each day's ride had to take me in the right direction - towards the next cardinal point. What if that takes me to a town where there isn't a theatre? What if it takes me to a town where there is a theatre but it's already booked? If a venue says they can't do a particular date but offers some alternative dates instead that's no use because my route only takes me to that part of the world for one night. And so on. There's a reason why the tour involved playing some village halls, a barn and a train carriage.

But because I'd discovered that I liked doing live stuff again - and because a lot of venues had shown an interest in hosting the show - I decided to do it again on a conventional tour. Y'know, one that involved travelling between venues in a car or a train. One that involved the stupid kind of journeys you only do on a tour - like travelling from Reading to Edinburgh to Bradford - because those are the days when those venues can accommodate you.

I considered changing the name of the show for this new leg of touring but decided against it. While the 'Sit-Down-Pedal-Pedal-Stop-And' parts of the title were no longer relevant, I thought it was important that people understood it was the same show. I wanted anyone who came to see it twice to be making an informed choice.

But, just as the bike ride begat the tour, so that tour has begat a DVD. Or at least it will have begat it when I've filmed it on July 12. (Come along... it's at The Bloomsbury Theatre)

Each leap takes the show further away from that bike ride... and consequently, each leap make the title even less relevant.

While Cycling:
Q: Why is your show called Sit Down, Pedal, Pedal, Stop And Stand Up?
A: Because I'm doing a stand-up show every night. While cycling between the cardinal points of the British mainland. So, y'know... I sit down, I pedal and I pedal and then I stop... and then I do a stand-up show... and then the next day I do it all again.

While Touring:
Q: Why is your show called Sit Down, Pedal, Pedal, Stop And Stand Up?
A: Because, when I first toured it I was travelling by bike.
Q: I see. So it's about cycling?
A: No.
Q: Oh? So why is it, y'know, called whatjamacallit?
A: Because I thought a different title would imply it was a different show and I didn't want to mislead people.

In The Future:
Q: Why is your DVD called Sit Down, Pedal, Pedal, Stop And Stand Up?
A: Because once upon a time, many moons ago, I cycled between the cardinal points of the British mainland and performed that show every night.
Q: Oh. Are DVDs often named after the mode of transport the performers once used to get to venues?
A: Not really, no.
Q: Don't they normally describe the content in some way?
A: Yeah... yeah, I suppose they do.
Q: So what's the show about?
A: Um... well, it's me doing stand-up.
Q: So what's the theme?
A: There isn't one.
Q: So isn't a title that makes any right-thinking person think it's about cycling kind of misleading?
A: Um... yeah... but...
Q: Look. I'm in the future. I have absolutely no interest in how you once travelled to some venues. I mean, I came to chat to you in my time machine... but if I was to write a show about this conversation I'd hardly call it the Time Machine Show now would I?
A: Actually, you probably would. Time machines are really interesting. Talking to someone from the past is way more interesting than just, y'know, talking to your next door neighbour.
Q: Yes. Yes. I see what you mean. Bad example. But you take my point?
A: Absolutely. You're right. Having a DVD named after a mode of transport I used a while ago is kind of silly. Um... could I borrow your time machine?
Q: What for?
A: I want to go back in time and change the name of my show. Before the DVD. Y'know, so that it isn't confusing.
Q: What are you going to call it?
A: I don't know yet.

So... any suggestions? Actual, serious, why-don't-you-call-it-this ones? If you've seen the show, let's avoid spoilers, eh? No point ruining any surprises for the audiences still to come.