Comics know they've made it when they either start playing consecutive dates within reasonable distances of one another or when everyone comes to see them at once in one huge regional venue - aka the arena tour.

For Russell Howard, the time has come. No more Norwich-Aberystwyth-Poole weekends for Russell, he's now playing at sexy acronyms like the MEN, the LG (NEC) and the SECC. He's even playing the O2.

At just 31, the Bristol comedian is already a veteran of hit panel shows such as Would I Lie To You?, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, 8 out of 10 Cats and Mock the Week, on which he is a regular. He hosts his own successful show - Russell Howard's Good News - which is currently into its fourth series on BBC3, and for which it holds viewing figure records.

So, as his Right Here, Right Now tour comes to close, a handful of dates have been added. But rather than mopping up bits and pieces of unforeseen demand here and there, Russell Howard is going out with a bang.

The six dates in December take in some of the UK's biggest indoor arenas. The final leg of the tour begins at Cardiff's Motorpoint Arena on the 13th, then to Birmingham's LG Arena (formerly the NEC) on the 14th and the MEN in Manchester the next night.

Next come a couple of Scotland dates (Glasgow and Aberdeen) before ending the tour's spectacular swansong at London's O2 on Monday 19th December. That amounts to around 70,000 extra tickets - more than many comedians will sell in an entire career.

More good news for Russell Howard fans for sure but you'll have to be quick - tickets (costing £25) have just gone on sale!

Russell has also just been added to the new Bristol Comedy festival Bristol Comedy Garden 2011 (founded by the guys behind the annual Greenwich Comedy Festival), where he will share a bill with Alun Cochrane, Pete Firman and Dan Atkinson. Taking place in Queen Square between 21st and 23rd July, Russell and co will appear on the opening night, with tickets starting at £18.50.