LEAFY suburban Pinner may have provided the backdrop for a succession of cosy TV sitcoms, but it is not famed for leading the way in cutting-edge contemporary comedy.

But Kieron Jon Kerr of Central Avenue hopes to change that.

He has penned Jacuzzi Baxter: The Legend - Part One, an offbeat comedy about a failed insurance advisor-cum-comedian chosen by God to be the next great super-detective.

And multi-talented Kieron, 30, is now preparing to take on the role of his eponymous anti-hero at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe next month, and he is quietly confident that the enigmatically-named Jacuzzi will "raise a few eyebrows".

Lifelong Pinner resident Kieron describes his bungling comic creation as "like Alan Partridge, but with a bit more savvy".

He said: "It's not political satire. I want to entertain the audience, not convince them of the truth behind the latest Michael Moore documentary.

"Jacuzzi is full of good puns and one-liners. Too many comics try to change the world, which is a bit pretentious and a waste of time.

"I just want people to have a laugh."

The road to Edinburgh has been something of an odyssey for Kieron and his new alter-ego. He spent a year on the stand-up circuit, refining Jacuzzi's character based on audience reactions.

He said: "It's really tough. If you don't win the crowd over after a couple of minutes you die on your arse.

"I soon realised I wasn't going to get anywhere doing just five or six minutes and thought Jacuzzi would fit better in a play with other characters around him."

Kieron then spent a year working on a play for Jacuzzi to appear in. The result, which opens in Edinburgh on August 6, features a four-man cast, as well as a couple of celebrity guest voices.

Actors Brian Blessed and Christopher Biggins will star, respectively, as God and Mrs God in what promises to be the oddest coupling at the festival.

Kieron pulled off a massive coup when he snared the services of the stars. Blessed's booming baritone complemented by Biggins' camp crooning may sound bizarre, but Kieron hopes the pair will prove to be his trump card.

He said: "We were lucky in that two of our cast, Matthew Earley and Justin Stanley knew them. It was a big boost when they said they wanted to be involved.

"They won't be on stage with us. We have recorded their voices.

"There are a lot of shows at the festival and if this helps it stand out, then that's great."

If Jacuzzi is a hit, Kieron plans to take his character around the country before writing Part Two in the series.

He said: "It all depends on how Edinburgh goes. There's always a few nerves but I'm quite confident people will like him."

Kieron learned his trade at the Questors Theatre Youth Group in Ealing and later at the prestigious Drama School of London. He has come a long way since getting his first break playing a "human dog" in Love Bites at the Riverside Studio in ???? when he was just 19.

Kieron now shares an agent with Ewan McGregor, has written sketches for Hat-Trick Productions, which makes hit TV shows, and has starred in a film with his comic hero, Rowan Atkinson.

He said: "I was an extra on Johnny English and met Rowan.

"He was a really nice bloke and even said to me 'I'll see you again sometime', which was nice."

Outside of comedy, Kieron was a mean cricketer in his youth. He played for Middlesex Colts until he was 14 and turned his arm over for Harrow side Bessborough.

Kieron is staging free previews of Jacuzzi Baxter: The Legend - Part One at Hammersmith and West London College in Gliddon Road, Hammersmith, on July 25 and 26. Performances start at 7.30pm. Jacuzzi appears at the Edinburgh Fringe in the Gilded Balloon Caves III, from August 6 to 30, excluding the 16th. Performances start at 5.30pm and cost £8.50 (£7.50 concessions) on weekends and £7.50 (£6.50) weekdays. For more information, call Kieron on 07766390889 or e-mail info@ dinnertableproductions.com.