SCOTT Gibson is having a good day. Minutes before he speaks to The National he was asked to perform another week of shows at the Soho Theatre in London during May.

He’s just finished a three-week run at the big London venue, so to be offered more dates, and be in such demand, is quite special.

And as soon as that’s finished the comic will be on a 20-date tour of the UK, giving some of the final performances of his remarkable show Life After Death.

Anyone who has seen Gibson do stand-up in comedy clubs, or in a theatre, or in the function room of a pub in the middle of nowhere, will know the man is talented; properly funny. But his debut solo show took him to another level.

In Life After Death, Gibson describes how a brain haemorrhage at the age of 24, nearly killed him. It’s a lot funnier than it sounds.

The show won Gibson the Edinburgh Comedy Award for best newcomer at the Fringe last year. That’s a biggie. Previous winners include Harry Hill, Sarah Millican, Tim Minchin and the Mighty Boosh.

Other comics have been raving about the Renfrewshire raised comedian. Des Clarke said Gibson was “the best act to emerge from Scotland in years”. Tom Stade claims Gibson is “on course to be one of the greats”. Frankie Boyle is a fan too, and has used Gibson as his warm-up act on a couple shows.

Right now, he’s working on his new show, Like Father Like Son, it is, he says, another dark, serious subject.

“I lost my grandfather a couple of years ago, and my dad’s become quite seriously ill, so we’ve effectively lost him as well.

“He had a really bad stroke, and he’s just not recovered from that. He’s kind of completely given up. With physiotherapy and a bit of effort on his side he actually could get better but he’s got no interest in doing that. It’s a tough one to see someone deteriorate, and that be their own decision.”

Gibson’s parents divorced when he was young, and his dad left for America. His relationship with his father is on his mind, as he starts to think about having kids, and worries he might become too much like his dad. “I’m the double of my dad look-wise, so I’ve always had that my whole life, ‘you’re just your father’s son’.”

Gibson’s a big guy. You wouldn’t mess. Which is why Vienna’s nightclub in Paisley likely hired him as their bouncer a decade-and-a-half ago. Paisley’s always had a reputation, like Glasgow, as being rough,” Gibson says. “I think they like that people think that’s the reputation. But it’s not at all. It’s a friendly town.”

Even then he could see the change happening in the city centre. Like almost anyone else you talk to in Paisley, the blame for the city centre’s decline is placed firmly on the doorstep of Braehead, the behemoth shopping centre, 15 minutes away.

“When I was young Paisley was the place to go. When I was in my teenage years you would go to Paisley to go shopping, just to hang round the town at the weekend.

“Braehead completely destroyed Paisley. As soon as Braehead opened all the shops closed. There wasn’t money in the city centre any more... It just does not feel the same as it used to.”

Gibson does his bit for the nightlife, running a regular comedy gig in the Paisley Arts Centre, where he has brought anyone decent on the Scottish comedy circuit, including, recently, Boyle.

He backs Paisley to become UK City of Culture, and thinks it could help bring the town together. “You only need to look at the world of entertainment, music, comedy – the people who have come from Paisley who have made an impact on the world stage is unbelievable.

“Who are we up against? Perth. We’ll definitely beat Perth,” he says, then pauses, adding: “My god, you would hope so.”

What is his favourite thing about Paisley?

“The real answer is the Indian takeaway. The Koh-I-Noor, man. The best curry in the world. Other than that, it’s the people. Good people.”

Gibson performs at The National’s comedy gala in aid of the Tartan Army Children’s Charity on February 18, alongside Susie McCabe, Darren Connell, and Mark Nelson. Tickets are £5 and available at bit.ly/nationalcomedy