Writing musicals is no laughing matter for Tim Minchin

With funny, sometimes controversial songs telling stories of love, society, politics and everything in between, Tim Minchin is not just a comedian,

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The 49-year-old, who was born in Northampton to Australian parents, rose to mainstream fame in the UK after writing the songs for Matilda The Musical, which made its West End debut in 2011, having seen success with his solo albums, shows and appearances on British TV.

Minchin, whose latest album Time Machine was released last month, feels he is now able to shed the 'comedian' tag.

The pianist says: "I don’t see myself as a comedian, I'm happy to be a comedian and stuff, but I've done some other things. It’s not something you just wake up one morning and go ‘I might write Matilda like that’, it took 20 years of songwriting and so I fiercely defend my right to think of myself as not a comedian."