Is Jonny Cole the new rockstar of comedy?

If you're looking for Britain's most unlikely comedy success story, you might find him in a flat cap, guitar in hand, fresh from a sold-out theatre somewhere between Dudley and Newcastle.

Forget polished panel shows, talent competitions and industry gatekeepers deciding who's funny.

His name is Jonny Cole.

And while mainstream television has barely touched him, audiences across the country have already made up their minds.

The Black Country comic has quietly built one of the most fiercely loyal fanbases in British comedy. No major TV series. No expensive marketing machine. No celebrity mentors dragging him into the spotlight.

Just graft. The old-fashioned kind.

Before the theatres, the social media millions and the arena announcements, Cole was honing his craft in working men's clubs, pubs, social clubs and backstreet venues where audiences don't laugh because they're supposed to. They laugh because you've earned it.

That's where his appeal comes from. He doesn't feel manufactured. He feels real.

While much of modern comedy is polished to within an inch of its life, Jonny still carries the swagger of someone who looks like he could either headline a theatre or end up in a lock-in at a Black Country boozer discussing Wolves' chances next season.

It's an image audiences seem to love. His social media has grown to more than 150,000 followers, while promoters report social media videos generating over 50 million views.

Those numbers are impressive. But the really interesting statistic isn't online. It's where he's performing.

In an era when many comedians dream of arena shows, Jonny Cole has announced a headline date at Birmingham's Utilita Arena as the culmination of his hugely successful Armagudd'n tour.

That's a remarkable achievement for a comedian who built his audience almost entirely from the ground up.

No prime-time BBC series. No ITV talent show. No Netflix special, just relentless touring, word of mouth and a social media following that treats him more like a rock musician than a stand-up comedian.

Perhaps that's because he's never fitted neatly into either category.

He's a comic, a songwriter, a storyteller and a frontman. A bloke who can have a room roaring with laughter one minute before launching into a song that somehow feels both ridiculous and brilliant.

The comparisons are starting to stack up. Promoters have described him as a social media phenomenon, while industry figures have compared his impact to some of the Midlands' greatest comedy exports.

But perhaps the biggest compliment comes from his audience.

Unlike many modern comedians, Jonny Cole's fans don't simply buy tickets. They follow him town to town, show to show.

They quote his songs, share his videos, drag their mates along and somewhere in the middle of all that, he's become something increasingly rare - a genuine grassroots star.

The kind Britain used to produce before everything became focus-grouped and corporate. Working class, independent, unfiltered, charismatic and a little bit rough around the edges - exactly as he should be.

So is Jonny Cole the new rockstar of comedy?

If selling thousands of tickets, racking up tens of millions of views and heading towards an arena show without the backing of mainstream television isn't rockstar behaviour…it's difficult to know what is.

You can get your tickets to see Jonny at the Utilita Arena at utilitaarenabham.co.uk.