BLACK Country great-grandmother and comedienne Marlene Watson is joining forces with the Fizzogs for their upcoming comedy tour.

Quarry Bank-born Marlene will act as compere for the Fifty Shades Of Fizzogs tour which will hit the road next month.

The great-grandmother, who lives in Wall Heath, became an internet sensation just weeks ago after she posted videos of herself telling jokes on her Facebook page, Marlene - A Black Country Wench, in a bid to keep the Black Country dialect alive.

But the Fizzogs have been fans of Marlene since attending one of her shows a few years ago.

Fizzog Sue Hawkins said: “She’s a perfect fit to work with us. She’s a Black Country wench and is very funny and we are certain our audiences will appreciate what she brings to the tour. We have wanted to work with her for ages.”

Marlene, aged 68, said: “I am very excited about working with the Fizzogs but to be quite honest I don’t quite know what to expect. I’m sure it’s going to be good fun because I know how popular the Fizzogs are. I have seen them doing their Dancing Grannies routine online and it is hilarious.”

Marlene started work as a telephone operator with the General Post Office after leaving school but always had the theatre in her blood and joined Dudley Little Theatre and other Black Country operatic groups.

She said: "I always loved performing. Even when I was at school I used to make everyone laugh by impersonating the teachers. I was made a prefect because the teachers knew I could keep the class quiet if they were out of the room.

“I would have loved to have gone to drama school but we couldn’t afford it so I went to work for the GPO in Dudley. I had to put on a posh voice when I was working as a telephone operator, otherwise no-one would have understood me.”

Marlene has performed with the Black Country Night Out company in the past alongside the late Tommy Mundon and also does her own stand-up routines at private functions.

The Fizzogs are working on new routines for their tour, having gained a new army of fans after a video of their Dancing Grannies routine went viral when it was posted on Facebook in the summer, attracting more than 1.5 million shares.

The tour starts at the Hardwicke Theatre, based at Thorns Community College in Quarry Bank, on February 13 and continues at Bridgnorth's Theatre-on-the-Steps on February 14, Wednesbury Town Hall on February 20, the Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham on February 21, Wolverhampton's Arena Theatre on February 27, Netherton Arts Centre on March 6 and 7.

Details can be found online at www.fizzogproductions.co.uk and tickets are available from www.fizzogproductions.ticketsource.co.uk or by calling 07757 424618.