Heath Franklin is a comedian with many hats who has recently portrayed Bear Grylls, controversial Australian businessman and politician Clive Palmer, Steve Irwin and Julia Gillard.

But on May 1, he will be in Tauranga as Chopper.

Heath Franklin, aka Chopper.

'He is macho and apologetic and violent and charming and lovable. His own traits contradict each other so nicely that there is a lot of scope for comedy,” Heath told SunLive recently.

Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read was an Australian criminal and author.

Chopper was an accomplished street fighter and the leader of the Surrey Road gang. He began his criminal career by robbing drug dealers, based in massage parlours in the Prahran area.

Chopper later graduated to kidnapping and torturing members of the criminal underworld.

After serving time in prison, he later went on to write about his criminal past.

Chopper Read's persona was picked up by Heath Franklin, who has been a comedian for nine years.

'Someone asked me the other day and I almost fell over when I found myself saying nine years.

'I'd love to be in a double act. The possibilities of two people doing comedy instead of just one are crazy. I have friends in double acts and I always envy sharing the stage with someone, which is maybe why I use the audience so much.”

Heath will be in Tauranga on May 1 when he will be performing his show at Baycourt Community and Arts Centre.

'People can expect a 30-year-old guy pretending to be a career criminal saying some weird stuff. They can also expect to have a giggle.”

When asked why he chose Tauranga as a city to perform in, Heath jokes 'it isn't for the late night after-show dining options”.

'We ate ham sandwiches in a van out the front of a supermarket last time. We should've been better prepared.

'I always come to Tauranga and I'll keep coming as long as people keep showing up to watch me.”

SunLive has a double pass to Heath's show to give away.

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