Jack Dee’s trademark cynical persona was put on hold when he transformed into an agony aunt in his new, incredibly original show, right in front of your eyes. It was a world away from his usual stand-up act, which just goes to emphasise his true comedic edge.

Not knowing what to expect, we blindly wandered in to what has to be one of the funniest nights of the year so far.

Expecting a lonesome Jack Dee on stage, we were overjoyed when four other high profile comedians – the dry American cowboy Rich Hall, Man Down’s Roisin Conaty, local boy Charlie Baker and Irish stand-up Deirdre O’Kane – joined him on this quest to help the nation out with their first world dilemmas. It was five for the price of one.

At first we were sceptical of the legitimacy of true audience participation, but found, to our delight, that not only did the audience ask the questions, but engaged in conversation with the panel throughout the night, often adding to the fun, or becoming the unfortunate butt of the joke.

The sold-out performance started off strongly, easing an audience from all walks of life into a welcoming atmosphere. Their ages ranged from a 70-year-old with issues about online dating to an A-level student worried about exams. The questions proposed to the panel were a mix of the serious and satirical, ranging from “How do I get a refund to see Jimmy Carr instead?” to “I’ve quit my job, what should I do now?”

The panel had no problem responding with hilarious quips and anecdotes surrounding the issues, while also giving us some surprisingly sound advice.

The panel worked incredibly well together, showing off their improv skills.

Hall constantly went off on a whim, Baker dropped in puns left, right and centre while Dee tried helplessly to keep the hysterical comics on track.

So if you have an issue that needs solving, and still want a fun night out, look no further than Jack Dee’s unexpected, but absolutely brilliant Help Desk.

JOEL PICKARD and ALISTER HENDERSON