CHARITY begins at home for comedy star Rob Brydon.

He was back in Port Talbot yesterday to raise money for and awareness of a cause that's very close to his heart.

But it's his links with another famous charity that's about to see his career go off in an unexpected new direction.

The actor, writer and comedian has teamed up with Gavin and Stacey co-star Ruth Jones and Welsh legend Tom Jones to record Islands In the Stream for Comic Relief.

It means that, as well as having a series of hit TV shows to his name, he could well become a chart-topping pop star.

"Ruth and I love singing," Rob said.

"We were in school together in Porthcawl and we did all the musicals."

Their characters Uncle Bryn and Nessa originally sang Islands In The Stream during an episode of Gavin and Stacey.

"Even then people were coming up to us and saying we should do it as a single," he recalled.

"We approached Comic Relief — Ruth phoned them up — and they jumped at the idea."

Then they managed to get Tom Jones on board. "It all came off and we're thrilled with the result," said Rob.

Not only did they love recording the song, they also got to travel to Las Vegas to shoot the video — but not, Rob emphasised, at Comic Relief's expense.

"I wouldn't want people to think we were throwing money around," he said.

"Virgin gave us the flight and Planet Hollywood gave us the hotel rooms. People are very generous to Comic Relief."

However, Comic Relief wasn't the reason that he was back in his home town. He was in Baglan to promote the NSPCC.

He drove down despite the threat of more snow as a favour to his mum, Joy Brydon- Jones. She has been with the Baglan branch of the children's charity since the 1960s and has organised an annual fund-raising luncheon since its 50th anniversary in 2000.

Rob was guest in 2001, just after he won the British Comedy Award, with subsequent speakers including Owen Money, Max Boyce and Ray Gravell.

Joy jokingly claimed she managed to get him to return through constant nagging.

"Mum has always asked me to come back," he agreed. "But I've been waiting long enough for them to have forgotten all my jokes."

He said he was back to support the NSPCC, raise money for the NSPCC and raise awareness the NSPCC, "Which is why I've said NSPCC four times in the last minute."

On a more serious note, he has officially endorsed the charity's Child's Voice Appeal, which aims to raise £50 million nationally to continue to run and expand its helpline services, including ChildLine.

"Hundreds of adults call the NSPCC helpline, worried about a child's safety," he said.

"Every time a caller doesn't speak to a counsellor, a child's safety may be at risk.

"People can make sure more calls are answered by supporting the Child's Voice Appeal."

With a national tour, a third series of Gavin and Stacey and a hush-hush TV project to look forward to — as well as the Comic Relief single — this is promising to be his busiest year yet.