Comedian Russell Brand is set to bring his humour to a whole new audience.

The controversial funnyman is going to perform in synagogues in Israel as part of his first world tour, using jokes to “dissect religion” and the lives of religious leaders.

He said: “Of course I’ll be in English-speaking countries, but also Scandinavia, Russia, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine — anywhere that will have me, to be honest, and that are relaxed about free speech.

“As well as theatres, I will be appearing in prisons, drug rehabs, social network HQs, universities, nationalist organisations, mosques, foreclosed houses, protest sites, synagogues and in people’s private homes.”

Promotional material for the tour, which is called the Messiah Complex, features a photo of Brand wearing a star of David alongside a swastika.

The comedian said he hoped to cause “bother and excitement and offer opinions that have not been either solicited or thought through”.

The tour will open in Abu Dhabi in August and runs until December.