We either do the European project or we forget it

Eddie Izzard

He has already performed in French, as well as English.

One of the only UK stars to campaign for the euro, Izzard will travel from London to Paris and back on 1 January to pick up euro notes.

He will spend them in some of the UK retailers who have promised to accept the currency when it is introduced in 12 other European countries.

He said his motivation was "the idea of the European people coming together and realising that we're not all different".

"This is a 'coming together' thing, and we've just got to keep going on this project," he said.

"We either do the European project or we forget it. But not this half-hearted thing that we do in Britain."

Living proof

Those in the UK should not worry about losing their national identities, he said.

"In Scotland, they've got the pound and we've got the pound... but if you watch an England v Scotland football match, I think you'll realise the Scottish have kept a certain identity.

"You don't lose national identity, and we're all the living proof of that in the United Kingdom."

That's what we've got to be heading towards, where we are all one glorious, wonderful world

Eddie Izzard

Izzard has performed a string of shows in French in Paris, and has been learning German in preparation for a European tour, to start in 2003.

He also said he would like to learn Spanish and Italian. "They laugh at the same stuff. Comedy is human," he said.

The launch of the euro was a "great chance" to bring people together, he said.

"If 26 languages and 800 million people, including Russia, can all come together - which could happen - then this could be what happens in the rest of the world.

"That's what we've got to be heading towards, where we are all one glorious, wonderful world."

He said he was "fascinated" by politics but was not about to become a politician because he would have to give up his comedy and acting career.

Rave reviews

Izzard, 39, has made his name with his eccentric stage shows, sometimes wearing a dress, plus supporting roles in films including Velvet Goldmine and The Avengers.

He will soon be seen starring as Charlie Chaplin in Peter Bogdanovich's The Cat's Meow and as a transvestite cabaret performer and ex-soldier in All the Queen's Men.

Izzard is currently performing on the London stage, playing to rave reviews in comedy A Day in the Death of Joe Egg.

He is also a keen Labour supporter, donating �10,000 to the party during the last general election campaign.