Rhys Jones has spearheaded the fund-raising

He told the BBC the Empire was "the least elitest theatre in the world".

Rhys Jones was at the forefront of the campaign to improve the theatre, which was built in 1901.

"It's almost too good for us, it looks magnificent," he said. The newly re-opened theatre will soon feature shows by comedians Bill Bailey and Jo Brand.

Rhys Jones said he had become involved in the campaign to help restore the theatre by the Empire's artistic director, actor Roland Muldoon. He had prevented the theatre from being bought by a bingo hall in 1985.

"The theatre was in a terribly dilapidated state, but it became for everyone who lived in London and followed comedy or what was going on in the theatre a place where exciting things happened.

"My first impulse was to help what I thought was a really cool theatre space. And what's really important is that it's an extraordinary building to have survived."

Prince Charles visited the theatre last year

The �17m renovations have included restoring the theatre's impressive decor, as well as refitting the backstage area to modern standards.

"This place can now function as a modern theatre instead of a theatre built in 1901 with all the things that were wrong with theatres in 1901, technically.

"So now it's technically superb, and it can do another 100 years' work."

He said he hoped the Hackney community would still support the theatre as they had over the last two decades. Nearly half of the Empire's audience - 45% - had been black.

The theatre played host to many of the big names of the music hall era, including Charlie Chaplin, Stan Laurel and Marie Lloyd.

After World War II, Liberace, Tony Hancock and Charlie Chester played there.