Whether it's with his wobbleboard, didgeridoo or the famous catchphrase "can you tell what it is yet?", Rolf Harris has been a regular on our TV screens for 40 years.

The beloved Australian artist, musician and presenter has turned his hand with ease to art series, novelty songs and pet programmes.

Croydon's Fairfield have managed to snare Harris for a one-off Christmas Cracker show this December, where he'll be performing some of his best-known songs with some special guests.

"Fairfield is a wonderful place, I did a series of concerts there many, many years ago. It will be fantastic," says Harris.

"We'll be doing some Christmas songs and Kiki Dee and Tony Christie will be performing, too. They're both fantastic singers and we'll also be working with local Trinity Boys Choir and Croydon Steel Orchestra. The comedian Adam Walsh will be there as well."

He gave go! a sneak preview of what we can expect from the show.

"It will be all music and I'll be doing the whole second half. Kiki will be joining in at the end.

"We'll be performing Christmas songs and it'll be just marvellous. I'll be singing all the songs everyone knows, like Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport and Two Little Boys.

"Trinity Choir are absolutely amazing, as is the Croydon Steel Orchestra.

"Tony Christie will be singing Is This The Way to Amarillo, of course. Who knows if I will be joining in? That would be great, wouldn't it?

"I'll be singing my own Christmas song, Six White Boomers. I've got some new stuff as well but I'm not allowed to mention it yet."

When we spoke to Harris he was gearing up for another performance with Kiki Dee, in aid of the Born Free Foundation, which had a star-studded line up at the Royal Albert Hall.

"I've always admired the foundation's work," says Harris.

"Virginia McKenna (the founder) puts her money where her mouth is and tries to help wildlife in Africa. Her commitment is second to none. If we can help somebody do something for this planet, then let's do it."

Harris has a strong association with helping animals and was the presenter of the hugely successful Animal Hospital, which filmed a vet practice, for a massive 19 series.

"I was approached by the producer of Animal Hospital, Lorraine Heggessy, to do it but the BBC wanted a younger presenter and I was in my 70s.

"She said no, that she'd always admired me since she was a child and that she liked my approach to people and animals. The BBC said it would be on her head if it didn't work, that basically she would be out of a job.

"She went out on a limb for me and it was an absolutely huge success. I didn't know it would be as big as it was, we were getting up to nine million viewers when we had expected one million."

Harris explains he thinks the success was down to his and the vets' genuine love of animals.

"I think when myself as a presenter and a pet owner broke down and cried on TV about a sick dog, it made such an impact on the public to see two grown men unashamedly in tears over the fate of a lovely old Alsatian dog.

"People found they couldn't wait for the next episode to see all the work the vets did.

"I got very upset about some of the animals, for example the cat Snowy who'd been standing in its own urine and the fur was burnt off its legs and stomach. It had been kept in the cellar and its fur had been left to grow over its face. I couldn't believe people could do that. It was very emotionally draining."

However, the animals didn't always react to him with the same affection.

"In one episode I was asked to hold a cat's two front paws because it kept scratching the vets who were trying to give it an injection, but it bit my finger and bit right through to the bone on both sides. My dad always said if I was bitten to stay absolutely motionless until it lets go because otherwise it will lock its jaws and you'll never get away. So I was very calm and stayed motionless but as soon as it let go, then it was WAAAAAAAH!"

Of course, we all know Rolf Harris for his art, whether it's his deftly drawn cartoons which he taught us to copy in Cartoon Time, or his impressionistic paintings.

His TV series Rolf on Art had the highest ratings for any art programme.

"Rolf on Art changed my whole life, now I'm painting all the time as a result.

"I didn't like art college at all, but luckily I found a great artist who became my mentor and taught me about Impressionism. But at art school, I was lost there. They didn't seem to be teaching me anything - they assumed I knew everything about colour, brushes, texture or how to mix. I love the hands on feeling, telling people and showing people how to draw and paint."

We even had to drag him away from his painting for this interview.

"I was up at the crack of dawn and I've been painting since 7am for my next exhibition," said Harris.

"I'm doing some pictures of Venice, which I visited earlier in the year. It rained all the time we were there so there will be lots of pictures of the rain."

After his Christmas Cracker show, Harris says he will be celebrating at home over the festive season with his family.

Then he's got a packed schedule for 2010 and as he heads towards life as an octogenarian, Harris still has no plans to retire.

"I've got a big touring exhibition of paintings that I'm going to be taking round the country. That will be great.

"I'm going to be 80 in March, can you believe it?"

Rolf Harris and Friends Christmas Cracker, Fairfield, Croydon on Sunday, December 20 at 8pm.

Tickets from £23.50, go to www.fairfield.co.uk or call 020 8688 9291.