Russell Grant: Strictly Edinburgh (Edinburgh Fringe)

From reading the stars for the Queen Mother, living next door to the late Elaine Stritch in New York and his recent stint on Strictly Come Dancing, it's fair to say that Russell Grant has lived the high life. But his latest showbiz foray doesn't live up to the flyers promise of "a barn-storming, foot-tapping, feel good hour".

Grant spends the majority of the 60 minutes sat down reading from a book with 'My Life' emblazoned on the front. He recalls the early stages of his career right through to his recent reality TV success. The pace is slow and the stories not terribly interesting, but he is at his best when he puts the book down and works the stage, sharing memories without the barrier of his tome.

The show's promotional material asks you to leave your worries at the door, but Grant continues to tell us about his two heart attacks, skin cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes and other ailments before describing his Grandmothers sad decent into the grips of alzheimer's. Just when I thought the show couldn't contradict it's promises any more, Grant introduces his guest act Xara Vaughan who, whilst singing beautifully, describes a harrowing life story starting as a stripper in Stringfellows before running away to a Nepalese Buddhist nunnery to rescue young girls from Indian brothels.

Superfans of Strictly may well enjoy an hour up close and personal with this true showbiz legend, but if you are a Fringe neutral looking for an hour of camp frivolities I'd stay well clear of this one.

Strictly Edinburgh runs at the Gilded Balloon until 24 August.

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