Celebrity Corbyn sells out at Fringe
HE seems to have a taste for the celebrity limelight, so it is perhaps unsurprising that Jeremy Corbyn is set to star in his very own show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
The Labour leader yesterday revealed that he will appear in a one-off event where he will tell an audience what really makes him tick.
Tickets have sold out already for the latest high-profile event for Mr Corbyn following his appearance at Glastonbury and a string of other musical events during the General Election campaign.
News of his latest step into the world of showbiz comes just days after Alex Salmond revealed he will be starring on the Edinburgh Fringe this August.
The former First Minister has been given a two-week run for his show Alex Salmond Unleashed, in which he promises to dish the dirt on political opponents with music, comedy and ‘lighthearted banter’.
With Mr Corbyn now joining the line-up, critics yesterday questioned if there were any serious opposition politicians left.
The Labour leader will appear in Edinburgh on Sunday August 27 alongside comedian and broadcaster Susan Morrison, who will interview him on ‘what makes him tick, how he deals with adversity, and why our country, and its politics, need to be transformed’. Tickets sold within minutes of going on sale at £10 each – significantly cheaper than the £17.50 to £22.50 per head which Mr Salmond is asking for his show.
Last night a spokesman for Mr Corbyn said: ‘The journey from backbench MP to “PM-in-waiting” has been long and eventful. Fresh from the advances made at the General Election and appearances at Glastonbury and the Durham Miners’ Gala, Jeremy will address the world’s largest arts festival on why culture must be for the many, not the few.’
A Scottish Conservative spokesman said yesterday: ‘With both Alex Salmond and now Jeremy Corbyn focusing on comedy, it makes you wonder if there are any serious representatives left on the opposition benches.’
Mr Salmond’s show kicks off on August 13, produced by his deposed Westminster SNP colleague Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh. Both lost their seats to Tory candidates at last month’s election.
On announcing his show, Mr Salmond revealed his intention to get back to frontline politics.