Russell Grant

Russell Grant found international fame through becoming the Astrologer Royal but before Her Majesty, the late Queen Mother patronised him he had a very successful career in theatre, television and film.

His first role was for the very successful BBC TV’s Wednesday Play – he played a Welsh boy intent on arson! From here on to On The Buses, Please Sir!, The Fenn Street Gang, all the Doctor series starring both Barry Evans and Robin Nedwell. For over 10 years he appeared in classics such as Canterbury Tales for BBC TV starring Joss Ackland and Barbara Jefford and was in the first ever colour television production the BBC’s ‘Gazette’.

His first stage appearance was at the New Theatre Cardiff. From thereon he was on the roads with stage tours of Ivor Novello’s King’s Rhapsody, Rodger and Hammerstein’s ‘The King and I’. He headed into the West End playing Slogger Williams with Chris Guard, Simon Le Bon and Keith Chegwin in the musical Tom Brown’s Schooldays, at the time all unknowns. Then a whole list of West End and National tours – Camille (Arts Theatre): Hans Andersen (London Palladium); Iolanthe
et al He was also one of the stars in the revival of Lupino Lane’s ‘Me And My Gal’ at the Forum Theatre in Billingham before it transferred to the West End.

During the period of astrological fame Russell appeared as Dame in many theatres back to the New, Cardiff with Ruth Madoc, John Nettles and Andrew O’Connor – Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford, Grand Blackpool and so the story continued.

It was just a few months ago Russell decided to return to live performance. Award winner playwright Paul Doust (adaptation of Animal Farm) saw Russell on his Sky TV talk-show sport a Welsh Valleys
accent and immediately offered him the star-role in ‘Probably Wanstead’ which had just won the London Standard Best One Act Play Award at the Brighton Festival.

Russell then went to work for Sir Alan Ayckbourne in a new work called ‘Soap’ with top soap stars Sue Twist (Brookside), Ben Hull (Family Affairs/Hollyoaks) and Hannah Waterman (Eastenders).

This time Grant played two roles, in Act One scheming old biddy and nasty piece of work, Floss (kind of Dot Cotton) and Peter (kind of Ron from Home and Away).

Russell has appeared in the Narrator’s role in Rocky Horror Show’s National Tour but it is his performance as another Narrator in Under Milk Wood that has had the audience and critics shooting off superlatives. He directed the classic Dylan Thomas play and starred in the Richard Burton role

For his new theatre concept, Casting in the Community, Russell directed and played Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare at Portmeirion, April 2011 with the innovative theatre company embracing all walks of north Walian community life.

Russell was appointed 'Senior Creative Director: Performing Arts' for Coleg Harlech in March 2011. His first Performing Arts Summer School was August 2011 Bliss! An original swinging sixties musical in which Russell plays Dusty Springfield as well as directing this new musical.

Russell’s most recent project is a professional dream come true: learning how to dance on the BBC’s top-rated series Strictly Come Dancing. Russell is partnered with World Champion Latin dancer,
Flavia Cacace. Russell said “Although I went to stage school we never learned to dance, apart from chorus routines, so to learn how to dance properly with the world’s most beautiful and talented Latino
Terpsichore, Flavia Cacace, is more than I could ever have wished for”.