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Russell Kane: Career began as dare

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Russell Kane's career began as a dare

Russell Kane's career began as a dare

Russell Kane's career began as a dare

Russell Kane has revealed his career in stand-up comedy began as a dare.

Russell, who recently won the Edinburgh Comedy Award on his third attempt - didn't know Eddie Izzard was "anything other than an actor" when someone in his office dared him to try stand-up.

He said "I typed it into Google, clicked the first link for stand-up comedy in London, called them and said, 'How does it work?'"

His first amateur night was a success: "The next morning I was like, 'I'm in love' and the whole thing was a cocky dare."

Russell, from Enfield, also explained how his background meant it wasn't easy to succeed.

He said: "I come from a chavvy council estate where no one went to university.

"I was the freak that went to college and managed to get a job in a marketing office, thinking up headlines for advertising. I'd made it. I was the first person from my family or street who got to sit on coloured bits of foam and get paid to think, rather than scrub or build."

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:: Russell's TV show Freak Like Me starts on Monday on BBC Three. For more details on Russell Kane's Smokescreens & Castles tour, visit www.russellkane.co.uk. Russell will also be appearing daily on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Now!, starting in November.

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