Alex Salmond to announce tour dates after Fringe success

Former First Minister Alex Salmond is to announce that his wildly successful Edinburgh Fringe show, Alex Salmond Unleashed, will be taken on a tour of venues across the country.

Former First Minister Alex Salmond at the Fringe. Picture: Lesley Martin/PA Wire

Mr Salmond, who lost his Gordon seat at the snap General Election in June, has sought to bounce back with a series of gigs as a commentator and chat show host.

The National newspaper revealed that the first of his Unleashed On Tour shows will take place at the Tivoli Theatre in Aberdeen in October, following his latter Fringe format of having an afternoon and an evening show.

Two-time SNP leader Mr Salmond was forced to add shows to his run at the Edinburgh Festival after demand saw his entire run of appearances with musical acts, comedians, and daily mystery guests saw tickets sell out.

The mini tour of Scotland will see the same format, with shows in Alloa and Galasheils announced ahead of the full details being revealed later today.

Des Clarke will return performing his Donald Trump impersonation, while mainstays from the Fringe show, comedian Janey Godley and ‘house band’ The Carloways, will also feature.

As with the 19 show run in Edinburgh, which raised over £20,000 for charity, the format will see mystery guests announced shortly before the show at each venue.

House of Commons Speaker John Bercow, Hibernian manager Neil Lennon, and Brexit Secretary David Davis were among those who starred in the Fringe run.

Mr Salmond was criticised for his opening remarks on his first day, when he made a crude sexual joke about female political leaders, including his successor as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.