CHRISTIAN SLATER - SLATER TO PRESENT FRINGE COMEDY PRIZE

US actor Christian Slater will present the top comedy award at this year's Edinburgh Fringe.

The True Romance star, who made his stage debut at the Fringe in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, said he is "delighted to be returning to Edinburgh".

More than 350 artists are up for the award, which was formerly known as the Perrier and carries a cash prize of £8,000.

Slater will present that award on August 25th ahead of his return to London's West End in October.

The Bobby actor will be playing the lead role in the stage adaptation of the Kevin Spacey movie Swimming With Sharks.

Previous winners of the award have included Steve Coogan, Lee Evans and last year's pick Phil Nichol.

This year's festival season at Edinburgh has seen two musicals about the former prime minister Tony Blair.

Both have managed to utilise political slogans such as "tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime" in a 'musical' manner.