Russell Brand - Russell Brand And The Dalai Lama Form Unlikely Double Act

Move over Laurel and Hardy, Pete and Dudley and Cannon and Ball because there's a new comedy double act in town - Russell Brand and the Dalai Lama.

Brand was compere at the event at the Manchester Evening News Arena where the Dalai Lama addressed thousands of young people, giving a talk entitled Century of Dialogue - Stand up and Be the Change. The stop over was part of the Tibetan leader's UK tour, which has already seen him visit Leeds, and will eventually see him in London, Edinburgh, Dundee and Inverness.

Brand was on hand to not only act as master of ceremonies, keeping the audience entertained with his comedic routine, but also hold a question and answer round with the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism in his usual, frank manner. The spiritual leader was unperturbed as he revealed that he preferred informality, which worked out great for Brand, as he was never likely to tone down his act even if it was for the Dalai Lama

Together they spoke of reaching enlightenment and the path to happiness, with his Holiness also making reference to the summer riots of last year that took place in Manchester, as well as across the country.