Russell Grant praises down-to-earth Marco

Russell Grant has claimed that he got along brilliantly with TV chef Marco Pierre White.

The TV astrologer will be seen competing against Alex Ferns and Carol Smillie in tonight's episode of White's cookery competition.

Grant suggested that White probably appreciated his "frankness" and applauded the chef for his "down-to-earth" nature.

"I just spoke to ITV and they said that I was his absolute number one favourite [contestant]," Grant told DS.

"Maybe he liked my frankness. I think also people tend to think of me as I was on breakfast telly. A bit fluffy, maybe even spineless... But I'm nothing like that. Never judge an astrologer by the colour of his jumper!"

Speaking about White's star sign, he added: "I knew he was either a Leo or a Sag, and he was. He's a Sag and that's why he has that boundless optimism, he's very anecdotal, he's a great raconteur.

"I mean he told us all about his life and how he started out in a hotel in Harrogate. He's quite an amazing man. This is a bloke who you associate with the Ritz, Paris, the Savoy, Rome, but he started life out up near Leeds! He's a down-to-earth man with a cosmopolitan flair."

Marco's Kitchen Burnout airs tonight at 9pm on ITV1.

> Click here for our full interview with Marco Pierre White