Alastair Campbell: All Gordon Brown has to do is be himself

Alastair Campbell will advise Gordon Brown ahead of his television interview with Piers Morgan.

The Prime Minister is due to be grilled for an edition of Piers Morgan's Life Stories to be screened on ITV1 on February 14.

Tony Blair's former spin doctor said today that he would tell Mr Brown to win over the audience by "being himself".

"I will definitely pick up the phone to Gordon and say, understand that this is an opportunity," said Mr Campbell.

He said the interview would be a good opportunity for Mr Brown to present himself to a different audience.

"You are not talking to John Humphrys on The Today Programme or Jeremy Paxman on Newsnight. You're talking to, hopefully, an audience who would not normally watch a politician or listen to a politician. It's a big opportunity to engage in a completely different way.

"He should just be himself. If he's feeling a bit grumpy, be grumpy, if he's feeling a bit cheery, be cheery and get on with it. If Gordon listens to the question, answers the question and is authentic and says things as they are, the public will engage in that."