BRIAN Conley beams a confident smiles as he talks about how there are few out there who could appear in his current role.

"I've got to go out there and convince the audience I'm a showman right from the word 'go'," he says.

"They've got to believe I'm this larger than life creature, someone who can really hold their attention. And to be honest, there aren't too many with the experience to pull this off."

The variety star is set to appear in Glasgow in musical theatre show Barnum. Brian star as Phineus Taylor Barnum, a role originally played by Michael Crawford when the show opened in London in 1981.

It's a hugely demanding piece and Brian isn't being unduly immodest when he points out few could cope with the part.

Barnum was one of the great American showman. When he died he was the most famous man in America and the richest man. But he wasn't however simply a circus creator. He was a politician and a top PR man.

"He came to circus late in life," says Brian. "Barnum didn't get involved with the circus until he was sixty four. Once his wife died he teamed up with Bailey and they created the Barnum and Bailey three-ringed circus.

"Before that he was one of the first PR men, the first spin doctor.

"In the show, we tell how he once paid $150,000 for opera singer Jenny Lind to come over from Europe in advance.

"He got 30,000 people to the docks in New York to welcome her, and by manipulating the press he staged 35 concerts with her and made $5million."

Brian Conley certainly brings a great deal deal to the role.

In recent years, he's starred in major musical theatre work such as Fagin in Oliver!, Jolson and Hairspray.

But it's a career that's been developed since the west Londoner's days at stage school.

As a teenager, Brian enjoyed a few minor television appearances but his determination to become a performer saw him, aged 16 (and having lied about his age) begin work in Pontin's holiday camp as a Red Coat.

His career developed fronting a comedy showband Tomfoolery, and his talent became obvious to television producers.

Brian began working as a warm-up man for television personalities such as the Krankies and Kenny Everett and of course went on to front his own TV series'.

"I'm glad I've had the experience you need for this sort of show," he says. "What you learn is how to work and audience."

Barnum utilises circus acts to document the circus man's incredible life and highlight the struggles and conflicts he encounters personally along the way.

Brian, like Michael Crawford before him, had to emulate Barnum and learn to walk the high wire.

"It is very demanding, it has to be one of the toughest roles in musical theatre," he admits of the challenge.

"I started training six months before we started the tour. I went to circus school to learn how to walk on the wire which took me months.

"I got physically fit, lost a stone in weight and I've got muscles where I never thought I'd ever get them. And I'm now a professional tight rope walker".

He adds, grinning; "The challenge changes venue to venue, especially if the stage is raked (angled).

"If there is a rake, it all becomes much harder to see. The rake changes what you see in your peripheral vision and your mind thinks that you are moving at a weird angle.

"But I can stay up there as long as I rehearse every day, I'm comfortable on the wire."

The show was run in Chichester before touring.

"It's tighter and better. And because it's produced by Sir Cameron Mackintosh we don't do anything by halves. I'm doing all of the tricks in the show. It's not an abbreviated version.

"You get everything from stilt walking to fire breathing to juggling, acrobatics and of course walking the wire."

He adds; "You couldn't do Barnum without doing all of the circus acts."

The show features 28 people.

"It's an event," says Brian. "Sir Cameron doesn't do anything by halves and it's just great being involved with this. In Glasgow you'll get to see a full on west end show.

"And the city won't be disappointed."

Brian agrees the demands of touring theatre can be exhausting. But he won't wilt, as he did in the Celebrity jungle in 2012.

"I just didn't have enough to eat in there," he says, smiling.

"That's not going to happen again."

*Barnum, The King's Theatre, March 31 - April 4.