"There's no shame in being a second class citizen. You're just getting better value out of life." So goes Stephen Grant's new manifesto.

"Nowadays if you've got a bit more money you can have a completely different life. You can eat premium burgers, have a gold bank account.

"Even buying something as simple as a tin of beans, you've got value beans, ordinary beans, premium beans, and extra special beans," he says.

The 35-year-old comedian, who was lead comedy writer for Radio 1 from 1999 to 2003, has turned into something of a social crusader.

"My favourite example is the Sainsbury's Taste the Difference range. You only know what the difference is if you buy the normal version as well. A lot of the worst offenders are supermarkets - they all seem to have a luxury line.

"Tesco even has a finest only' aisle - it's the supermarket equivalent of a gated community. You can imagine all these men trying to pick up women in the finest only aisle because they're looking for a better standard of living."

But companies are only able to employ this kind of marketing ploy because of our class obsession, he says.

"Who honestly spends a few extra quid on their train ticket so they can sit in an identical carriage with identical upholstery, but with an antimacassar fabric protector behind their head?

"No, people do it because they want to feel they're better than everyone else."

Far from being a perennial loser, Grant, who is from Brighton and is compère at the city's Krater comedy club, has reason to feel superior - his comedy work has included performing and compèring all over the country, writing TV reviews for the Sunday Mirror, audience warm-up work before QI, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Little Britain, and selling several thousand copies of his DVD, Taken For Granted, through his website.

This year, he was named best compère in the Chortle comedy awards. But he doesn't give himself too much credit for this achievement.

He says:"Best compère is a bit like being chief bridesmaid. You're the person who's the most important at being second."

Indeed Grant's new show has been inspired by his many experiences of failing to reach that top spot; he was at one point first choice to play Gareth in Ricky Gervais's The Office, only to lose out to Mackenzie Crook, and his chances of being the next Top Gear presenter were scuppered by current presenter James May.

Yet no matter how many near-misses, Grant simply uses them to make his "second is best" theory stronger.

He says: "Someone who wins can only beat themselves, but someone who comes runner-up knows exactly what they've got to aim for. The object of the show is to prove to everyone second is the new first."

The North to North Fest takes place at artsdepot, on Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley, from July 17 to 26. Tickets cost £12 (concessions £10) and are available from the box office on 020 8369 5454. Stephen Grant will perform on July 18 at 8pm.

For more information, see the link below.