Russell has been performing since the age of three, training at Ashtead Performing Arts and studying Musical Theatre at the Charles Cryer Studio Theatre, Surrey.

Whilst at college roles played include Rick in 'A Slice of Saturday Night' (Casson Room, Leatherhead), Hitler Youth in 'And Then They Came For Me' (Charles Cryer Theatre), Jesus in 'Godspell' (Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead) and Bernardo in 'West Side Story' (Chequer Mead Theatre, East Grinstead).

His theatrical appearances include Ugly, in the award-winning musical 'Honk!' (Minack Theatre, Cornwall), Miss Almira Gulch/ Wicked Witch of the West in 'The Wizard of Oz' (Secombe Theatre, Sutton) and Mr Salt in David Wood's 'The Gingerbread Man' (Palace Theatre, Westcliff). He recently starred in 'I Love You, Your Perfect, Now Change' at the Edinburgh Festival and the London revival of 'Pippin' (Union Theatre, Southwark). Other productions include Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' (Polsden Lacey Open Air Theatre), Sondheim's 'Follies' (Wimbledon Theatre)and the Royal National Theatre's 'An Inspector Calls' (Garrick Theatre).

Russell has made numerous pantomime appearances including PC Willie Wu in Jim Davidson's 'Aladdin' (Centre Stage, Skegness) and 'Peter Pan' (Epsom Playhouse).

Concert and cabaret performances have taken Russell across the UK and have included 'Cabaret Confidential' (Theatre Museum), 'A Night Away From TV' with composer Simon May (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane & Old Town Hall, Birmingham), Eddie in the annual 'Rocky Horror Show - in Concert' (Lauderdale House, Highgate) and singing before the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester at 'A Night of 1000 Stars' (Royal Albert Hall). He has also featured on several Cast Recordings including 'Any Shade But Red'.

Television appearances include cult classic 'Rainbow', BBC's 'Pebble Mill' and 'Sharp Practice'. Recently he appeared in Channel 5's docu-drama 'Scream: The History of Anaesthetic'. Russell was also featured in Christian Fry's pop video 'Never Stop Loving You', and in David Gray's 'The Other Side'.

Russell founded the Hawkeye Theatre Company and directed their acclaimed productions of 'Dreams of Anne Frank' and the British Cast Premiere of new multi-media Holocaust Drama 'And Then They Came for Me' in association with Anne Frank's step-sister, Eva Schloss. This was subsequently followed by a three month engagement in Lithuania, where he managed and directed a theatre-in-education project on human rights with teenagers, for The Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.

Russell comes straight to 'Miss Gulch Returns!' from playing the Elephant's Child in Stiles & Drewe's musical 'Just So' (Minack, Theatre, Cornwall). In January 2007 he will direct the West End Premiere and UK National Tour of 'And Then They Came For Me - Remembering the World of Anne Frank'.