Gyles Brandreth’s Seven Secrets of Happiness at Greenside Church Edinburgh

I left Gyles Brandreth's talk about happiness feeling sad.

Sad that he couldn't have gone on for so much longer. And sad that, this year, he won't be performing at the Edinburgh Fringe.

For Brandreth, raconteur, broadcaster, writer, actor, TV presenter, theatre producer and former MP, is the supreme entertainer; quick, witty, personable, knowledgeable and informative, and so much fun. I'm sure that, bearing in mind his podcast partnership with lexicologist Suzy Dent, he could come up with so many more adjectives, all of which would be true.

He'll be sorely missed at this year's Fringe, but customers of Toppings and Company, Booksellers of Edinburgh, at least had the opportunity to enjoy an hour or so of his engaging company last night.

Brandreth's journey with happiness began in 2013 when he addressed a university on the subject. It went down so well he decided it had a future and, seven weeks later, he had written and published The 7 Secrets of Happiness: An Optimist's Journey and was presenting his happiness show at the Edinburgh Fringe. Such is his enthusiasm for life. He's living proof that busy people are happy people.

The latest edition of his book was published only this month, and he greatly amused us with how it came about, what happiness is and how we can achieve it, all peppered with the name-dropping he is famous for, including impressions of the late Duke of Edinburgh.

It's just not fair that one person can have so many talents, one of which is…making his audiences happy! Thank you, Gyles.