Donna Air
Donna Air started her career at the age of 10 in the hit children’s BBC series, Byker Grove. After five years on the programme, Donna moved on and, following a brief career in pop as one half of hit girl group Crush, she became a presenter on MTV Select, a daily two hour live music request show.
Further presenting roles quickly followed across the UK’s main broadcast channels including C4’s Big Breakfast, ITV’s Popstars: The Rivals Extra and The Club. In addition, Donna has also produced her own series, Donna In Need for E4/C4.
Remaining focussed on her acting career she has appeared in a number of dramas including the BBC adaptation of Lynda La Plante’s Supply And Demand, Paramount Films’ Still Crazy and BBC’s hit Hotel Babylon.
She continues her strong relationship with The Soil Association. Part of her ongoing work with them recently included her role extending to Editor in Chief of Grown in Britain cookbook, published and released by Dorling Kindersley.
Gideon Coe
Gideon Coe has a long career in radio broadcasting. He joined GLR Breakfast Show in 1995, winning a Sony Award and went on to present various other programming, continuing when the station became London Live. He presented their evening show and won another Sony for his Saturday Sports Show.
Gideon now presents the 9pm til 12pm show on 6 Music http://www.bbc.com/6music/shows/gideon_coe/
He is also a regular contributor to Loose Ends on BBC Radio 4.
On TV, Gideon has presented VH1’s “Something for the Weekend”. In demand as a narrator, Gid has recorded Channel 5’s “Rosemary on the Road” (Wall to Wall Prods), Channel 4’s “Top Ten TV Sexbombs” and “Top Ten TV Soap Queens” (Chrysalis TV), together with documentaries for Channel 5 on John Travolta, Jean Claude Van Damme, Jackie Chan, Evel Knievel and Bruce Lee! (Chrysalis TV).
Chris Cox
Chris Cox is ‘one of the most exciting entertainers in Britain’ according to The Guardian, Time Out thinks, ‘he does tricks that would make Jesus proud… Loveable, geeky & deceptively talented,’ they’re not alone, The Times think he’s ‘stunning’ and ‘leaves other magicians scratching their heads.’ Chris agrees with all these things but also likes to think he’s far to modest to make them the first things people read about him.
He is a unique force when it comes to mind-reading entertainment. Chris already has a string of accolades under his belt including 4 Edinburgh Fringe shows, 2 UK Tours, 2 West End Shows, an extended & sell out run at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival, a bloody big heap of 4 and 5 star reviews, 2 Edinburgh Fringe Awards, 2007/08/09 sell out shows, must see show listings and numerous TV and Radio appearances. All that and he’s still in his early 20s. Phew! What a busy boy.
The self proclaimed mind reader who can’t read minds is an accomplished and much loved performer, making a mongrel hybrid mix of witty chit chat, magic, psychology, body language, influencing, devilish good looks… and lying, to make you think he knows what your thinking. All this helps him to produce a highly-entertaining and very funny cutting edge show.
He’s popped up doing tricks on Radio 1, has been on your screens on The Mentalist Revealed (C5) and is soon to be on The Stephen K Amos Show (BBC 2), not only that but he’s also part of the Bafta nominated team as the man who brought magic to bbc.co.uk’s Merlin.
Ricky Gervais said Chris is, ‘Brilliant, he’ll blow your mind’ and he is never wrong. Other celebrity fans of Cox include Dannii Minogue, Kelly Osbourne, Agyness Deyn and Tim Minchin.
Chris is currently developing several mind-reading projects for TV in the US and the UK while still focusing on his critically acclaimed live work.
Louie Spence
The dance guru, God of gays and lover of all people, with a speech impediment and enough chat to talk the leg off a chair.
Sarah Campbell
Sarah Campbell is a writer, stand-up and actor. She will panic if she has nothing to do.
Thankfully, the last 2 years have been packed. After appearing as a finalist in national stand-up competition Funny Women in 2008 and writing jokes for I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here Now which somehow ended up on Harry Hill’s TV Burp, in 2009 Sarah’s work beat almost a thousand submissions to win BBC7’s national sketch-writing competition, ‘7 on7.’
She went on to become a resident writer and performer at Myspace Comedy, where she wrote and appeared in the most successful clip in the channel’s history, Christian Bale’s Public Apology. She wrote and performed on the MTV game show Grooveriderz as a talking car, appeared in the Current TV’s Two Girls, One Cup, founded the wildly successful comedy soiree The Cheese and Pineapple Club, which has attracted a cult following of punters and top comedians, and wowed crowds from Glasgow to Totnes with her stand-up. In her downtime she guested on Russell Brand-producer Nick Philps’ latest project on BBC6 Music.
2010 has seen her writing and appearing in BBC3’s Laughter Shock, following which the channel has commissioned one of her sketches as its comedy ident. She founded the double act Christmas for Two with Laughter Shock co-star Amy Hoggart which will take up a monthly residency at the Soho Theatre in June. In August her first solo show, Sarah Campbell: 27 Up hits Edinburgh. In her downtime she’s been hosting a strange quiz night in Dalston.
“Hugely talented…If you haven’t heard the name Sarah Campbell yet, then log it into the old memory banks, you’ll be hearing from her again” Time Out
“Smart and sassy” **** The List
“Endearingly Whimsical” Evening Standard
“Deliciously different” Myspace Comedy
James Brown
James Brown has sold over 50,000,000 magazines. He created loaded magazine which defined an era and a male outlook previously unrepresented in print. Against all odds and perceived industry wisdom men turned out in their droves to buy it, it was the first ever mass market men’s lifestyle magazine. Advertisers, readers and the magazine industry loved it as it became IPC magazine’s fastest ever payback on investment, earning its first pound of profit after three issues against a target of three years. The multi-award winning title created a new worldwide genre and went onto sell a half a million copies a month in the UK alone. The magazine was sharp, funny, reckless and hugely popular. It was credited by Campaign as “showing men how they really are, rather than how they are supposed to be.”
In addition to loaded James has worked on a number of other print titles including publishing Viz Comic, editing GQ, Quintessentially and launching Jack. He started his career on the New Musical Express and has launched supplements and magazines for The Independent, Mail on Sunday, Jamie Oliver, MTV and V Festival amongst others. Sky Sports Magazine which he re-launched for BSKYB in 2010 is the biggest sports magazine in the world with a circulation of over 4 million people. He appears regularly on television and as a columnist in newspapers and magazines.
His latest project is Sabotagetimes.com multiplatform media content and Syndication Company which has both Sir Paul Smith and advertising guru Trevor Beattie as investors.
TIM SHAW
Having made the ‘less radio and more TV’ move two years ago, Tim has already presented Channel 4’s primetime series, ‘Extreme Male Beauty’ and hosted three series of Ch 5’s motoring show Fifth Gear. He was one of only a few new faces on Channel 4 last year.
Previous key TV series for Tim include Channel 4’s ‘Balls of Steel’ where he featured as character Mr Inappropriate and Virgin 1’s ‘Britain’s Worst Learners where clueless people behind the wheel are taught to drive by their long-suffering loved ones. He also has presented on More 4’s ‘The Last Word’ and ITV1’s ‘Pulling Power’.
Radio-wise, last year Tim won a Sony Award in the most prestigious category, ‘The Entertainment Award’. This was for his TFI Friday style show on Absolute radio (previously Virgin radio). Branded as A TV show on the radio, with usually an audience of 50 people every night, he has also picked up 9 of the prestigious New York Radio awards (notably 6 golds).
Tim was also awarded two of EMAP’s most distinguished awards ‘Speech Broadcaster of the Year” and of course another ‘Entertainment Award’. In May 2008 he was awarded ‘Presenter of the Year’ by the British Radio Industry. Having recently chosen to leave Absolute radio, Tim now presents his ‘Rehab’ show on the BRMB network across Birmingham and the Midlands. Previous radio shows have included Kiss 100 breakfast, Kerrang Radio breakfast, Magic breakfast, Hallam FM, BBC local stations, Century Radio,
Tim has earned the title of “The Most Internationally awarded Radio Presenter in the UK today”.
His latest project ‘Man In Box’ saw him locked in a box for 30 days somewhere in the UK, however neither he or anyone he knows (bar two people) knew where he was. Being told that his location was meaningful to him, 8.5 million people tuned in to watch the 24hr a day live stream. Viewers had to try to find him with a prize of £30,000 to the first correct coordinates. Man In Box was an idea that Tim himself devised, realised and funded. To date it is the second biggest live streamed event in history.
Tim has two first class honours degrees (one in TV Development) and randomly enough was Young Engineer of the Year in 1994. He spends the majority of his spare time writing treatments (one of which has just been commissioned), rebuilding crash damaged cars and filming stuff with mates! He admits that is biggest fascination is with everyday people. Tim is that bloke that starts talking to you on the tube and before you know it you’re exchanging numbers! He believes that everyone is interesting (having carried out over 8000 interviews) and his personal goal is to travel the world and meet everybody! Good luck with that.
Jo Caulfield
The minute Jo Caulfield hits the stage you know you’re in for a good time seeing as she was recently nominated as ‘Funniest Woman 2010’ (LAFTA Awards), ‘Best Female Stand-Up’ (Chortle Awards).
Jo has appeared regularly on our screens with appearances on ‘Have I Got News For You (BBC1), ‘Mock The Week’ (BBC2) ‘Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow’ (BBC1), ‘Saturday Night Live’ (ITV), ‘Argumental’ (Dave UKTV), ‘Comedy Store’ (Paramount Comedy Channel), “Colin Murphy’s Great Unanswered Questions” (BBC N. Ireland), “The Wright Stuff” (Ch 5), ‘The Blame Game’ (BBC N. Ireland), “It Takes Two” (BBC 2), “Bremner, Bird and Fortune- The Daily Wind-Up (Ch 4) and has also been seen on numerous ‘Talking Head’ shows due to her wide ranging knowledge of music, comedy and all popular culture.
And, let’s not forget her stints as a guest presenter on ‘The Politics Show’ (BBC1) ‘The ONE Show’ (BBC1) and ‘The World Rally: Portugal 2009’ (Dave UKTV).
Writer and star of her own critically acclaimed Radio 4 comedy show ‘It’s That Jo Caulfield Again’. Jo was Programme Consultant on all 5 series of the BAFTA award-winning ‘So Graham Norton’ (Channel 4). She was Head Writer on Ruby Wax’s ‘ The Waiting Game’ – A BBC 1 Game show. Jo has also written for Joan Rivers, Anne Robinson and Denise Van Outen.
A trained actress, as well as acting in her own Radio show Jo has appeared in several sitcoms, including Life’s A Pitch (BBC1), Days Like These (ITV), Beast (BBC1), and Get Real (ITV). She also played someone’s sister in Family Affairs (Ch5) but can’t remember her name. Other acting credits include: So Graham Norton (Ch4) and Stitch-Up (CBBC).
Jo is in regular demand as a host and after-dinner speaker at corporate events across the country. She has spoken at corporate dinners, business lunches, award ceremonies, charity events, St. Andrew’s nights and many more.
She specialises in giving ‘The Response on Behalf of The Lassies’ at Burns Suppers.
Her Celtic qualifications for this are the fact that she was born in Wales to Irish parents and is married to a Scotsman.
‘Many of the points Jo Caulfield makes about the human condition would have sociologists stroking their beards in admiration, but her audiences tend to be laughing too much to notice’ – THE TIMES
‘Jo Caulfield is incapable of doing a bad show, so sharp is her tongue and so in tandem is it with her mischievous mind’ – THE SCOTSMAN
‘Jo Caulfield is an inspiration to all would-be female comedians’ – THE OBSERVER
To see clips of Jo visit www.jocaulfield.com
Jo Caulfield Won’t Shut Up! Her hilariously brilliant radio show is on BBC Radio 4 Thursdays at 11pm for 3 weeks- (that’s the 17th, 24th June and the 1st July to be precise). Make sure you tune in.
Seetha Hallett
Seetha was born in London to Sri-Lankan parents. Having gained a degree in finance, she worked in the City for a number of years as a business analyst for major American and Dutch banks, before a chance meeting led to her being asked to front a new property series for Channel 4 - A Place By The Sea, for which she has filmed 75 hour long shows.
Since moving into presenting, Seetha has worked on a variety of productions, which have seen her doing everything from debating current affairs and interviewing government ministers to feeding dolphins and trekking through rainforest… in genres as diverse as current affairs, travel, food, lifestyle & property for various broadcasters including the BBC, Channel 4, Discovery, ITV, More4 and UKTV.
Outside work, her love of wildlife and desire to experience new things have led her to travel to more than 40 countries so far to, amongst other things, climb the mountains Kilimanjaro and Kinabalu, scuba dive with whale sharks, trek to see mountain gorillas, drive across the desert to see desert elephants…
Channel 4 (Property) - A Place By The Sea (presenter)
UKTV (Lifestyle) - Fantasy Homes Down Under (presenter)
BBC One (Current Affairs) - Inside Out (presenter)
BBC Asian Network (Current Affairs) -The Forum (regular guest)
UITV (Various) – United Indians Television (presenter)
NTL Broadband (Interviewer for financial and business topics) - NTL Broadband (presenter)
Rabo Bank (Corporate) – Rabo Development(presenter)
ITV (Entertainment) – Loose Women (guest)
UKTV (Food) - Market Kitchen (guest)
You can view Seetha’s showreel here: http://vimeo.com/10204865
Heshima Thompson
Heshima Thompson is one of 2010’s ‘‘ones to watch’’ following his nomination for SCREEN NATION AWARD 2009 in their ‘‘Young Shooting Star’’ category.
His extensive work as an actor includes television roles in ‘‘CASUALTY’’ (BBC), the lead role of Jez in ‘‘SPOOKS: CODE 9’’ (BBC), ‘‘CITY LIGHTS’’ (ITV), starring opposite Helen Mirren in the final series of ‘‘PRIME SUSPECT’’ (ITV), ‘‘AHEAD OF THE CLASS’’ (BBC), ‘‘JUDGE JOHN DEED’’ (BBC) and 2 series of the BBC hit series ‘‘BABYFATHER’’ to name a few.
His theatre credits include productions at The Young Vic in Sacha Wares ‘‘GENERATIONS’’ and at The Royal Court for Sean Holmes hit ‘‘INCOMPLETE AND RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS’‘.
Alongside his growing acting career, for the past two years Heshima has sang and toured the world with Amy Winehouse, contributing to her 5 x Grammy win and 50 x Platinum success.
He was also approached by girl group ‘‘FYA’’ to write for their new album. Putting his song writing skills to use he co-wrote a song with his brother Zalon called “Can We Dance” which went Gold in Japan. Heshima is currently working on Zalon’s album, which is being produced by Grammy Super producer Mark Ronson due out later this year.
Jeremy Edwards
An adventurous child Jeremy grew up in Barnet, North London until the age of 11 when he was cruelly packed off to boarding school in Somerset to complete his education.
However, he went on to get a degree in Public Administration at Manchester Met Uni and still to this day has aspirations of one day becoming Mayor of London…!
Jeremy’s television career took off in 1995 when he appeared in an advert for Asda as a carol singer laden with mince pies. Despite being one of many and only appearing for a matter of seconds, it was a role he made his own (says he) and it wasn’t long before he was snapped up to play the lead in a new soap called ‘‘Hollyoaks’’.
Four years later in 1999, and feeling Chester was sufficiently established on the map, he left and went straight on to present the BAFTA winning children’s show, ‘‘The Scoop’’ for ITV1. Later that year he joined the cast of the new ‘Casualty’ spin-off ‘‘Holby City’’ where he stayed until 2005, having been nominated for Best Newcomer at the NTA’s along the way.
Wanting fresh challenges in different areas of the business Jeremy has gone from appearing on the West End stage in period drama, to presenting cooking shows, to running marathons in Africa for charity for the BBC. He has a love of comedy acting and has appeared at Edinburgh fringe. aswell as playing away from stereo-types in several independent films. As a hobby he likes to write and is working towards getting one of his projects on screen. His fitness training is relentless as is his enthusiasm for new challenges.
Lou Sanders
Lou sanders is a writer, stand up and actor. She has just written for and starred in a BBC3 sketch and stand up show called Laughter Shock.
She performs stand up at the Comedy Store, university gigs and the odd Turkish restaurant.
In 2008 Lou won a competition and was selected from hundreds of hopefuls to do the Pleasance Comedy Reserve, a comedy showcase of new stand ups. It was an experience – mainly a terrible one, for herself and the audience. But just like Gary Barlow, she came back from the brink, better, stronger and a little bit thinner.
“Lou Sanders has funny bones, she has that little bit of sparkle that makes a good performer great” – ITV
“Dark and sexy comedy. Very Funny” – Time Out
“An undeniable talent. Like a cockney Sarah Silverman there’s a mixture of sweet and wrong that has won over every audience I’ve seen her at” – MySpace Comedy
http://www.lousanders.com/
Miss London Hughes
Miss London (aka London Hughes) is the winner of this year’s prestigious Funny Women Awards which were held at the Comedy Store in central London. You can see her award winning set by clicking here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/extra/video/p004r20k.
It’s been a while since a female voice has taken the UK comedy scene by storm, but 20-year-old Miss London is about to change all of that.
Despite being on the circuit for under a year, the south London comic has already amassed a huge following in celebrity circles and secured a loyal fan base around the UK, which grows bigger by the second.
Miss London nurtured a love for entertainment from childhood spending every spare moment outside of school at an east London dance studio working on new routines with dance crew, Visions. When her family moved to Brighton from London when she was 12, the trained street dancer didn’t put her love for dancing on the back burner, but instead became one of the founding members of Brighton’s first ever hip-hop dance crews, Funk Stars.
Often singled out as the natural comedian within her group of school friends, it wasn’t long before Miss London took her natural flair in comedy to the stage.
The south London teenager began writing plays for talent shows at her college and was taken aback at the rapturous laughter and reception her material received. It was at this point that she realised her true calling in entertainment. When she moved back to London to study television, media and cultural studies at university, she was adamant that she would begin etching out a career in comedy.
When a friend asked her to perform a dance routine at her university’s annual talent show, Miss London saw this as a prime opportunity to trial her one-man comedic skills in front of a captive audience, and asked her friend if it was possible for her to combine the two art forms within her set. Although, confused at such a request, her friend agreed to let Miss London try her hand at comedy on the premise that having her perform one of her famed dance routines wasbetter than her doing nothing at all.
Not many people would invite seasoned professionals within the field to their first show, but Miss London threw all caution to the wind and invited comedians, Jamie Howard and Little Man to her debut.
“I was performing in front of a sea of people I had never met before and two comedians I love and respect” she recalls. “If I flopped, I would’ve flopped hard because it would have been very public” she says.
Miss London was an instant hit with the teenage crowd and her two special guests who each told her she was destined for greatness within the comedy circuit. She landed her first paid gig the following weekend at the popular night, The Sunday Show. Subsequent to her performance on stage at the Sunday Show, which has been graced by the likes of fellow comedians, Richard Blackwood and Kat B, the demand for the multi-faceted star, who also has modelling and presenting credits to her name, has been great.
The former TGI Friday’s waitress, who was sacked prior to her life-changing performance at her university, says she has the American fast-food chain to thank for her career in comedy.
“TGI’s enabled me to go into comedy because if I hadn’t got the sack, I would have had to work on the weekend I was scheduled to debut at the Sunday Show. Basically if it hadn’t been for them giving me the sack, I wouldn’t have gotten into comedy” she said.
She also credits moving to London as an integral part to her success, acknowledging that things might not has happened so quickly for her if she had remained in Brighton with her mum and dad who run a hotel at the popular seaside resort.
“London opened a lot of doors for me. Everything I dreamed of doing in Brighton, I’ve done in London.” She said.
The sky is definitely the limit for this young talent who continues to leave an indelible mark in the minds of those who have had the pleasure of seeing her perform.
Harvey Allpress
At only 12 years old, Harvey has worked alongside some of the most influential actors of his generation inlcuding Sally Hawkins, Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan to name a few.
His credits include the feature film ‘‘Never Let Me Go’’ (Fox / DNA), ‘‘The Crossing’’ (Between The Eyes), the stage productions of ‘‘Beauty And The Beast’’ and ‘‘Oliver!’’ as well as appearing in the BBC’s ‘‘Casualty’’ and also ‘‘Phineas and Ferb’’ for The Disney Channel.
Harvey has recently been seen in ‘‘The Late Middle Classes’’ playing the lead role of Holly opposite Helen McCrory at The Donmar Warehouse.
Harrison Charles
Harrison, only 14 years old, from a shy self conscious boy has developed a confident outgoing young man who loves to perform.
Currently he enjoys four drama sessions a week at Bradfield College, where he has, in his first year, already played Napoleon in ‘Animal Farm’ and is looking forward to parts in ‘The Canterbury Tales’, the opera ‘Dido and Aeneas’ and ‘Oliver!’ before the end of the academic year.
His love of humour came to the fore in his portrayal of Benn Gunn in Treasure Island at Aldro, his Prep School, where he was also Head Chorister. His singing roles in the choir included many solos undertaken with a confidence and maturity that belied his years.
He has recently completed filming the feature ‘‘SKATEBOARDS AND SPANDEX’’ for B3 Media and the UK Film Council.
He will soon be heard as ‘‘Edward’’ in Polly Thomas’ version of ‘‘WHITE CHAMELEON’’ for BBC Radio 4.
White Chameleon is an autobiographical play, focused on Christopher Hampton’s youth between 1952 and 1956.
Ted Allpress
Ted is currently playing ‘Bert’ in the Howard Davies production of ‘‘All My Sons’’ opposite Zoe Wanamaker and David Suchet at The Apollo, Shaftesbury Avenue.
All My Sons by Arthur Miller from 19th May 2010 http://www.apollo-theatre.co.uk/
Ted, made his stage debut at The Donmar Warehouse opposite Gillian Anderson playing Ivor in Kfir Yefets hit production of ‘‘The Doll’s House’’ in 2009.
He has also worked closely with LAMDA on their 3rd year graduation production of ‘‘Tommy’’ taking on the lead role of ‘‘Young Tommy’‘, directed by John Baxter.
Jake Canuso
Jake Canuso was born in a small village near Zurich in Switzerland to Italian immigrants from southern Italy.
He started his career as a dancer and at the age of 16 became the youngest member of Zurich’s leading contemporary dance company.
What followed was a move to London via Paris and New York and a career that lasted nearly 2 decades, which (as well as helping him become fluent in SIX languages!!!) would see him work with some of the leading choreographers and companies in the world; and eventually taking a more commercial side performing, choreographing and touring the world with some of the world’s biggest recording artists including Annie Lennox, Take That, Elton John and The Spice Girls to name a few.
Jake finally stepped over into acting and over the last few years has built up an extensive CV appearing in films such as ‘‘Piccadilly Jim’’ (Myriad Films / UPI), ‘‘School For Seduction’’ (Ipso Facto Films), Kinky Boots (Mirimax / Columbia), Fly Boys (MGM), ‘‘Russian Dolls’’ (Lunar Films), ‘‘Journal Of A Contract Killer’’ (MJ Films), ‘‘City Rats’’ (Urban Way Productions) and most recently ‘‘Nine’’ (The Weinstein Co. / Sony Pictures) with Daniel Day Lewis and Judi Dench.
Television credits include, ‘‘Keen Eddie’’ (Paramount), ‘‘Hustle’’ (BBC), ‘‘Shameless’’ (Ch4), ‘‘Suburban Shoot Out’’ (Ch5), ‘‘Casualty’’ (BBC) and three series of ITV1’s hit comedy ‘‘Benidorm’‘, for which he is probably best known for his role as the loveable ‘‘Mateo’‘.
Matt Rudge
Matt Rudge is a Filmmaker, Comedian and Writer.
“A fantastic film by Matt Rudge. Warm, funny and perception changing. This will win awards” The Times
“Draws parallels to Louis Theroux and Morgan Spurlock” The Independent
“Commendable” The Guardian
“Brave, bold - and way too short a film” The Guide
“Laugh a minute” The List
“A clearly talented performer” The Scotsman
“Impressive stand up” Three Weeks
“Breezy material, neat lines, all told with upbeat good humour” Chortle
“The purveyor of surreal and acerbic comedy” Venue Magazine
Matt was nominated for the prestigious Broadcast Award for best documentary for his film The Autistic Me in 2009. That year he also directed My Dad The Serial Killer, the story of the family of a convicted murderer, for Channel 4. His four short films 25 Years: appeared on Channel 4 as part of their 25th anniversary celebrations.
Away from filmmaking, Matt’s stand up comedy has appeared at major clubs around the country and regularly at the Edinburgh Fringe. Matt was nominated as Comedian of the Year in England’s biggest comedy festival, the Leicester Comedy Festival. He also beat hundreds of entrants to make it as a finalist in two major new act competitions, Edinburgh’s prestigious Laugh Off 2008, and The Laughing Horse New Act of the Year 2007.
At The Edinburgh Fringe Matt wrote and directed the Sketch show The Gadabouts, playing at The Pleasance Dome and The Pleasance Courtyard, with a sell out run each year. Described as “Excellent” by Time Out and “about as Silly as it gets” by The List. Matt also starred in the comedy show International Stand-Up, featuring three of the best new comedians from Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Ricky Grover
Multi-award winning actor, comedian, presenter and writer Ricky Grover has an impressive list of TV & film credits and is a hugely popular headline act, on both the national and international comedy circuit. Born and bred in the East End of London, Ricky was an ex-champion boxer and hairdresser before taking the comedy scene by storm. Grover was illiterate until his early thirties but it didn’t stop him from becoming a highly versatile performer able to flit between powerful drama and hilarious comedy, no doubt his improvisational ability is his strongest talent
Ricky’s many television credits include, Black Books (CH4), TV To Go (ITV), ‘Orrible (BBC 2) and Red Dwarf (BBC 2).
Ricky’s film credits include Tony, Cargo, Revolver, Love Honour and Obey, Punch and Hungry.
On the comedy circuit Ricky is perhaps best known and loved for his explosive comic character ‘Bulla’ (gangster and god amongst the London underworld). ‘Bulla’ also appeared as a regular guest on - The 11 o’clock Show and was famously interviewed by Michael Parkinson. (Bulla The Movie is currently in production).
A prolific writer, Ricky has written and starred in two short films, receiving international acclaim. The UK released Punch won him the prestigious Silver Bear Award and Hungry (broadcast on Channel 4) won him the Best Actor Award at the Brest Film Festival.
Ricky also presented F*** Off I’m Fat for the BBC, which grossed the highest viewing figures ever for the channel!
Oliver Wilson
Oliver was born in Manchester during the height of the ‘Madchester’ era and was christened in The Hacienda. That set the scene for a life long love affair with music.
As a teenager Oliver became well known in Manchester for his pirate radio shows and the raves he staged in venues across town, something he continued when moving to London for University, putting on gigs and parties across the capital.
As his career in the music industry grew Oliver’s compulsive obessission with new music grew with it, seeing him nurture new acts in London and become involved in festivals in Los Angeles. All the while his love of sport grew too. A life long Manchester United fan and Mechaphile (for those that don’t know that’s someone who falls in love with cars), Oliver can usually be found somewhere between a racetrack and a football stadium on the weekends.
Having recently fronted television shows covering music, politics and motorsport Oliver is looking forward to expanding on all these, and taking his radio career further from his pirate radio roots.
Claire Young
Claire Young shot to fame in series 4 of the smash hit BBC 1 ´The Apprentice´. She was the no-nonsense sales woman who infuriated, then won over viewers to reach the final - becoming the biggest ever bookies favourite to win in Apprentice history. Nicknamed the ´Rottweiler´ for her ability to go after whatever she wants; many admired her non stop drive and were gripped by her transformation throughout the series.
The last 12 months have been a whirlwind for Young and a year later she successfully manages her business and media career. Already running a thriving consultancy advising retailers and manufacturers, Claire has just launched a prestigious venue management company, specialising in weddings, called Elegant Venues (www.elegantvenues.com).
She has lost a whopping 2.5 stone with the help of Fabulous Magazine. Finally free of her well documented back problems (from wearing high heels!) she is an ambassdaor for the posture enhancing MBT trainers.
Claire is a TV natural and continues to commentate on business matters for BBC, GMTV, Sky and Five, Renowned as a chatterbox she particularly enjoys radio; BBC Radio 2, 4 and Five Live. Keen to share her views she is a regular contributor to Glamour Magazine. Having first hand experience of stress in the work place she was thrilled to head a campaign for Wrigleys Chewing Gum about their top tips to survive the working day.
Having shot up the career ladder at a young age she has become a regular on the speaking circuit for her inspiring, motivating and down to earth approach. She is passionate about developing young people and has been involved in many projects; National Apprentice Week, National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurs and has recently become an ambassador for Make Your Mark campain. Claire supports her two charities - Kids Company and Women´s Aid - and is running the British 10km for the latter.
Richard Williams
Rich is the 2010 Arqiva Commercial Radio Presenter Of The Year.
His ‘Homerun’ show on 96.3 Radio Aire has gone from strength to strength over the last 12 months almost doubling in listernership since he took over in one of the most competitive radio markets. He also presents the mid morning show on The Hits reaching a weekly audience of 450,000.
Rich also has experience of live TV having taken part in a BBC show to find a new presenter where he made it through to the final 5.
When he’s not working in radio, Rich also writes for publications reviewing music and when hes not involved with TV and radio work, his three big passions are music, sport and politics.
For a look at Rich on camera, check out his Party in the Park backstage blog here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF1gmmUyiLE
John Sparkes
Swansea born John is more commonly known on Welsh television as Barry Welsh, in the award-winning (Best Light Entertainment, Welsh Baftas, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004) series Barry Welsh is Coming for HTV.
As well as this hit, he is widely known for his comic creations ‘Siadwel’ and ‘Frank Hovis’ from the days of BBC’s “Naked Video” and Channel 4’s “Absolutely”.
John Sparkes has since written for and performed in many shows including four series of “Celebrity Pub Quiz” (HTV), “Like It or Lump It” (Vera Prods for Ch4), ‘‘Jeff Global’s Global Probe’’ (ITV) and “The Morwenna Banks Show” (Absolutely for Ch5). He has also performed in both series of Radio 4’s “Mouth to Mouth” (Zeitgeist Prods).
Behind the camera he provides the voice of the Narrator children’s animated series ‘‘Peppa Pig’‘. He also lends his voice to the series ‘‘Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends’’ and ‘‘Shaun the Sheep’‘, and is the voice of Cbeebies “Fireman Sam” (Siriol Productions).
He also writes and presents “Ghost Story” in which he spends the night alone with a camcorder in haunted houses around Wales. He has also co-written and presented Doug Strong’s Special Places, a factual comedy series for ITV Wales and ITV Central.
Brix Smith-Start
Brix Smith Start joined the legendary British band The Fall in 1983 as a guitarist/singer/songwriter. She first appeared on the Perverted by Language album, and recorded and released numerous albums with them before finally leaving for good back in 1996.
She went on to release 2 solo albums under the name ‘‘Adult Net’’ in the years following The Fall.
Brix has since gone on to pursue a career in acting, presenting and most notably, in fashion.
Having launched her first boutique Start with her husband Philip Start in 2002, they have since pretty much taken over Rivington Street in East London, with 4 boutiques and an online store!
The Start stores are A-list boutiques, and are considered to be amongst the best stores in the world.
Brix is one of the most recognized faces in fashion and is now working on multiple TV projects.
She is a series regular on Gok’s Fashion Fix (Channel 4), Market Kitchen (Optomen) and the brand new Angela And Friends (Sky TV) and has also appeared on Top Dog (Animal Planet), The Culture Show (BBC TV), Tough Gig (ITV), John Peels Record Box (Channel 4) and on LK Today’s ‘What’s Hot and What’s Not’ segment to name a few.
She has recently completed a new solo album called Neurotica, available now on iTunes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIUHf5gxf1I
Brix Smith-Start is back with Gok’s Fashion Fix. Are you craving exclusive access to celebs and their wardrobes? Insider know-how on designer fashion? Tips on how to get the look for less? Watch Brix and Gok go head to head in a fashion face off. It’s high street versus high end. Every Tuesday at 8pm, Channel 4.
Jon Ronson
Jon Ronson is a writer and documentary film maker. His books, Them: Adventures With Extremists and The Men Who Stare At Goats were international bestsellers. The Men Who Stare At Goats has been turned into a major motion picture starring George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges. He’s also the author of two collections, Out Of The Ordinary: True Tales of Everyday Craziness and What I Do: More True Tales of Everyday Craziness.
He’s written the popular “Human Zoo” and “Out of the Ordinary” columns for The Guardian, where he still contributes features. He currently writes and presents the twice Sony nominated BBC Radio 4 series, Jon Ronson On….
For Channel 4, Jon has made a number of films including the acclaimed five part series the Secret Rulers of the World and the multi award-winning Tottenham Ayatollah. His most recent documentaries are Reverend Death (Channel 4), Citizen Kubrick (More4) and Robbie Williams and Jon Ronson Journey to the Other Side (Radio 4).
In the US, he is a contributor to Public Radio International’s This American Life.
“Mr. Ronson sets The Men Who Stare At Goats up beautifully. It moves with wry, precise agility ...so entertaining… a smarter, nuttier version of “The Tipping Point” or “Blink.” ...Mr. Ronson, a filmmaker and journalist whose earlier book, “Them: Adventures With Extremists,” was also outstandingly artful and chilling, eventually follows his trail of bread crumbs to the realms that really matter ...Somehow he is able to keep his book both light and nightmarish ...He remains terrifically adept at capturing the horror of these developments without losing track of their lunacy.” (review of The Men Who Stare At Goats) Janet Maslin - The New York Times
‘‘Unlikely though it certainly will seem to most readers at this difficult hour…Jon Ronson has managed to write a hugely amusing book about the lunatic fringe.’‘
(review of THEM) Washington Post
‘‘Often entertaining, more often disturbing…[Ronson] has gotten closer to these people than any journalist I can think of.’‘
New York Times (THEM)
‘‘I’ve never read such a delightful book on such a serious and important topic’‘.
The Nation (THEM)
Nick Revell
Nick Revell is a stand up and writer of great repute - his material is a mixture of topical, observational and stories.
“Revell’s pedigree goes back to the eighties, but his patter feels as relevant today as it ever did” London Evening Standard, 2004
“A master-craftsman back at work” Time Out, 2003
“Scalpel-sharp satirist” London Evening Standard, 2002
He was chief writer on the BBC 1 panel show “Public Opinion” and has sit-coms in development with BBC TV and Radio and a comedy-drama with ITV.
Nick appears regularly on Radio 4’s “Just A Minute” and “Quote, Unquote”.
Katie Puckrik
Described as “the descendant of Dorothy Parker and Mae West”, Katie Puckrik is a broadcaster, writer and performer – and with the success of her popular YouTube channel and blog, Katie Puckrik Smells, a respected fragrance critic. Her TV and radio work in the US and the UK includes entertainment, comedy, music and documentary.
Katie has starred on Oxygen Network’s “Pajama Party”, the variety talk show she originally devised for British television. She won a Gracie Award for Best Reality Series with her creation “Who Needs Hollywood?”, the comedy documentary series she executive produced and starred in for Oxygen.
Her British television work includes hosting and writing hit variety series “The Word” (Channel Four) and “The Sunday Show” (BBC) and “Pyjama Party” (ITV).
Katie’s journalism can be read in Elle, The Guardian, Marie Claire and the London Sunday Times. Her career encompasses acting, singing and dancing, including a tour across the globe with the Pet Shop Boys.
Reviewers have called her memoir, “Shooting From The Lip” (Headline) “Gonzette journalism…an ammunition-packed bad girl’s guide to life.”
Patrick O’Connell
On TV, Paddy has knelt at Bill Clinton’s feet to steady a microphone, and was challenged by Bill Gates to debut the X-box. On radio he presents “Broadcasting House” on Radio 4.
He was the Wall Street anchor for the BBC, and was due for a meeting at the World Trade Centre during the attacks on the USA in 2001. He reported on the attacks and presented the News coverage on the evening of September 11th from New York, and covered the aftermath until leaving New York in 2003.
Witnessing terrorist murder and Wall Street boom, bust and sleaze, he changed direction. He currently presents BBC 2’s “Working Lunch”, and co-presented various programming around the Eurovision Song Contest.
He first worked on local radio stations in the UK for five years, was hired for the launch team of BBC Radio 5 Live, and the launch of “The World” from WGBH in Boston and BBC World Service. He has been heard as reporter or presenter on other stations around the world including 50 US stations which broadcast “The World,” Radio New Zealand, ABC Australia, Radio Canada, London’s LBC 97.3 and Radio Scotland.
Other presenting credits include: “Flashmob: The Opera”, “Naked City; Spencer Tunick”, “Celebdaq”, “Liquid News”, “Liquid Assets”, “HardTalk Extra”, “Seven O’Clock News, BBC 3”, “World Business Report”, “Oscars Special 2006”, “Making your Mind Up”. Other contributions include: “Richard and Judy”, “HeadJam”, “100 Best Cartoons”.
He was listed among the top 40 gay men on TV by “Attitude” magazine, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Picture courtesy of Joe Gaffney/Retina
Ben Norris
Ben Norris is one of the most sought after comperes on the circuit and has developed a reputation for his ability to work an audience and think fast on his feet. Ben presented MTV’s “Hot” for a successful run, has performed sets for “The Stand Up Show” (BBC) and guested on “They Think It’s All Over” (TalkBack Prods for BBC1) and “Nevermind the Buzzcocks” (TalkBack Prods for BBC2).
Ben was a writer and warm-up for Paul Kaye’s “Liar” (Talkback Prods), as well as “Your Face or Mine” (Talkback Prods for BBC Choice) and is in demand as a warm up for entertainment shows.
Colin Murray
Colin Murray began his career as a news reporter, cutting his teeth at the Ulster News Letter. Colin then set up and co-published his own cutting-edge music magazine Blank and unexpectedly found himself co-hosting for BBC Radio 1’s Session In Northern Ireland, after attending a five minute audtition believing it was for BBC Radio Ulster. It appeared he could talk as well as write.
Since then Colin has soared through the ranks at BBC Radio 1, deputising for various major shows and doing a six month stint as host of the flagship evening music programme. He currently co-presents the “Colin & Edith show”, Mon-Fri, 1-3pm.
On TV, Colin has presented BBC3’s “EastEnders Revealed”, 4Music series “Ear Candy”, Channel 4’s “Born Sloppy” and appeared regularly on “Liquid News”. Colin has also co-presented the last three year’s BBC3 Glastonbury coverage.
Apart from being crowned IPR Northern Ireland Entertainment Journalist Of The Year 2002 - for his long-standing music column in the Irish Sunday People - he recently scooped a coveted Gold Sony Radio Broadcast Award. The Feature Award was for a documentary he made with All Out Productions entitled “The Trouble With Drugs”.
http://www.bbc.com/fivelive/programmes/fightingtalk.shtml
For more of Colin Murray listen to him every Friday on BBC Radio 5 Live, 7pm to 10pm, and don’t forget his Fighting Talk show makes a welcome return to 5 Live.
Colin’s weekly podcast for BBC Radio 5 Live provides an irreverent half hour that looks back at the week in sport. To listen to each instalment of Murray and Lovejoy’s Sports Express click below:
http://www.bbc.com/programmes/b00m749r
Colin Murray’s ‘A Random History of Football’ is a witty alternative history of the most popular sport that provides the reader with a random collection of bizarre, humorous and frankly intriguing football stories. Available from all major bookstores and online ...
Sophie Morgan
After having a car accident in 2003 that left me paralysed and in a wheel chair for life, my attitude was altered dramatically. Initially I planned to study law, but due to this shift in consciousness (!!) I followed my heart. After a year of adapting to my new life in a chair, whilst studying art at foundation level, I was awarded an unconditional offer to study fine art at Goldsmiths University. I had my first exhibition in my first year, and since then have continued to exhibit throughout London. My love for learning has also led me on to study an English Literature Degree with the Open University, which grants me the freedom to study while still balancing my career as an artist and my determination to pursue my dream of TV presenting and writing.
I have seized two rare and incredible opportunities given by the BBC to take part in very contrasting but equally groundbreaking series. “Beyond Boundaries”, a month long expedition across Nicaragua in 2004 and “Britain’s Missing Top Model” a six part reality show in 2008 focusing on disabled women, aspiring to challenge stereotype and break into the fashion industry. The experiences have awarded me an insight to the power that the media could have in changing perceptions of disability, as well as revealing my ability and talent in articulating opinion, passion and insight.
I have more drive and ambition than I know what to do with, and while representing diversity is obviously very important to me I am equally dedicated to living my life to the full! I continue to challenge myself everyday – from skydiving to public speaking, from racing driving to modelling, and my lust for life has taken me around the world to experience cultures and countries that have taught me valuable lessons in my short life!
Also I work closely with a charity called the Back Up Trust which helps spinal chord injured people metaphorically back up, encouraging them to try different sports and activities. I am starting work with the charity Enable Me, through which I will be lucky enough to talk to young women at schools around the country to help deal with issues of insecurity and confidence.
I am aiming as high as I possibly can, and am very excited to be involved with a project with BBC Horizons this summer as well as a project with ManyRivers films.
Andrew Lynford
Andrew trained at Mountview Theatre School. Upon graduating, he presented the children’s BBC show, “Playdays” (playing roles like the pig that built his house from twigs, the cockerel who couldnt crow, etc). These demanding roles led to repertory seasons including Liverpool, Worcester, Swansea, Lincoln, Hornchurch and UK tours, where he played everything from ‘Adrian Mole’ to ‘Algernon’ in “The Importance Of Being Earnest”. Other appearances include the comedies “Run For Your Wife” and “Don’t Dress For Dinner” and musicals, “Little Shop Of Horrors” and “Leader Of The Pack”.
He played ‘Simon’ (the miserable gay one) in “Eastenders” and he received a Best Newcomer nomination at the National Television Awards (he didn’t win it). As a presenter, he has fronted shows including “Living Live”, “Open House”, “The Biz”, and “Arty Facts” - a game show he devised for Granada.
Andrew writes and directs panto each year - 2007 sees him directing “Snow White” at the Palace Theatre, Newark (and also playing ‘Muddles’). He has also directed “The Cheeky Chappie” and “Side By Side” by Sondhiem at the Union Theatre, London; revue at Jermyn Street and a tour of the new comedy, “Dirty Dusting”.
As a writer, his 1970’s musical, “Diva Fever - The Decade That Taste Forgot” played Edinburgh and toured; his adaption of “The Jungle Book” has played various summer seasons, and with Tim Ward, he has contributed to “Titty Bang Bang” (Pett/BBC), written a new BBC 3 sketch show “Dirty Dirty Caravan” and has a drama in development with TwoFour Productions.
Steve Ludwin
Connecticut Yankee Steve Ludwin defected to London in 1987 after failing to fit in with the red neck Reagan Rambo brigade. Playing the live circuit supporting such acts as Hole, Pearl Jam and Nirvana, Steve soon found himself signing to Island Records. Many horrendous Spinal Tap moments later he left the life of a band member behind to concentrate on songwriting for Warner Chappell, penning songs with artists including Slash, Placebo and Ash.
Steve accidentally fell into the world of television after his homemade pilot Annoying American was picked up by MTV. Bwark Productions are developing Steve’s comedy series “Unhappy Day” documenting daily life in a pathetic emo band. He also played a part in the VH1 special on Velvet Revolver when he was asked to audition for the band.
Not content confining himself to just music and comedy, amateur herpetologist Steve has now been commissioned by Animal Planet (Zig Zag Productions) to present a unique new show investigating snake venom self-immunisation - something he’s been doing for almost twenty years! Steve will travel the world interviewing experts, sampling various venoms and investigating the medicinal properties; from cancer and stroke cures to anti-ageing creams.
Steve is also currently writing and developing a non-nauseating eco-friendly children’s TV series called “The Clean Ups”.
Derren Litten
Derren Litten was born in 1970 in the northern fishing town of Hull; thankfully things have improved greatly since then. Graduating from The Central School of Speech and Drama in 1993 he quickly became a regular face on numerous television shows and countless TV commercials.
In 2002 Derren’s best friend from drama school, Catherine Tate, asked him to write for her Edinburgh sketch show. Although he had never written comedy before it was thought he would be the best man for the job as he often said hilarious things and would do it for nothing. Although Catherine knew people funnier than Derren, thankfully none of them could beat his rates.
When Catherine was offered her own TV series on BBC2 Derren became a main writer; he also performed in the show as they remembered at the last minute that he is rather marvellous at acting too. In 2005 Derren was nominated for a BAFTA Craft Award in the “New Writer” category. After two series and a Christmas Special pulling in record viewers, Derren decided it was time to concentrate on his own projects and turned down the offer to be involved in a third series.
Derren’s first project after The Catherine Tate Show was commissioned by Paul Jackson on the strength of two scripts with no cast at that time attached. Benidorm proved a huge hit with ITV audiences and has gone from strength to strength, switching from half hour to an hour long format in series 3. Series 4 of Benidorm will shoot in the Summer of 2010 and air in the early part of 2011. 2010 will also see a spectacular Benidorm Christmas Special.
Jason Lewis
Multi-talented actor, writer, comedian Jason Lewis burst onto the UK comedy scene in 2006 with his unique stand-up comedy routines, which wowed and intrigued audiences across the UK.
Despite his natural ability to bring a smile to any face, Jason had not planned to become a comedian. As a professional actor Jason trained at the Anna Scher Theatre for six years and constructed an award winning one man show Black O’ Rama at the Anna Scher Festival of Plays.
It was not long after Jason’s initial introduction to stand-up comedy that he began writing his digital showpiece, The Jason Lewis Experience; a unique presentation of sketch comedy at its best, looking at real life issues with a humorous twist. In early 2007 Jason gave people a taste of The Jason Lewis Experience with two sketches, Small Change and Ready for War, made available on YouTube. The positive response was a sign of things to come.
To date The Jason Lewis Experience has received rave reviews. The controversial sketch Black Boys; a spoof music video which pokes fun at certain celebrities within the entertainment industry, was an instant hit with viewers prompting interest from MTV and Channel4. The response to his work was so much so that Jason landed a role on The Andi O Show (part of the E4 Comedy Season, also know as Funny Cuts) and Adulthood, the sequel to the UK feature film Kidulthood.
The Jason Lewis Experience gained more exposure in 2008 when producers from MTV Base agreed to broadcast selected sketches throughout Black History Month, during commercial breaks (October 2008). MTV Base later decided to give The Jason Lewis Experience its own thirty-minute slot, which was screened throughout the beginning of 2009. As a credit to his hard work Jason received an Urban Comedy Award 2009 nomination for The Jason Lewis Experience, in the Best TV Performance category.
Jason was cast as an actor and writer for the new BBC sketch show Bellamy’s People, created by BAFTA award winners and UK comedy heavyweights, Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson. Jason also finished filming his part as Mick in BBC sitcom Miranda, a show loosely based on the life of British Comedy Award winner Miranda Hart.
To date Jason has appeared in Coming Of Age (BBC), Holby City XII (BBC), Watson and Oliver (BBC), Jail Tales (BBC), and is currently filming the third series of Artmstrong and Miller (BBC) and the second series of Harry and Paul (BBC).
Jason is also currently working on the second installment of The Jason Lewis Experience with the BBC which will be hitting our screens next year.
Check Jason out at:
Olivia Lee
Olivia Lee is one of Britain’s biggest-rising female comedy stars. She’s glamorous, sexy, mischievous and armed with razor-sharp wit.
A quirky, funny and talented performer, Olivia is a skillful presenter, comedy actress and writer. You can often find her on the live comedy circuit performing as one of her many comic creations, or see her on TV!
Olivia kick-started her career on the popular BBC children’s sitcom, The Basil Brush Show, playing the Brush’s girlfriend and she hasn’t looked back! Olivia has since hosted a variety of entertainment shows including E4’s Unanimous - The Fallout alongside comedian Paddy McGuinness and T4’s The Morning After Show Channel 4’s comedy live breakfast show with comedian Simon Amstell.
You will recognise Olivia from her Prank TV with Miss Lee slot on the hit Channel 4 show Balls of Steel, where she demonstrates her fearlessness and her ability to boldly go where many others would not dare. She also starred in and wrote her very own comedy pilot - Olivia Lee’s Naughty Bits, which premiered on Channel 4 in 2008.
She has featured on ITV and T4 movie specials, interviewing A-listers such as Will Smith, Keanu Reeves and Owen Wilson. You can also frequently catch Olivia having a chat and a giggle on the red carpet for E! Channel,
If you are based in the States you might have been lucky enough to have seen Olivia hosting the hilarious Battle of the Bods on the FOX Reality Channel.
Olivia Lee returns in her very own hidden camera show: Olivia Lee: Dirty Sexy Funny – coming to Comedy Central UK in 2010.
What the papers say:
“We don’t get girls into FHM just because they look good, it helps if they crack a joke or two, that’s why we had to grab wise cracking TV babe Olivia Lee” (FHM.)
“Lee’s fearlessness is awesome” - The Mirror
“Olivia is of a new generation of comediennes causing a stir in the industry. Attractive women who don’t need to play ugly to get laughs. The UK’s answer to Sarah Silverman?” - GRAZIA
“Lee could emerge as the best of the comedy stars the UK has to offer: she has smart ideas for stunts, an ability to improvise and bags of nerve” - Sunday Times
“Olivia pulls off hilarious hidden-camera pranks” - The Sun
“Olivia Lee is very, very funny” - The Times
Visit Olivia at www.olivialee.com
Jeff Leach
Actor and comedian Jeff Leach is a young man hell bent on world domination. He started acting at the tender age of four years old, with a lead cross-dressing role as ‘Madame Diptheria Iceberg’ in his first school production. Although giving Jeff a whole host of identity issues and a worrying love of tights, it did secure his love for performing and he has been doing so ever since. Always playing the fool, Jeff knew that comedy and acting would always be his true passion.
His obsession with acting throughout his school days led Jeff to spending three years studying theatre studies at Warwick University. Whilst there, Jeff nabbed the position of station manager and drive-time host for his student radio station, and secured himself work at commercial stations Mercia FM, Kerrang! And Xfm whilst still studying. He also spent this time honing his skills as a improvisation and sketch comedy actor as part of the ‘Improverts’ giving him invaluable skills in the art of character acting. Once university had run it’s course, he performed as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Complete Works Festival in a lead role and once again got to wear tights. This time it just felt nice rather than sexually confusing.
At the end of 2007 Jeff met a producer, whilst DJ’ing at Bestival, who picked up on his engaging presence and evident comic timing and offered him a screen test. Jeff was immediately signed up to present for the BBC, fronting The Surgery and Scene Stealers for BBC Switch in 2008. In the past two years he has stormed into focus as exciting new talent with shows such as T in the Park Festival, Big Brother’s Big Mouth, Virgin Music On Demand, Celebrity Scissorhands and Comic Relief Naughty Bits. He also spent alot of 2009 performing in comedy clubs and comedy tents at festivals throughout the UK as a member of ‘The Story Pirates’ sketch group.
He now performs his own opulent and revealing brand of stand up comedy, which includes numerous comedy characters, writes and performs his own comedy sketches and is working on various roles for both tv and film. Jeff wanted to have a life changing effect on the world and fittingly decided to play Jesus Christ in a number of comedy shorts currently being edited for online sites Funny Or Die and Myspace Comedy. ‘Jeff Leach: Leach On Society’ is the one man show Jeff is lovingly forming for Edinburgh Festival 2010 and runs his own Time Out and londonisfunny recommended comedy club every fortnight at Paradise by way of Kensal Rise, honing his compering skills and working with the greatest in established and new british talent.
Jeff wants to help the world cultivate the habit of laughter, use his stand up as a form of frightening self-therapy and share his abundant acting ability with anyone who will watch. That means you.
Saira Khan
Businesswoman, Author, Public Speaker and Television Presenter…Saira Khan!
Saira shot to fame in the first series of the smash hit BBC TV Series “The Apprentice” and has since taken the UK by storm. In 2006 Saira also presented the BBC1 daytime series, “Temper your Temper”, a programme dealing with anger management, and British-Asian lifestyle show Desi DNA. She was a regular columnist for the second series of The Apprentice as well as being snapped up by the Daily Mirror where she was given her own column, ‘Saira Sorts it’.
Also in 2006 she set up a new campaign called OUR SAY to campaign for local and national referenda on issues of major public interest.
Saira has presented on various BBC and ITV programmes such as: “Tonight with Trevor McDonald-Behind the Veil” and “This Week with Andrew Neil” where her piece on Muslim extremism in Britain was applauded by the media. Saira is popular with GMTV and Breakfast News and is a popular contributor on these programmes.
In 2008 Saira presented BBC1’s “Beat The Boss” - the show was heralded in Broadcast Magazine as the Number 1 children’s programme! Additionally, Saira has presented “Saira Khan: Saving Turtles” for the BBC’s Saving Planet Earth series and two one hour documentaries for BBC 2 entitled “Saira Khan’s Pakistan Adventure”. She presented an edition of the BBC’s Money Programme about entrepreneurial mothers. She is a columnist for the Daily Mirror, a regular panelist for BBC Radio 5 Live and has appeared on a number of other stations including BBC Radio 4 and the BBC Asian Network. Phew!
Saira has also written a self help book, “P.U.S.H. For Success”, published by Vermillion – part of the prestigious Random House stable. The title has become a best selling self-help book.
Saira is a regular corporate and motivational speaker - her straight talking, no nonsense approach makes her an energetic and captivating speaker. Her business insight comes not from text books or theories but from her own direct experience, added to which, her cultural background and experience makes her an exciting, modern spokeswoman.
Saira has gained both an MA and BA Hons degree as well as working in sales for some of the UK’s leading blue chip companies including, United Biscuits, Yell and The Guardian Media Group and is the MD of her own company “miamoo” a luxury range of skincare products, www.miamoo.com.
Most recently she has taken part in AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS for the BBC. In a re-enactment of Jules Verne’s literary odyssey, six pairs of celebrities race against the clock to raise money for 2009’s BBC Children in Need, where she saw herself partnered with Nick Hewer from her days on The Apprentice. In the second episode of this remarkable series we saw Saira take the baton from Turkey to Kazakhstan.
Please visit www.sairakhan.co.uk
Paul Kaye
Paul Kaye: Comedian, writer but first and foremost an actor.
He exploded onto our screens way back in 1995 as ‘‘Dennis Pennis’‘, a shock interviewer whose mocking style terrorised celebrity victims on both sides of the Atlantic. Since then he has created an eclectic CV for himself in television, film and theatre, appearing in hits such as; ‘‘SPACED’’ (Chanel 4), 2 series of the BBC series ‘‘PERFECT WORLD’‘, the leading role of Kenny Marsh in 3 series of BBC’s successful ‘‘TWO THOUSAND ACRES OF SKY’‘, ‘‘WAKING THE DEAD’’ (BBC), ‘‘DOWN TO EARTH’’ (BBC), ‘‘MISS MARPLE’’ (Granada), ‘‘HUSTLE’’ (BBC), ‘‘EASTENDERS’’ (BBC), ‘‘HOTEL BABYLON’’ (Carnival / BBC) and 2 series in the Stephen Fry smash ‘‘KINGDOM’’ (ITV) to name a tiny few.
He starred alongside Johnny Vegas, James Cromwell, Imelda Staunton and Vince Vaughn in the Mel Smith directed ‘‘BLACKBALL’‘, and then in 2005 he took the role of deaf DJ Frankie Wilde in the mockumentary ‘‘IT’S ALL GONE PETE TONG’’ which won eleven awards worldwide, including ‘Best Film’ at the Toronto Film Festival and ‘Best Actor’ for Paul at the HBO Comedy Awards.
Other film credits include ‘‘AGENT CODY BANKS 2: DESTINATION LONDON’’ (MGM Films), ‘‘SPIVS’’ (Carnaby Films), Woody Allen’s ‘‘MATCHPOINT’’ opposite Scarlett Johanssen, ‘‘WAZ’’ (Vertigo Films) directed by Tom Shankland, ‘‘CASS’’ (Optimum Films), and ‘‘THE BIG I AM’’ (Cinematic Productions).
Paul had the opportunity to take to London’s West End, appearing in ‘‘DINNER’’ opposite Harriet Walter at The Wyndhams Theatre to rave reviews.
Recently Paul worked on the second series of his hugely successful MTV series ‘‘STRUTTER’’ playing the lead role of ‘Mike Strutter’. It is MTV’s highest rating show (after the MTV Awards!). He starred in the hit Channel 5 series ‘‘ANGELO’S’‘, series 2 of the BBC’s comedy ‘‘PULLING’‘, opposite Timothy Spall in ITV’s 2 part thriller ‘‘GUNRUSH’‘, ‘‘PA’S’’ (BBC), ‘‘MIDSOMER MURDERS’’ (Bentley Productions for ITV), the new series of ‘‘KATY BRANDS BIG ASS SHOW’’ (ITV), and will be seen in series 4 of Channel 4’s huge hit ‘‘SKINS’‘.
Most recently Paul has worked on the films ‘‘MURDER IN MIND’’ (White Feather Films), ‘‘MALICE IN WONDERLAND’’ (2B Pictures), ‘‘THE INFIDEL’’ (Met Films) and the forthcoming ‘‘EATING DUST’’ (Jinx Films).
For television he has worked with Ruth Jones on her new BBC comedy ‘‘A CHILD’S CHRISTMASES IN WALES’’ playing Uncle Gorwel, and continues to voice various characters in BBC’s ‘‘WE ARE MONGRELS’‘.
Paul has won various awards including Arena Magazine’s ‘‘Comedian of the Year 2008’’ and the Loaded Lafta ‘Best Television Personality Award’. He recently hosted FilmFour’s new season of ‘‘Films to See Before You Die’’.
Rufus Hound
Rufus Hound is a comedian and a presenter and an actor and the owner of a fine moustache.
He likes: Rum, kites, tattoos, Nintendo, driving, Las Vegas (where he got married), making his kid laugh, Scrabble, television and steak.
He doesn’t like: football, Westlife, Tequila, sportless exercise, leafy salad, ill-manners, the widespread disregard for the three lane motorway system and of course, hecklers.
You might have seen him on ITV’s “Thank God You’re Here” (which he won), Channel 4’s “Richard and Judy” (weekly, in a slot called ‘Eurovision’ that was specifically created for him) and on The BBC’s festival coverage (Glastonbury and Reading for the last few years).
Yes – he did used to present “Top of The Pops” (the last one, in fact), or you may have caught him on various panel shows for Dave or on the fact-ent spectaculars “Grime Scene Investigation” (BBC3) or “The Farm: Revealed” (Channel 4 Schools).
That said, you could have glimpsed him on “Law of The Playground” (C4) or many of those talking head shows which featured Rufus’ uncanny knack of remembering things and then, brilliantly, speaking about them.
Indeed, it’s Rufus’ knack of saying words aloud that’s seen him asked to provide voice over for shows such as Sky One’s “Gladiators Ready!”, “The A-Z of Gladiators” and “Playr”, Bravo TV’s weekly video games round-up.
As an actor, Rufus has just completed work on a Funny Cut on E4 called “Think Tank”, and appeared as ‘The Producer’ in bad-taste-TV-show-idea-brainstorm internet short “Life’s A Pitch”. There was more of Rufus on the Internet when he was the co-anchor on spoof news show “NewsLog” (www.log.tv), but that’s apparently not happening any more. Seems like a shame.
So what’s next for Rufus? Why not call and tell us?
Jon Holmes
The six-time Sony Award winning writer, comedian and broadcaster called Jon Holmes holds a joint degree in Radio, Film and Television and English from Canterbury. His first book ‘Status Quo and the Kangaroo’ was published by Penguin in 2007 and is published in America in 2008. His own Radio 4 comedy series, ‘Listen Against’ - “the mischievous offspring of The Day Today and Feedback” (Guardian) has just been recommissioned for a second series for 2008 and his new paperback book ‘Rock Star Babylon’ (Penguin) is out in the UK in August.
Upon graduating Jon somehow went to his own show on BBC Radio 4 called ‘Grievous Bodily Radio’ which was “fast and furious… spot on” according to The Independent and “disgusting” according to the East Anglia Gazette. Since then his other Radio 4 credits have included co-creating and writing the multi award winning ‘Dead Ringers’, writing and being a regular panellist on ‘The 99p Challenge’, writer / performer on the Sony Award winning and Channel 4 Political Award nominated ‘The Now Show’ and he’s a sometime cohort of Armando Iannucci, most recently on his Sony Award winning ‘Charm Offensive’ for Radio 4 and ‘Time Trumpet’ for BBC2.
Over on Radio 2 he writes and co-presents ‘The Day The Music Died’ and hosts his very own Saturday afternoon show on BBC 6 Music where he plays some very good music and messes around in the gaps. His music radio shows have earned him Sony Gold and Best New Presenter Awards but he’s no stranger to talk radio either, having hosted the Drivetime show on London’s LBC 97.3 where he could be regularly heard “verbally jousting with mentals”. He’s also had his own shows on XFM, Radio 1 and Virgin and it was from the latter that he quite notoriously earned the sack in 2002 when a phone in game called ‘Swearing Radio Hangman for the Under 12s’ went tragically expensive in terms of a record fine. Jon still holds the record for ‘largest fine ever for taste and decency offences in British broadcasting’. Sadly he didn’t get a certificate or anything. A comedy special ‘Jon Holmes on Radio 1’ aired on the station last year.
TV work includes writing, performing and presenting in various combinations on ‘Time Trumpet’ (BBC2), ‘Mock The Week’ (BBC2) ‘7 Days’ (BBC3), ‘Dead Ringers’ (BBC2) ‘The Impressionable Jon Culshaw’ (ITV1), ‘Armando Iannucci’s Gash’ (CH4) , ‘The State We’re In’ and ‘Celebdaq’ (both BBC3), ‘Have I Got News For You’, ‘29 Minutes of Fame’, ( both BBC1) and co-hosting Series 5 of ‘The 11 O’Clock Show’ (CH4). He was also Programme Consultant on the multi award winning ‘V Graham Norton’ (CH4), regular guest on ‘The Wright Stuff’ (CH5), and ‘Sky News’ where he makes the presenter Anna Botting go red and start giggling. He’s also been on ‘This Morning’ (ITV1) a few times where he once called Phillip Schofield a “witch”. He was approached to see if he wanted to be stuck in the jungle for ITV1’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here but told them to sod off.
He wrote the script for the ‘BAFTA Film Awards’ with, and for, Stephen Fry to great acclaim and was the host for ‘The MOJO Awards’. He has also written words for the likes of Keanu Reeves, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx and Bono. He has been variously described as “clever…but warped” by The Sunday Times, “a genius” by Heat, “wickedly funny” by The Times and “a tosser” by Martine McCutcheon in an interview in Smash Hits. He is most proud of that one!
Paul Hawkyard
Paul is an actor with vast experience in eclectic roles.
He has graced our screens across the years in ‘‘Kiss Me Kate’’ (Carlton), ‘‘Maisie Raine’’ (Zenith), ‘‘Eastenders’’ (BBC), ‘‘Heartbeat’’ (ITV), ‘‘Where The Heart Is’’ (Anglia), ‘‘Miss Marple’’ (Granada), ‘‘The Last Detective’’ (ITV), and ‘‘Mike Bassett’’ (ITV) to name a (very select) few.
Most recently he has been seen in ‘‘Casualty’’ (BBC), ‘‘2 Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps’’ (BBC) and ‘‘MI High’’ (BBC).
Furthermore he has a distinguished Musical Theatre career, starring in “Peter Pan” at the Festival Hall, Trevor Nunn’s feted production of “South Pacific” at The National Theatre and “Jesus Christ Superstar” at the Lyceum, London, to name but a few! Paul most recently starred as ‘Bill Austin’ in the hugely popular, Abba-inspired musical “Mama Mia” at the Prince of Wales Theatre.
Phil Hammond
Phil Hammond qualified as a doctor in 1987, became a GP in 1991 and has also worked in sexual health. He was half of Struck Off and Die, who had five sell-out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, were twice selected for the Perrier Pick of the Fringe and won Writers’ Guild and Silver Sony Awards for their Radio 4 series. In 2002, Phil fronted “28 Minutes to Save the NHS” on Radio 4, which he extended to a sell out Edinburgh Fringe Show, “59 Minutes to Save the NHS” and further extended to a highly successful 60-date UK tour “89 Minutes to Save the NHS”.
Phil has written Private Eye’s medical column, ‘Doing the Rounds’, since 1992, and broke the story of the Bristol heart scandal. He gave evidence to the subsequent Public Inquiry and presented five series of “Trust Me, I’m a Doctor” on BBC 2, exposing wide variations in care across the NHS. The second edition of the book of his experiences, “Trust Me, I’m a Doctor”, is published by Metro.
He has survived Ruby Wax and “Have I Got News For You” (seven times), has appeared five times on “The News Quiz” and was the only doctor to appear for the prosecution on Channel 4’s “Doctors on Trial”. Phil has been reported to the General Medical Council by William Hague’s Press Secretary.
Phil’s first sitcom, “Doctors and Nurses”, co-written with Nigel Smith, was broadcast on BBC 1 in 2004.
Phil is much in demand as a speaker, facilitator and conference chair, and was recently described by Professor Michael Rawlins, Chair of NICE, as “the best chair we’ve ever had”.
He has recently been on Rob Brydon’s “Annually Retentive” (BBC3), fronts his own show for BBC Radio Bristol and presents “The Music Group” on Radio 4 (Wednesday 1.30pm). His latest book, “Medicine Balls” – ‘a semi-autobiographical, medico-political, self-help comedy novel with poems’ – is just published. He has been a Lecturer in Medical Communication at the Universities of Birmingham and Bristol and currently works as a part time GP in the Bristol area.
Phil is married to Jo, also a GP, and has two children, two Labradors, two cats, a pony and a full head of ginger hair.
Dr Phil Hammond’s fantastic ‘Sex, Sleep or Scrabble? - Seriously Funny Answers to Life’s Quirkiest Questions’ is the perfect read to find the answers to some seriously bizarre questions! Available from all major bookstores and online ...
Ed Hall
Ever popular, Ed Hall has presented a huge variety of programmes including, two series of “Bare Necessities” for BBC2, “Technogames” (BBC2), “Crossfire” (TV21 for Ch 4) and Channel 4’s “Big Breakfast” (Planet 24 Prods). He presented ITV2’s “Survivor” (Planet 24 Prods) and two series of Sky 1’s controversial series “Temptation Island”.
Ed is currently co-presenting “To Buy or Not to Buy” for BBC 1.
Ed also counts narration amongst his many skills, and has voiced several documentaries and series for both terrestrial and satellite channels - including “Wife Swap-It’s All Over”, “Nice House, Shame About the Garden”, “How not to Decorate” and “A Dog for Britain”.
John Fortune
A home grown satirist of venerable standing, John Fortune has notched up eight series of BAFTA nominated “Bremner, Bird and Fortune” (Vera Prods for Ch4), with more planned!
John enjoyed a season in “Art” in 2001 and appeared in the films “Saving Grace”, “Maybe Baby” and “The Tailor of Panama” and Woody Allen’s “Match Point”. John also appeared in an episode of BBC TV’s “Love Soup”.
John Fortune and John Bird continue to write and perform their self-contained cabarets for corporate clients.
Sam Delaney
Sam Delaney is the editor of Heat Magazine as well as being a seasoned broadcaster on national TV and radio.
He can currently be seen every Wednesday morning on his regular news review slot on Sky New Sunrise.
Since 2007 he has been a regular voice on BBC Radio 5 Live, first as a sidekick to Eamonn Holmes then as a host on several of his own shows.
He has also written and presented documentaries for BBC Three, Channel Four and Channel 5 and previously worked as a news reporter for ITN.
Sam has also written and presented topical films for Al Gore’s Current TV.
A journalist with more than 12 years experience in the national press, Sam is a long time contributor to The Guardian and has also written for The Sunday Telegraph, The Independent, the NME, Cosmopolitan, Men’ Health, Shortlist and numerous others.
He is the author of two books: 2007’s Get Smashed - The Men Who Made The Ads that Changed Our Lives (Sceptre) and 2009’s Night Of The Living Dad - Confessions Of A Shabby Father (John Murray Publishing).
In a past life he was a tea boy for Gordon Brown.
Sam Delaney’s wonderful book ‘A Night Of The Living Dad’ follows Sam in his first year of fatherhood as he tries to figure out what a good dad should be, and, even more importantly, what sort of dad he should be! Available from all major bookstores and online.
Giles Coren
Giles Coren is a writer, critic, columnist and television presenter. For the last seven years he has been the Times’ restaurant critic and has written a weekly opinion column for them for even longer than that. In 2005, he was named ‘Food and Drink Writer of the Year’ at the British Press Awards. In the same year, his first novel, ‘Winkler’, won the Literary Review’s Bad Sex Award. His 1997 ‘autobiography’ of James Dyson, ‘Against The Odds’, did not. But it was a bestseller In Britain, America and Japan.
He co-presented the first series of ‘The F-Word’ with Gordon Ramsay in 2005, hosted Five’s ‘Movie Lounge’ in 2006, and in the same year wrote and presented ‘Tax The Fat’, a controversial documentary for More4 which made him no friends in the fat community. Although people in the fat community are generally too busy eating to have time for friends, so no great loss there.
In 2007 he co-presented, with Olivia Judson, Channel 4’s three part documentary series about bio-technology in the food chain, ‘Animal Farm’, and in 2008, with Sue Perkins, finally did something quite good, presenting the six-part historical food series, ‘The Supersizers Go…’, which has just been nominated for Best Food Broadcast at the Guild of Food Writers Awards.
Nat Coombs
Nat Coombs is a British television presenter, comedian, producer and writer who is also one of the founding partners of a London based creative agency.
With his passion for sports underpinned by his comedic background, Coombs has become one of the leading faces of sports entertainment in the UK. He currently presents Talk of the Terrace (ESPN), a weekly live studio show (Mondays, 6.30pm) that takes an irreverent look at the Premier League.
He’s also hosted NFL Live (FIVE) a studio based game time show for the past 3 years and is a co-presenter on NFL: UK (FIVE), a weekly magazine show that he also writes and co-produces. He’s one of the anchors on Major League Baseball on BBC Radio Five Live Sports Xtra, and is a regular guest on a range of TV & Radio shows adding his leftfield insight and unique take on the world of sports and the pop culture crossover therein. He contributes regularly to a range of national newspapers and ESPN’s website.
As a comedy writer he works with the UK’s leading production companies and was the main creative force behind the internet comedy smash hit Chelsey: OMG! which he devised and co-produced though his creative agency Intelligent. The show, based on his character that originally appeared on BBC comedy sketch show The Milk Run, debuted on the online social networking site Bebo and was watched by over 3 million people.
Coombs started out as a live stand up and was a semi-finalist at the BBC New Comedy Awards and a runner-up of Stand-up Britain on ITV1. His work has been variously described as “incredibly stylish, with up-to-the-minute stuff” by John Pidgeon, “like The Strokes beating the s*** out of Westlife in a car park” in Time Out magazine.
He is an accomplished actor, most notably appearing in the BAFTA-nominated BBC drama Can You Hear Me Thinking? alongside Dame Judi Dench.
For latest news and further information check out : www.natcoombs.com or follow him on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/natcoombs
John Burton Race
John Burton Race was born in Singapore in 1957 and spent his early years travelling and experiencing food from all over the world. In 1983 John became a Sous chef at Les Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons, Oxford from where he went on to become Head chef and manager of Le Petit Blanc, Oxford until 1986. He then opened his own restaurant L’Ortolan, Berkshire, where he achieved and maintained two Michelin stars. In 2000 he opened John Burton Race, Landmark Hotel, London and reclaimed both Michelin stars within the first year of trading.
In 2002 John moved to France for a year to relearn and discover ingredients and his love of cooking after many years in the fast lane. Channel 4 screened the television series “French Leave” and John wrote the book that accompanied the series.
John moved back to Devon in 2003 and teaming up with head chefs Nigel Marriage and Robin Zavou, John opened “The New Angel” in Dartmouth, a series of which was made for Channel 4, with accompanying book.
John has taken part in “Through The Keyhole”, “Great British Menu” and “Britain’s Best Dish” and topped his year by participating in “I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here”.
Most recently John can be seen as a regular guest on ‘Cooking The Books’ for channel 5.
photograph copyright Adam Lawrence.
J (Jason) Brown
J was the oldest member of the internationally successful pop band FIVE selling 20 million albums. Shortly after the band split in 2001,he was abducted by aliens who wanted to run tests on the mind of this rather complex and strange individual. They dumped him back on earth 6 years later after becoming completely dumbfounded by this crazy earthlings enigmatic and wily ways.
Since returning to earth, J has completely moved away from the music industry and is now wanting to immerse himself in various aspects of the tv/media world.
He is especially passionate about music, film, humour, non-dual philosophies, meeting new people, nature/life and anything that takes him out of his physical and psychological comfort zones.
Indeed, he took part in “I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here”, where his greatest achievement wasn’t coming third but was the fact that he managed to go three weeks without strangling Janice Dickinson! After this he also appeared as a part of Ant’s team on ITV1’s ‘‘Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway’’ and even lent his opinions to Fivers ‘‘Generation Sex’‘.
One of J’s perfect nights would be sitting in front of a blazing fire in the middle of a jungle with Ray Mears, Bruce Parry, music and some indigenous people whilst sampling some of the local vines. An horrendous night for J would be sat anywhere with Tony Blair and George W Bush, enough said?!
Six years away from the business has given him the opportunity to rebalance and refresh himself after the madness of being in Five, and he is now back with a deep hunger to be creative and to get busy again.
He was once known as “The bad boy of Pop” but is now more mellow than Bob Marley after a weekend in Amsterdam…...and we love him for it!
Rory Bremner
Twenty-five years ago, Rory Bremner performed his first public impression. Nine years later, he starred in his first BBC series “Now For Something Else”. Today, he is widely rated as Britain’s sharpest impressionist – a one-man opposition party – with his weekly Channel Four show “Bremner, Bird & Fortune” (Vera Prods) and seasonal ‘specials’, regularly winning awards as the best satire on television. He ‘does’ over 100 people, from Tony Blair to Mohamed al Fayed.
His unique brand of comedy and satire has sustained a highly successful career in radio and television for over 25 years. Nowadays, he’s equally in demand as a columnist for newspapers and magazines, a documentary presenter and one of the country’s leading after-dinner speakers.
Rory was born in Edinburgh in 1961 and educated at Clifton Hall, Wellington College and King’s College, London, where he was made a Fellow in 2006. He is an Honorary Fellow of Queen Mary College.
Together with John Bird and John Fortune, his satirical programmes (Rory Bremner- Who Else 1992-97, Bremner, Bird and Fortune 1997-present) have been a mainstay of Channel 4’s output since 1992, winning a total of four BAFTAs and three RTS awards. The trio regularly produce specials, including a trilogy on Iraq (Between Iraq and a Hard Place, Beyond Iraq and a Hard Place and Beneath Iraq and a Hard Place) and a number of programmes charting the rise and fall of New Labour.
Their book ‘You Are Here’, (‘a stockpile of satirical ammunition’- Daily Telegraph) was published in 2005.
In 2008 they created a four-part satirical documentary series on the global financial crisis, Silly Money.
Prior to that, Rory had seven series on the BBC, from 1986 to 1992, winning the Special Award at the Golden Rose of Montreux in 1987. Over the last two decades, Rory’s appeared in many of the top TV comedy shows, from Spitting Image and Whose Line is it Anyway to Have I got News For You, Mock the Week, and QI. He’s appeared more than any other guest on Parkinson and Wogan.
He is a frequent guest on The Andrew Marr Show (BBC1) where he provides a satirical review of current political events through his many characters.
In 2008 he retraced his family history for Who Do You Think You Are (BBC 1, January 2009)
In addition to his many comedy appearances he has translated two operas (Carmen and Der Silbersee) and a Brecht play (A Respectable Wedding, for the Young Vic). He is a regular contributor to The Times, The Telegraph, The New Statesman and Radio Times, for whom he has interviewed Michael Parkinson and David Frost.
When not working he enjoys travel, opera, cooking, sport (especially cricket- he had a 1985 Top 20 hit as ‘The Commentators’ with N.n..nineteen not out) and motor racing- he owns a 1963 Alfa Spyder.
He lives in London and Oxfordshire with his wife, artist Tessa Campbell Fraser, and their two daughters Ava and Lila.
Jo Brand
Since leaving her job as a psychiatric nurse in 1987, Jo Brand has built a large following across the UK, male and female alike appearing initially on the Saturday Live television show.
In 1993 she became a resident panellist, along with Tony Hawks, on BBC monologue show The Brain Drain. Soon after, she had her hit “Through the Cakehole” (Channel X for Ch4) series met with great acclaim, as did her series “All the Way to Worcester” (Vera Prods for Ch4). Jo’s diverse appeal is marked by appearances on such eclectic programmes as “Question Time” (BBC) to “Nevermind the Buzzcocks” (TalkBack Prods for BBC) and “Countdown” (YTV for Ch4) to “They Think It’s All Over” (TalkBack Prods for BBC) and The Graham Norton Show (BBC). She presented “Jo Brand’s Commercial Breakdown” (Celador for BBC1), “Jo Brand’s Hot Potatoes” (Assembly Film & TV) and “Jo Brand’s Rudest Home Videos” (ITV1). She has just guest hosted “Have I Got News For You” (Hat Trick). She also appeared on Star Spell, a spin off from Hard Spell, during 2004, and in a bloomin’ fantastic cameo in Absolutely Fabulous.
In 2007, Jo narrated Laughter & Tears: The Les Dawson Story, a documentary tribute to Les Dawson. The programme was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in October 2007.
Jo took part in the first celebrity version of Comic Relief does Fame Academy, and then in 2007, she appeared as a celebrity contestant on Comic Relief Does The Apprentice, again to raise money for Comic Relief. In 2009 she participated in Let’s Dance for Comic Relief, another Comic Relief fundraiser, dancing as Britney Spears (‘tis true), reaching the final. She has proved herself an un-willing fashion victim on the BBC1 special “What Not To Wear On The Red Carpet”, learnt the organ for BBC’s “Play it Again”, which she then played to a sell out crowd at the Royal Albert Hall, and she has also taken part in a charity celebrity carol singing choir!
She appeared as a judge in the BBC2 series The Speaker in April 2009. She offered her advice, along with John Amaechi and Jeremy Stockwell, in the eight-part series charting the search for “Britain’s Best Young Speaker’‘.
This year saw her write and star in the utterly marvellous, Getting On, in which she starred along co-writers Joanna Scanlan and Vicki Pepperdine, on BBC in July 2009. The series, set on a hospital’s geriatric ward, was partly inspired by her earlier career in nursing, and has been commisioned for a second series to begin filming in 2010.
A critically acclaimed writer, Jo has written the hits ‘A Load Of Old Balls’ and ‘A Load Of Old Ball Crunchers’ (both Simon & Schuster), ‘It’s Different For Girls’, ‘Sorting Out Billy’ and ‘The More You Ignore Me’ (all for Headline Review). Her autobiography ‘Look Back In Hunger’ is now available from all good stockists.
To top it off Jo is a popular host and cabaret artist for corporate events.
Photograph copyright of BBC
Congratulations to Jo Brand for her BAFTA nomination for Best Female Comedy Performance in ‘‘Getting On’‘. Very well deserved!
In other news, the paperback edition of Jo’s fantastic new book “Look Back In Hunger”, volume one of her memoirs, is sitting proudly at Number 1. on Sunday Times bestseller list ... make sure to get your hands on a copy from all major bookstores and online retailers. WELL DONE JO!
Jo is also encouraging people to look out for the Carbon Reduction Label - www.Carbon-Label.com - when they do their weekly shop to help tackle climate change.
Adam Bloom
Adam Bloom was 18 months old when his parents nicknamed him “The Voice”! When he was 10, he told them he was going to be a comedian. By the age of 23, he was. He has appeared in Comedy Festivals all over the world, including numerous sell out Edinburgh shows. At the 1998 Festival Adam was featured in Channel 4’s “Edinburgh or Bust” (Angel Eye) and he also won the Polygram Punters’ Comedy Award for his show.
He has recorded and filmed sets for all of the radio and TV stand up shows (including the “The World Comedy Tour”), he has participated in the BBC children’s comedy show “Stitch Up” and most recently contributed to ITV2’s, “Comedy Cuts”.
Adam’s three radio series, “The Problem With…” have been highly rated on Radio 4.
“He’s been one of my favourite stand-ups for about ten years. Bloom not only has meticulous, brilliant lines, but also an intense and fragile honesty”
RICKY GERVAIS
“He makes me laugh out-loud, I can’t wait to see him live”
IAN McKELLEN
A light-speed wit, focussed over years at the pinnacle of stand-up’
STEVE BENNETT, CHORTLE
“His mission is to convince you that he is the greatest comic ever, and he makes a surprisingly good case” (FIVE STARS)
THE SCOTSMAN
“Bloom is perhaps the perfect comedian” (FIVE STARS)
THE LIST
Awards and Nominations
1998 Polygram Video Punters Comedy Award Winner
1998 Time Out Award Winner (Best Stand-up)
1999 Stella Artois Award Nominee
Matt Bell
Matt is a TV presenter, writer and comedian best known for presenting Channels Fives ‘The Hotel Inspector’ and ‘Got To Dance Backstage’ with Davina Mcall, plus he appeared on Sky One’s ‘Pet Nation’ with Liza Tarbuck and Huey Morgan.
His latest series is ‘Animal Squad’ for Sky One which sees him join the RSPCA in the often harrowing work they do rescuing all creatures great and small from the various and numerous scrapes they get into and is particularly interested in the rising problem of status dogs.
Matt has appeared at the Edinburgh Festival leading in Richard III, Oscar Wildes Childrens Tales, Revenge by Howard Brenton and Peer Gynt.
He currently has a sitcom in development with Sky and is a founder member of comedy groups ‘Tramps of Prey’ and ‘The Jelly Moustache’.
The multi-talented Matt Bell has completed the pilot ‘‘TRAMPS OF PREY’’ which you can view by clicking here
Zoe Ball
Zoë Ball needs very little introduction… After presenting the much lauded “Live & Kicking”, in 1999 she became the first woman to front the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show alone. Zoe continued her onscreen partnership with Jamie Theakston after ‘‘Live & Kicking’’ for four successful series of “The Priory” (Ginger Prods for Channel 4.)
Between 1996 and 1998 she was a regular presenter on Top of the Pops usually alternating with fellow presenters and DJs Jayne Middlemiss and Jo Whiley.
She co-hosted the 2002 BRIT Awards with Frank Skinner and returned to radio in mid 2002 when she joined London rock station XFM, where she presented the Weekday Drivetime show.
In 2005 after co-hosting the BBC reality show ‘‘Strictly Dance Fever’‘, Zoe tripped the light fantastic as a contestant on BBC1’s “Strictly Come Dancing” and embarked on a celebrity nationwide tour in 2008.
On ITV1, Zoe co-hosted the wildlife series “Extinct” with Trevor MacDonald, presented the second series of “Soapstar Superstar” for the same channel and went onto present ITV1’s nationwide search for a ‘Sandy’ and ‘Danny’ in “Grease Is The Word”.
Zoe has most recently completed filming the 8 part series Britains Best Brain alongside Jamie Theakston (once again!) soon to be aired on Channel 5.
Zoe also continues to host her Saturday morning breakfast show on Radio 2, 6am til 8am. http://www.bbc.com/radio2
Jason Attar
Jason Attar develops the quirkiest of comedy characters with a unique style that awakens your inner goon! Whether you want to cheer or chain up his urban underdogs, Jason has seen his other sides come to life on TV to great effect.
Starting his television career with short sketches on “Adam & Joe’s Takeover TV”, Jason then worked with Leigh Francis of “Bo Selecta”, performing on live shows for Nickelodeon. Jason has also featured in many ITV1 & 2 promotional campaigns working with Senior Promotions Director Niall Towell and watched closely by ITV2’s “Gagging For It” Executive Producers, he was snapped up to feature in a series of solo character sketches which opened every episode.
After having completed 10 short films for Paramount Comedy, Jason has worked on finely tuning his character gem, ‘Lesland’, who he has written a sitcom around and is now working on his new character Kevin Powder who features on BBC channel 4 radio.
Jason is a man of many guises, from working directly with the public in BBC1’s “Blagging It”, where he ordaciously ate food from peoples plates at an M56 service station, to clowning it up in his character garb, he’s a face to watch out for and a talent that refuses to go unnoticed!
Check Jason out here www.youtube.com/attar