Alan Carr (born 14 June 1976) is an
EnglishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
stand-up comedianStand-up comedy is a style of comedy where a comedian performs for a live audience, usually speaking directly to them. It is usually performed by a single comedian with the aid of a microphone, either hand-held or mounted on a stand...
and media personality, known for his deliberately
campCamp is an aesthetic sensibility wherein something is appealing because of its bad taste and ironic value. When the usage appeared, in 1909, it denoted: ostentatious, exaggerated, affected, theatrical, and effeminate behaviour, and, by the middle of the 1970s, the definition comprised: banality,...
demeanour and
self-deprecatingSelf-deprecation is communication that expresses something negative about its originator, without this being called for in context by some other person...
humour.
Personal life
Carr was born in Weymouth,
DorsetDorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town has been Dorchester since at least 1305, situated in the south of the county at . Between its extreme points Dorset measures from east to west and north to south, and has an area of...
, and grew up in
NorthamptonNorthampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. It is about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, and lies on the River Nene...
where he went to
Weston Favell School'Weston Favell School is a secondary school in Weston Favell, Northampton with specialist status as a Technology College. It may be turned into an academy by Northamptonshire County Council, who have announced plans to close the school and transfer it to the United Learning Trust...
. His father is former
Northampton Town F.C.Northampton Town Football Club is a football club based in Northampton. The nickname of the club is The Cobblers. In the 2008-09 season they played in Football League One, the third level of English football, after promotion in 2005-06, but were relegated to Football League Two on the final day of...
manager
Graham CarrWilliam Graham Carr is an English former professional footballer and football club manager.-Playing career:...
.
Carr moved to
ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. In 2007, the population of the city was estimated to be 458,100...
after a string of dead-end jobs in his hometown of Northampton seeking a better life and with aspirations of becoming a comedian. He moved into a house full of activity in
Chorlton-cum-HardyChorlton-cum-Hardy is a suburban area of the city of Manchester, in North West England. It is known locally as Chorlton. It is situated about southwest of Manchester city centre. Pronunciation varies: "chórlton" and "chol'-on" are both common....
after which he moved to
StretfordStretford is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Lying on flat ground between the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal, it is to the southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Salford and northeast of Altrincham...
; which he cites as an inspiration for his comedic work. Carr gained a degree in BA (Hons) Drama and Theatre Studies, graduating with a 2:1 from
Middlesex UniversityMiddlesex University is a university in north London, England. It is located in the historic county boundaries of Middlesex from which it takes its name. It is one of the so-called post-1992 universities and is a member of million+ working group...
.
Despite being openly gay and famously camp, he doesn't consider his sexuality to be a focal part of his act, once saying that "I just think gay people need to get over themselves. Just because you're gay and on the telly doesn't mean you're a role model. I'm just a comedian. That's all I am. ... What am I meant to do? Do I go down the
Julian ClaryJulian Clary is an English comedian and novelist, known for his deliberately stereotypical camp style, with a heavy reliance on innuendo and double entendre.-Early life and education:...
route and talk about
fistingFisting is a sexual activity that involves inserting a hand into the vagina or rectum. Typically, fisting does not involve forcing the clenched fist into the vagina or rectum. Instead, all five fingers are kept straight and held as close together as possible , then slowly inserted into a...
and
poppersPoppers is the street term for various alkyl nitrites taken for recreational purposes through direct inhalation, particularly amyl nitrite, butyl nitrite, isopropyl nitrite and isobutyl nitrite. Amyl nitrite has a long history of safe medical use in treating angina, as well as an antidote to...
? I don't talk about being gay and I think what better equality for gays than that?".
On 21 September 2006, Carr and entertainer
Lionel BlairLionel Blair is a British actor, choreographer, tap dancer and television presenter.Lionel Blair is the son of Myer Ogus and Deborah Greenbaum...
helped save a man who was about to fall from a pier in
BlackpoolBlackpool is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. Situated along the coast of the Irish Sea, it has a population of 142,900, making it the fourth-largest settlement in North West England behind Manchester, Liverpool and Warrington...
. The man was holding on by his fingertips, but the two men managed to pull him to safety.
Television
He is currently presenting
Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding DongAlan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong is an entertainment show on Channel 4, presented by Alan Carr. During the first series, voice-over commentary in between rounds on the scores is provided by Leslie Phillips...
and
Alan Carr: Chatty ManAlan Carr: Chatty Man is a British comedy chat show presented by comedian Alan Carr. The show is currently shown on Sunday nights on Channel 4. The show features interviews with celebrity guests, sketches, topical chat, audience participation and music...
.
Carr makes regular guest appearances on game shows and panel shows. These include
FAQ UFAQ U was a television programme broadcast by Channel 4 in the UK in 2005. It was shown every night, Monday to Friday, just after 11:00pm. It was presented by Justin Lee Collins in its first week, David Mitchell in the second and Karen Taylor in the third. It included four comedian guests and an...
,
8 Out of 10 Cats8 out of 10 Cats is a television comedy panel game made by Zeppotron for Channel 4. It was first broadcast on 3 June 2005. The show is based on statistics and opinion polls, and draws on polls produced by a variety of organizations and new polls commissioned for the programme, carried out by...
,
CountdownCountdown is a British game show made by ITV Studios and broadcast on Channel 4. Since 2009 it has been presented by Jeff Stelling and Rachel Riley, with regular lexicographer Susie Dent. It was the first programme aired on Channel 4, and over fifty series have been broadcast since its debut on 2...
s dictionary corner and Never Mind The BuzzcocksNever Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game show with a pop and rock music theme, currently without a permanent presenter, but starring Phill Jupitus and from 2009 Noel Fielding as team captains. The show is produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC, and is usually aired on BBC Two...
.
He also featured as a panellist on Channel 4Channel 4 is a UK public-service television broadcaster which began working on November 2, 1982. Although commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station owned now and operated by the Channel Four Television...
's Big Fat Anniversary Quiz
, which celebrated the channel's 25th anniversary., and has been interviewed as a guest in various shows including Friday Night with Jonathan RossFriday Night with Jonathan Ross is a comical chat show presented by Jonathan Ross. It is on the British terrestrial TV channel BBC One and is broadcast at 10.35pm on Friday nights. It was first shown on 2 November 2001 and is in it's seventeenth series...
and Tubridy TonightTubridy Tonight was a television chat show broadcast in Ireland on RTÉ One. The show was hosted by Ryan Tubridy and was broadcast live on Saturday nights after the RTÉ News and Weather. The show began broadcasting on October 16 2004 for a ten-week run and was extended by a further thirteen shows...
with Ryan Tubridy.
In 2008 Carr fronted his own TV gameshow, Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding DongAlan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong is an entertainment show on Channel 4, presented by Alan Carr. During the first series, voice-over commentary in between rounds on the scores is provided by Leslie Phillips...
. The show included guests such as
Davina McCallDavina Lucy Pascale McCall is an English television presenter and actress, most notable for her work on Channel 4's Big Brother reality TV series.- Early life :...
,
Louis WalshLouis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor....
and
Chris MoylesChristopher David "Chris" Moyles is an English broadcaster, author and DJ, who currently presents The Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1, and his own show on Channel 4, Chris Moyles' Quiz Night.-Pre-Radio 1:...
, and premiered on Channel 4 on 1 February 2008. A second series began in October 2008 in a new format where the contestants are two teams of celebrities.
He co hosted the Sunday Night Project for 3 years from 2006 - 2009 with
Justin Lee CollinsJustin Lee Collins, often known as JLC, is a British comedian, television and radio presenter from Bristol. His West Country accent, enthusiasm for pop culture and "caveman" image are amongst his trademarks, a trait he claims was inspired by Chewbacca from Star Wars...
until the show ended in February 2009.
Carr recalled his days growing up in Northampton when interviewed for the BBC 2 series The Comedy Map of Britain.
He appeared in episode one of series 11 of
Top GearTop Gear is a BBC television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous style. The show is currently presented by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond...
on BBC 2, with
Justin Lee CollinsJustin Lee Collins, often known as JLC, is a British comedian, television and radio presenter from Bristol. His West Country accent, enthusiasm for pop culture and "caveman" image are amongst his trademarks, a trait he claims was inspired by Chewbacca from Star Wars...
, in the Reasonably Priced Car.
Carr landed a £3m chat show deal with
Channel 4Channel 4 is a UK public-service television broadcaster which began working on November 2, 1982. Although commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station owned now and operated by the Channel Four Television...
; the programme, entitled
Alan Carr: Chatty ManAlan Carr: Chatty Man is a British comedy chat show presented by comedian Alan Carr. The show is currently shown on Sunday nights on Channel 4. The show features interviews with celebrity guests, sketches, topical chat, audience participation and music...
, which began on June 14, 2009.
On Red Nose Day 2009 he co-presented Comic Relief on BBC One as well as appearing on Comic Relief Does The Apprentice during which he was subsequently fired from the boys team. He also appeared in the spoof of Mamma Mia
, mimicking Colin FirthColin Andrew Firth is an English film, television, and stage actor. Firth first gained wide public attention, especially in England, for his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the highly acclaimed 1995 television adaption of Pride and Prejudice...
.
Radio
Carr made his radio presenting debut on Christmas Day 2007 for BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the UK. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
as part of their Festive Highlights, with the show Alan Carr's Christmas Box
. He also filled in on BBC 6Music on 16 February and 14 June 2008 for Adam and JoeAdam and Joe are the duo of British comedians Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish.They currently present Adam and Joe on BBC 6 Music.They presented The Adam and Joe Show on Channel 4 from 1996 - 2001.-History:...
and co-presented The Russell Brand ShowThe Russell Brand Show was a radio show in the United Kingdom which was broadcast on Saturdays on BBC Radio 2. The show was hosted by comedian Russell Brand who started his radio career in 2002 on a Sunday afternoon show on Xfm. Russell's co-host was long-term friend, Matt Morgan who had worked...
on 4 October 2008. He also presented Alan Carr's Comedy Outings for BBC Radio 2 in 2008. On 25 April 2009, Carr began hosting Going Out With Alan Carr, a new show for BBC Radio 2, in conjunction with
Emma ForbesEmma Katy Forbes is an English radio presenter and former television presenter.-Biography:The daughter of Nanette Newman and Bryan Forbes, the family lived in a house next door to Elton John who is a friend...
. The show airs every Saturday evening from 6pm-8pm.
Performance
Carr performs stand-up regularly, on tour and on television. He has been featured in three
EdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland. It is the second largest Scottish city, after Glasgow, and the seventh-most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas....
shows and in 2007 he toured throughout the UK, which was followed by a
DVDDVD, also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc,is an optical disc storage media format, and was founded in 1995. Its main uses are video and data storage...
entitled "Tooth Fairy Live". Carr had his own monthly show in a Manchester comedy club and he has toured nationwide, supporting other acts. He has performed at the
Apollo TheatreThe Apollo Theatre is a Grade II listed West End theatre, on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster. Designed by architect Lewin Sharp for owner Henry Lowenfield, and the fourth legitimate theatre to be constructed on the street, its doors opened on 21 February 1901 with the American...
in London, which was televised for the BBC1 series 'Live At The Apollo', and has been featured in the
Royal Variety PerformanceFor a general description of performances for the monarch, see Royal Command Performance.The Royal Variety Performance is a gala evening held annually in the United Kingdom, which is attended by senior members of the British Royal Family, usually the reigning monarch. In more recent years Queen...
.
Carr has appeared and performed at many festivals, including the
Reading and Leeds FestivalsThe Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in the United Kingdom and are run by Festival Republic . The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill...
,
Latitude FestivalThe Latitude Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk, England. It was first held in July 2006....
, the Kilkenny Comedy Festival and
Live EarthLive Earth is an annual event developed to combat climate change.-Background:The plans for the first Live Earth concerts were announced at a media event in Los Angeles on 15 February 2007 by Al Gore, Kevin Wall and other celebrities...
, where he welcomed musical acts
David GrayDavid Gray may refer to:*David Gray , Scottish poet*David Gray , rugby league player for the Connecticut Wildcats*David Gray , British singer-songwriter*David Gray , Scottish footballer...
and
Damien RiceDamien Rice is an Irish singer/songwriter and musician. As a musician he plays the guitar, cello, violin, piano and drums.
...
on stage. He has performed stand-up internationally, including an appearance at the
MontrealMontreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. Originally called Ville-Marie , the city takes its present name from Mont-Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the...
'Just For Laughs' festival.
On 4th September 2009, Carr switched-on the world famous
IlluminationsBlackpool Illuminations is an annual Lights Festival, founded in 1879 and first switched on 18 September that year, held each autumn in the English seaside resort of Blackpool on the Fylde Coast in Lancashire....
in
BlackpoolBlackpool is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. Situated along the coast of the Irish Sea, it has a population of 142,900, making it the fourth-largest settlement in North West England behind Manchester, Liverpool and Warrington...
along with
JLS- Music :* JLS , British boyband.** JLS , debut album by the band of the same name.* Jodio Loco Sucio, a rock band from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.- Organizations :...
. The Illuminations will shine until 8th November 2009.
Controversy
In December 2008 Carr, when accepting his award for Best Entertainment Personality at the
British Comedy AwardsThe British Comedy Awards is an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom celebrating notable comedians and entertainment performances of the previous year.-History:...
, dedicated it to Karen Matthews, who had very recently been found guilty of kidnapping Shannon Matthews, her own daughter. Carr was quoted by
BBC NewsBBC News, formerly BBC News and Current Affairs, is the department within the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the corporation's news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online....
as stating: "I should dedicate this award to her [Karen]. She would be my dream guest. I think she's a
gay iconA gay icon is a historical figure, celebrity or public figure who is embraced by many within lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities; Dykon, a portmanteau of "dyke" and "icon," has recently entered the lexicon to describe lesbian icons....
. People like a bit of rough, don't they?"
Shahid MalikShahid Malik is a British Labour Party politician, the Member of Parliament for Dewsbury. He is currently a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Communities and Local Government.-Pre-Parliamentary Career:...
,
MPA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a parliament. In many countries the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a unique title, such as senate, and thus also have unique titles for its members, such as senators. Members of...
for Matthews' constituency of
DewsburyDewsbury is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, and lies by the River Calder and the Calder and Hebble Navigation....
described Carr as "sick and insensitive". Alan Carr subsequently apologised for his comments, saying "I realise what I said was insensitive and I am very sorry for any offence caused". On his own website he added: "For those of you who have enjoyed my comedy and seen my act over the last seven years you all would have got used to my tongue in cheek style and near the knuckle observations. Last night at the Comedy Awards [...] I was being ironic, these aren't my real sentiments obviously".
Filmography
| Year |
Show |
Role |
| 2004 |
Today With Des and MelToday with Des and Mel is a British television series hosted by Des O'Connor and Melanie Sykes. The show featured celebrity guests, phone-in competitions and chat between the hosts. It was produced by Carlton Television, at the The London Studios...
|
Himself |
| 2005 |
Law of the Playground Law of the Playground is the name of a website, book and television series which features members of the publics memories about school life. It styles itself "The least coherent encyclopaedia of playground insults on the internet"-Website:...
|
Himself |
Richard & JudyRichard & Judy is a British magazine/chat show which was presented by married couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. It originally aired on Channel 4 from 2001 to 2008 but later moved to digital channel Watch in October 2008. It featured the world's most famous stars, along with their Book Club...
|
Himself |
| 2006 |
CountdownA countdown is a sequence of counting backward to indicate the seconds, days, etc. remaining before an event occurs or a deadline expires. Typical events for which a countdown is used include the launch of a rocket or spacecraft, the explosion of a bomb, the start of a race, or the New Year...
|
Himself |
| FAQ U FAQ U was a television programme broadcast by Channel 4 in the UK in 2005. It was shown every night, Monday to Friday, just after 11:00pm. It was presented by Justin Lee Collins in its first week, David Mitchell in the second and Karen Taylor in the third. It included four comedian guests and an...
|
Himself |
| 2006-2009 |
Friday/Sunday Night Project The Sunday Night Project is a British comedy-variety show by Princess Productions that first aired on Channel 4 in February 2005 under the title The Friday Night Project...
|
Host |
| 2007-2008 |
Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding DongAlan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong is an entertainment show on Channel 4, presented by Alan Carr. During the first series, voice-over commentary in between rounds on the scores is provided by Leslie Phillips...
|
Host |
| 2007 |
Big Fat Anniversary Quiz |
Himself |
8 Out Of 10 Cats8 out of 10 Cats is a television comedy panel game made by Zeppotron for Channel 4. It was first broadcast on 3 June 2005. The show is based on statistics and opinion polls, and draws on polls produced by a variety of organizations and new polls commissioned for the programme, carried out by...
|
Himself |
| 2007,2008 |
Never Mind The BuzzcocksNever Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game show with a pop and rock music theme, currently without a permanent presenter, but starring Phill Jupitus and from 2009 Noel Fielding as team captains. The show is produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC, and is usually aired on BBC Two...
|
Contenstant |
| 2007,2008 |
The Graham Norton Show The Graham Norton Show is a comedy chat show that is broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom. It was originally shown on BBC Two from February 2007 to May 2009 until it moved to BBC One from October 2009...
|
Guest |
| 2008 |
Live at the Apollo |
Himself |
| 2007,2008,2009 |
The Paul O'Grady ShowThe Paul O'Grady Show is a BAFTA award-winning British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format is a teatime chat show that consists of a mixture of celebrity guests, comic stunts, musical performances, and occasionally viewer competitions...
|
Guest |
| 2008 |
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross Friday Night with Jonathan Ross is a comical chat show presented by Jonathan Ross. It is on the British terrestrial TV channel BBC One and is broadcast at 10.35pm on Friday nights. It was first shown on 2 November 2001 and is in it's seventeenth series...
|
Guest |
| GMTV GMTV is the national ITV breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom. It is owned by GMTV Ltd, comprising ITV plc and The Walt Disney Company...
|
Guest |
Later With Jools HollandLater with Jools Holland is a contemporary British music television show hosted by Jools Holland. A spin-off of The Late Show, it has been running without a break since 1992 and is a part of BBC2's late-night line-up, usually around 11PM...
|
Guest |
| This Morning This Morning may refer to:* This Morning , a British morning show* This Morning , a Canadian radio show* CBS This Morning and This Morning, former names of the American morning show The Early Show...
|
Guest |
| T4 {Infobox Television|| show_name = T4| image = | country = United Kingdom| caption =| format = Teen, Daytime entertainment| picture_format = 4:3...
|
Guest |
| Pride of Britain Awards The Pride of Britain Awards is an annual event in the United Kingdom, honouring ordinary people who have acted bravely or extraordinarily in challenging situations....
|
Himself |
| 2009 |
Gordon Ramsay: Cookalong Live Gordon Ramsay: Cookalong Live is a British cooking show starring Gordon Ramsay. Originally conceived as a one-off episode, Channel 4 later commissioned a full series for late 2008.-Background:...
|
Himself |
| Top Gear |
Himself |
| Comic Relief Comic Relief is a British charity organisation which was founded in the United Kingdom in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis in response to famine in Ethiopia. It was launched live on Noel Edmonds's Late, Late Breakfast Show on BBC1, on Christmas Day 1985 from a refugee camp in Sudan...
|
Himself |
| 2009-Present |
Alan Carr: Chatty ManAlan Carr: Chatty Man is a British comedy chat show presented by comedian Alan Carr. The show is currently shown on Sunday nights on Channel 4. The show features interviews with celebrity guests, sketches, topical chat, audience participation and music...
|
Host |
DVD releases
- Alan Carr Tooth Fairy Live (2007)
- The Friday Night Project Unleashed (2007)
- Alan Carr: Now That's What I Call A Ding Dong (2008)
Awards
- 2001 The BBC Best New Stand Up
- 2006 Best In Show — Sheffield Comedy Festival
- 2006 The Golden Rose of Montreaux for Best Entertainment Show for The Friday Night Project
- 2006 LAFTA's Funniest Double Act (with Justin Lee Collins)
- 2006 LAFTA's Funniest Entertainment Show for The Friday Night Project 2005
- 2007 British Comedy Award for Best Live Stand Up
- 2007 Cosmopolitan Celebrity Men Of The Year (with Justin Lee Collins)
- 2007 LAFTA's Funniest Double Act (with Justin Lee Collins)
- 2008 British Comedy Award for Best Entertainment Personality
- 2009 Television and Radio Industries Club 'Personality of the Year' Award
- 2009 Royal Television Society Entertainment Performance of the Year
- 2009 Heat's Funniest Book of 2009
Book
In 2008, Alan Carr released an autobiography,
Look Who It Is!Look Who It Is! is the autobiography of British comedian and television presenter Alan Carr. It details his life from growing up in Weymouth to presenting The Friday Night Project. In the book, Carr recounts how he grew up in the shadow of his father, Graham Carr, and was therefore expected to...
published by HarperCollins Publishers.