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David Mitchell (actor)
Encyclopedia
David James Stuart Mitchell (born 14 July 1974) is a British
actor
, comedian
and writer
. He is half of the comedy duo
Mitchell and Webb
, alongside Robert Webb
, whom he met at Cambridge University
. There they were both part of the Cambridge Footlights
, of which Mitchell became President. Together the duo star in the Channel 4
sitcom Peep Show
in which Mitchell plays Mark Corrigan. The show received a BAFTA and won three British Comedy Awards
, while Mitchell won the award for Best Comedy Performance
in 2009. The duo have written and starred in several sketch shows including The Mitchell and Webb Situation
, That Mitchell and Webb Sound
and most recently That Mitchell and Webb Look
. Mitchell and Webb also starred in the UK version of Apple's Get a Mac
advertisement campaign. Their first film, Magicians, in which Mitchell plays traditional magician Harry, was released on 18 May 2007.
On his own, Mitchell has played Dr James Vine in the BBC1 sitcom Jam & Jerusalem and Tim in the one-off ShakespeaRe-Told
adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew
. He also is a frequent participant on British panel shows, including QI
, Mock the Week
and Have I Got News for You
, as well as Best of the Worst
and Would I Lie to You?
on each of which he is a team captain, hosts The Unbelievable Truth
and 10 O'Clock Live
. Mitchell also writes a column for The Observer
.
. He was born in Salisbury
, Wiltshire
, England
, to Ian Douglas Mitchell and Kathy Grey Mitchell (née Hughes), who were then hotel managers. In 1977, his parents gave up their jobs in order to look after a then two year old Mitchell. He was effectively brought up as an only child until he was seven and a half years old when his parents had another son. The family moved to Oxford
where Mitchell's parents became lecturers on hotel management at Oxford Brookes University
.
In a 2006 interview with The Independent
, Mitchell stated his childhood dreams:
From the age of twelve he was educated at the independent Abingdon School
in Oxfordshire
. Having always been top of the class at primary school, once he moved to Abingdon
he realised that there were plenty of people smarter than he was, and so turned his attention to debating and drama "where [he] had a chance of being the best." There, Mitchell often took part in plays, "largely because you got to play cards backstage." His roles mainly consisted of small minute-long parts, until he won the role of Rabbit
in Winnie the Pooh, and this was the first time that he was "consciously aware I was doing a performance" and that that "was better, even, than playing cards." Mitchell had been "obsessed" with comedy writing since his school days, as he "always felt that doing a joke was the cleverest thing", and "would intrinsically prefer a parody of something to the actual thing itself". In 1993 he went to Peterhouse
, Cambridge
where he studied history
. There he began performing with the Cambridge Footlights, of which he became president. He met Robert Webb
in his first year at university, at an audition for a student pantomime of Cinderella
, with the two men setting up a comedy partnership. These factors had a detrimental effect on his university work, and he just scraped a 2.2 in his final exams. Before his break into comedy Mitchell worked as an usher at the Lyric Hammersmith
theatre, and in the cloakroom of TFI Friday
among other jobs.
Mitchell's first project with Robert Webb
was in January 1995, a show about the First World War entitled Innocent Millions Dead or Dying: A Wry Look at the Post-Apocalyptic Age. Webb later described it as being "fucking terrible". After leaving university he and Webb began performing a number of two-man shows at the Edinburgh Fringe.
From this, the duo were given the chance to write for Alexander Armstrong
and Ben Miller
and for series two of Big Train
. After minor work on The Jack Docherty Show and Comedy Nation
, their first break into television acting was in 2000, on the short-lived BBC sketch show Bruiser
, which they primarily wrote, and starred in. The show also featured Olivia Colman
, who would become a regular cast member of Mitchell and Webb projects, and Martin Freeman
, later of The Office
fame. Other cast members included Matthew Holness
and Charlotte Hudson
. Additional material for the show was provided by various people, including Ricky Gervais
and James Bachman
.
In 2001 the two men were commissioned for a sketch show of their own, entitled The Mitchell and Webb Situation
, which ran for six episodes on the now defunct channel Play UK
. Despite the show running for a mere series, it was reasonably well-received. Wessex Scenes Darren Richman said "what the series lacked in budget, it made up for in magnificent material" and went on to call it "far superior to the vastly overrated Little Britain
" and "perhaps the greatest forgotten sketch show of modern times." Eureka! TV said that the show "gushes forth an hilarious stream of surreal and quirkily inventive sketches", as well as calling it a "cult success". Eureka! TV released The Mitchell and Webb Situation on DVD in 2005. In the interview with Wessex Scene, Mitchell stated that he was "more proud of the way it turned out than annoyed that it was only aired on a small channel."
Mitchell and Webb's next project came in 2003, with starring roles in the Channel 4
sitcom Peep Show
, as flatmates Mark Corrigan and Jeremy Usbourne respectively. The show originated from writers Jesse Armstrong
and Sam Bain
's failed attempt to complete a team-written sitcom for the BBC, they had an old script that they wanted to revive and Mitchell and Webb helped out, with it eventually evolving into Peep Show. Despite low viewing figures (which almost got the show cancelled after series three) the show was received to wide critical acclaim. The British Sitcom Guide called it "without a doubt one of the best sitcoms of the decade." Ricky Gervais has been cited as saying "the last thing I got genuinely excited about on British TV was Peep Show, which I thought was the best sitcom since Father Ted
". The BBC hailed Mitchell's performance in the series, citing that "As Mark Corrigan, David reached out to all those middle-aged men in a twentysomething's body, who believe drugs are boring and systems are necessary if society is to function at all." Mitchell has stated that he empathises with Mark and enjoys playing him and that he "agrees with many of [Mark's] opinions." Peep Show has aired seven series, making it the longest-running sitcom in Channel 4 history.
In 2009, Mitchell won the British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy Performance
for his work on Peep Show, after having lost in the same category the year before. He was nominated again in 2010. He won the award "Best Television Comedy Actor" at the 2007 British Comedy Awards
, and the pair shared the 2007 Royal Television Society
Award for "Comedy Performance". They were also jointly nominated for "Best Television Comedy Actor" at the 2006 British Comedy Awards. Peep Show itself has also won the BAFTA for "Best situation comedy" in 2008, and the British Comedy Award for "Best TV comedy" in 2006, and retained it the following year. It also won "Best TV Comedy" at the South Bank Show Awards, and claimed a Golden Rose
in 2004.
After the success of Peep Show Mitchell and Webb returned to sketch comedy with their BBC Radio 4
sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Sound
, which has run for four series. The show was adapted for television and became That Mitchell and Webb Look
, producer Gareth Edwards
described it as "the shortest pitch [he had] ever written". The British Sitcom Guide named That Mitchell and Webb Look the "Best Sketch Show of 2006", as well as saying that it was the best thing that David Mitchell did in all of 2006. The show has run for four series. Towards the end of 2006 the pair made their first tour, with a show called The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb
. The tour was criticised as just "a succession of largely unrelated scenes" by The Guardian
s Brian Logan, who gave it a rating of two stars.
That Mitchell and Webb Look won them the BAFTA for "Best Comedy Programme or Series" at the 2007 awards, and they earned a further nomination for it in 2009. It was nominated for two British Comedy awards in 2006: "Britain's Best New TV Comedy" and the "Highland Spring People's Choice". Their stage tour The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb was nominated for the British Comedy Award for "Best Stage Comedy", and That Mitchell and Webb Sound won a Sony Silver Award.
Their first film, Magicians was released on 18 May 2007. It was directed by Andrew O'Connor and written by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain. Webb played the role of modern magician Karl. Later in 2007, the pair recorded a pilot BBC Radio 2
sitcom entitled Daydream Believers, in which Mitchell played Ray, a science-fiction writer. The show was previously a one off television pilot from Channel 4's Comedy Lab, and also starred Mitchell and Webb.
Mitchell and Webb's first comedy book This Mitchell and Webb Book was published in 2009, and a second book is in the works. They also wrote and filmed Playing Shop, a comedy television pilot for BBC Two
about two men who operate a business out of their shed. Although the BBC commissioners were happy with it, Mitchell and Webb scrapped it themselves, as they felt it was too similar to Peep Show. A new pilot had been commissioned, but the plan was later shelved.
The duo also fronted the campaign of the UK version of Apple Inc.'s Get a Mac
adverts, with Mitchell playing PC. The adverts have received much criticism. Writing in The Guardian
, Charlie Brooker
claimed that the use of Mitchell and Webb in the adverts was a curious choice. He compared the characters of PC and Mac in the adverts to those of Mark and Jeremy in Peep Show, stating that "when you see the ads, you think, 'PCs are a bit rubbish yet ultimately lovable, whereas Macs are just smug, preening tossers.'" The British Sitcom Guide also criticised the pair for "selling their souls". One journalist called the adverts "worse than not funny", and accused Mitchell and Webb of "an act of grave betrayal" for taking corporate work. In an interview with The Telegraph, Robert Webb responded to the duo's critics, stating that "when someone asks, 'Do you want to do some funny ads for not many days in the year and be paid more than you would be for an entire series of Peep Show?' the answer, obviously, is, 'Yeah, that's fine'". In the same interview, Mitchell also said "I don't see what is morally inconsistent with a comedian doing an advert. It's all right to sell computers, isn't it? Unless you think that capitalism is evil – which I don't. It's not like we're helping to flog a baby-killing machine".
In 2005, the duo were placed ninth on a list of the United Kingdom's best television talent, and were named twelfth in a Radio Times
list of the most powerful people in television comedy.
in 2001. He played the surgeon Dr Toby Stephens in the BBC2 sitcom Doctors and Nurses. In 2005 he played Kate's hapless secretary Tim in the BBC's updating of The Taming of The Shrew
in its ShakespeaRe-Told
series. Mitchell appeared as various roles on the Channel 4 sketch programme Blunder
. The show was not well received, with the British Sitcom Guide naming it as the worst thing that Mitchell did in all of 2006 in their "British Sitcom Awards" of that year. He portrayed the recurring character of Dr. James Vine in the BBC sitcom Jam and Jerusalem
. Mitchell had a small part in the film I Could Never Be Your Woman
, playing an English writer, also named David. Whilst in Los Angeles
to record the part he decided that he did not like the area much, and preferred filming in Britain. He has also written for series five of the BBC2 impressionist sketch show Dead Ringers
, and voiced Mitch in the Disney animated series Phineas and Ferb
. He also narrated the reality show Beauty and the Geek. Following the success of Channel 4's Alternative Election Night in 2010, which Mitchell hosted with Jimmy Carr
, Charlie Brooker
and Lauren Laverne
, the four presented 10 O'Clock Live
, a series of live shows looking at the week's affairs.
Mitchell has become a regular participant on many panel shows, leading The Independents James Rampton to christen him "if not king, then certainly prince regent of the panel games." He has appeared on QI
, Have I Got News for You
, Mock the Week
, Just a Minute
, Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive
and 8 Out of 10 Cats
, as well as appearing on The Big Fat Quiz of the Year
in 2005, 2007 and 2009. He was a team captain on the Channel 4 comedy quiz show Best of the Worst
, opposite Johnny Vaughan
. The British Sitcom Guide named Best of the Worst the "Worst Comedy Quiz Show of 2006". On 19 October 2006, he hosted the pilot edition of The Unbelievable Truth
, a panel game
on BBC Radio 4
, in which the panellists are encouraged to lie; the show became a full series in April 2007. He is also a team captain on the panel show Would I Lie To You?
, and has hosted three episodes of Have I Got News For You. Mitchell hosted the panel show The Bubble
. He hosted the second week of Channel 4's FAQ U
, and appeared as himself in an episode of Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive
, a panel show parody. He also appeared as one of the participants on the Channel 4 show TV Heaven, Telly Hell
, and has appeared on several episodes of Question Time
. In a 2007 interview with Digital Spy, Mitchell stated that he enjoyed panel shows, as they are "a game worth playing." The Radio Times
named him "The Best Comedy Panel Show Guest" in the world, stating that "he's incredibly, disgustingly witty" and "even starting to make Paul Merton
look slow on the uptake".
Mitchell has presented three series of the online video show David Mitchell's Soapbox, a series of short monologue
s co-written with John Finnemore
for ChannelFlip
. In these monologues Mitchell has criticised a variety of subjects, including the popular BBC
show Doctor Who
and 3D television
. Matt Warman of the Daily Telegraph suggested that the series could be a sign that new comedy will increasingly become available online, rather than on television. He provided the voiceover for a £1 million government advert for FRANK
, warning of the dangers of cocaine
, as "Pablo the Drug Mule Dog
"; and also for the Driving Standards Agency
's "The Highway Code". He writes columns for The Observer
and The Guardian
. He also took part in Channel 4's Comedy Gala
, a benefit show
held in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital
at the O2 Arena
. In October 2009, Mitchell signed a deal with HarperCollins
and its imprint Fourth Estate to write a volume of memoirs and a novel. The memoirs are scheduled for publication in 2012 and the novel in 2013.
Following his BAFTA win, Mitchell was ranked at #53 in the 2009 MediaGuardian 100, an annual ranking of media people in The Guardian. In reference to his ubiquitous presence in broadcast and print media, The Guardians writer called him "the go-to funnyman of the moment". In their entry for Peep Show on their list of "The top 50 TV shows of the Noughties", The Times
labelled Mitchell "a national institution".
he is dating Victoria Coren
. In 2007, he was best man at Robert Webb's wedding to Abigail Burdess. He remains interested in history and said in an interview with The Observer
that "I can see myself in a few years' time joining the National Trust
and going round the odd castle. I think I might find that restful as the anger of middle age sets in." In his interview on Parkinson he stated that if he could go back in time to do one thing, it would be to go to the building of Stonehenge
, to ask them "why they were bothering". He also plays the occasional game of squash
and tennis
, and enjoys watching snooker
. Mitchell has expressed an interest in writing a novel but admitted that he currently has no ideas. He is a user of Twitter
. Mitchell voted for the Liberal Democrats
in the 2010 election.
Mitchell is constantly "checking and re-checking things", such as whether the door is locked or whether he's left the gas on and describes himself as a worrier. He once stated that he had diagnosed himself with obsessive-compulsive disorder
(OCD), but later noted that that was "overstating it a bit", and he does not actually have OCD.
His favourite television programme is The Simpsons
, which he called the "best programme ever". He claims that watching new comedy is "very stressful", and cites I'm Alan Partridge
, The Office
and Monty Python
as being among his favourite television programmes. He also likes Extras
, 30 Rock
, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
, Bleak House, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
, Terry and June
and the television programmes of Adam Hart-Davis
. His favourite actor is Sir Alec Guinness, and he lists Spike Milligan
, Peter Sellers
and Peter Cook
as being his comedy idols. Mitchell has stated that Morecambe and Wise
, Monty Python and The Two Ronnies
have been a big influence on his career. He once claimed he is "not remotely interested in music," but appeared on Desert Island Discs
, and owns two CDs, Phil Collins
' ...But Seriously
and Susan Boyle
's debut, though has expressed a dislike for both.
Other programmes
Non-fictional appearances
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. He is half of the comedy duo
Double act
A double act, also known as a comedy duo, is a comic pairing in which humor is derived from the uneven relationship between two partners, usually of the same gender, age, ethnic origin and profession, but drastically different personalities or behavior...
Mitchell and Webb
Mitchell and Webb
Mitchell and Webb are a British comedy double act, comprising David Mitchell and Robert Webb . They are best known for starring in the Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show....
, alongside Robert Webb
Robert Webb (actor)
Robert Webb is an English actor, comedian and writer, and one half of the double act Mitchell and Webb, alongside David Mitchell.-Early life:...
, whom he met at Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. There they were both part of the Cambridge Footlights
Footlights
Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, commonly referred to simply as the Footlights, is an amateur theatrical club in Cambridge, England, founded in 1883 and run by the students of Cambridge University....
, of which Mitchell became President. Together the duo star in the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
sitcom Peep Show
Peep Show (TV series)
Peep Show is a British sitcom starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. The television programme is written by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, with additional material by Mitchell and Webb themselves, amongst others. It has been broadcast on Channel 4 since 2003. The show's seventh series makes it...
in which Mitchell plays Mark Corrigan. The show received a BAFTA and won three British Comedy Awards
British Comedy Awards
The British Comedy Awards is an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom celebrating notable comedians and entertainment performances of the previous year.-History:...
, while Mitchell won the award for Best Comedy Performance
British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy Performance
-See also:* British Academy Television Awards* British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy -External links:* * , Internet Movie Database...
in 2009. The duo have written and starred in several sketch shows including The Mitchell and Webb Situation
The Mitchell and Webb Situation
The Mitchell and Webb Situation was a British television sketch show shown on Play UK in 2001. Written by and starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb, it lasted for one series of six episodes and was released on region 2 DVD in 2006 by Eureka Video...
, That Mitchell and Webb Sound
That Mitchell and Webb Sound
That Mitchell and Webb Sound is a comedy sketch show on BBC Radio 4 which started on 28 August 2003. A second series was broadcast in 2005 with a third starting on 24 May 2007. The series became adapted for television as That Mitchell and Webb Look in 2006. The series is seen in some ways a...
and most recently That Mitchell and Webb Look
That Mitchell and Webb Look
That Mitchell and Webb Look is a British television sketch show starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. Shown on BBC Two since 2006, its first two series were directed by David Kerr, who also directed Mitchell and Webb's previous television sketch show The Mitchell and Webb Situation, whereas...
. Mitchell and Webb also starred in the UK version of Apple's Get a Mac
Get a Mac
The Get a Mac campaign is a television advertising campaign created for Apple Inc. by TBWA\Media Arts Lab, the company's advertising agency, that ran from 2006 to 2009...
advertisement campaign. Their first film, Magicians, in which Mitchell plays traditional magician Harry, was released on 18 May 2007.
On his own, Mitchell has played Dr James Vine in the BBC1 sitcom Jam & Jerusalem and Tim in the one-off ShakespeaRe-Told
ShakespeaRe-Told
ShakespeaRe-Told is the umbrella title for a series of four television adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays broadcast on BBC One during November 2005. In a similar manner to the 2003 production of The Canterbury Tales, each play is adapted by a different writer, and relocated to the present day...
adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1591.The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the Induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken tinker named Sly into believing he is actually a nobleman himself...
. He also is a frequent participant on British panel shows, including QI
QI
QI is a British comedy panel game television quiz show created and co-produced by John Lloyd, hosted by Stephen Fry, and featuring permanent panellist Alan Davies. Most of the questions are extremely obscure, making it unlikely that the correct answer will be given...
, Mock the Week
Mock the Week
Mock the Week is a British topical celebrity panel game hosted by Dara Ó Briain that launched in 2005. The game is influenced by improvised topical stand-up comedy, with several rounds requiring players to deliver answers on unexpected subjects on the spur of the moment.It is made by independent...
and Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been broadcast since 1990, currently the BBC's longest-ever running television panel show...
, as well as Best of the Worst
Best of the Worst (UK)
Best of the Worst was a British panel game, which was broadcast on Channel 4 in 2006. The show was created by Giles Pilbrow and Colin Swash....
and Would I Lie to You?
Would I Lie To You? (TV series)
Would I Lie to You? is a comedy panel game made by Zeppotron for BBC One. It was first broadcast on 16 June 2007.-Format:The show was presented by Angus Deayton in 2007 and 2008, and by Rob Brydon from 2009 onwards...
on each of which he is a team captain, hosts The Unbelievable Truth
The Unbelievable Truth
The Unbelievable Truth is a BBC radio comedy panel game made by Random Entertainment, devised by Graeme Garden and Jon Naismith. It is very similar to the occasional I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue game "Lies, All Lies", which was first played in 1985...
and 10 O'Clock Live
10 O'Clock Live
10 O'Clock Live is a British satirical comedy/news television programme presented by Charlie Brooker, Jimmy Carr, Lauren Laverne and David Mitchell....
. Mitchell also writes a column for The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
.
Early life
Mitchell's ancestry can in part be traced back to the Highland ClearancesHighland Clearances
The Highland Clearances were forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. They led to mass emigration to the sea coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and the North American colonies...
. He was born in Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to Ian Douglas Mitchell and Kathy Grey Mitchell (née Hughes), who were then hotel managers. In 1977, his parents gave up their jobs in order to look after a then two year old Mitchell. He was effectively brought up as an only child until he was seven and a half years old when his parents had another son. The family moved to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
where Mitchell's parents became lecturers on hotel management at Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University is a new university in Oxford, England. It was named to honour the school's founding principal, John Brookes. It has been ranked as the best new university by the Sunday Times University Guide 10 years in a row...
.
In a 2006 interview with The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, Mitchell stated his childhood dreams:
When I was at school I either wanted to be a comedian-stroke-actor or prime ministerPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
. But I didn't admit that to other people, I said I wanted to be a barristerBarristerA barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and that made my parents very happy. I didn't admit I wanted to be a comedian until I came to university, met a lot of other people who wanted to be comedians, and realised it was an okay thing to say.
From the age of twelve he was educated at the independent Abingdon School
Abingdon School
Abingdon School is a British day and boarding independent school for boys situated in Abingdon, Oxfordshire , previously known as Roysse's School. In 1998 a formal merger took place between Abingdon School and Josca's, a preparatory school four miles to the west at Frilford...
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. Having always been top of the class at primary school, once he moved to Abingdon
Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Abingdon or archaically Abingdon-on-Thames is a market town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Vale of White Horse district. Previously the county town of Berkshire, Abingdon is one of several places that claim to be Britain's oldest continuously occupied town, with...
he realised that there were plenty of people smarter than he was, and so turned his attention to debating and drama "where [he] had a chance of being the best." There, Mitchell often took part in plays, "largely because you got to play cards backstage." His roles mainly consisted of small minute-long parts, until he won the role of Rabbit
Rabbit (Winnie the Pooh)
In the fictional world of the book series and cartoons Winnie-the-Pooh, Rabbit is a responsible rabbit who happens to be a good friend of Winnie-the-Pooh. He is always practical and keeps his friends on their toes, although they sometimes raise his ire unintentionally.-Role in the books:The first...
in Winnie the Pooh, and this was the first time that he was "consciously aware I was doing a performance" and that that "was better, even, than playing cards." Mitchell had been "obsessed" with comedy writing since his school days, as he "always felt that doing a joke was the cleverest thing", and "would intrinsically prefer a parody of something to the actual thing itself". In 1993 he went to Peterhouse
Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the oldest college of the University, having been founded in 1284 by Hugo de Balsham, Bishop of Ely...
, Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
where he studied history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
. There he began performing with the Cambridge Footlights, of which he became president. He met Robert Webb
Robert Webb (actor)
Robert Webb is an English actor, comedian and writer, and one half of the double act Mitchell and Webb, alongside David Mitchell.-Early life:...
in his first year at university, at an audition for a student pantomime of Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
, with the two men setting up a comedy partnership. These factors had a detrimental effect on his university work, and he just scraped a 2.2 in his final exams. Before his break into comedy Mitchell worked as an usher at the Lyric Hammersmith
Lyric Hammersmith
The Lyric Theatre, also known as the Lyric Hammersmith, is a theatre on King Street, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, which takes pride in its original, "groundbreaking" productions....
theatre, and in the cloakroom of TFI Friday
TFI Friday
TFI Friday is an entertainment show broadcast on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom from 1996 to 2000. The show produced by Ginger Productions, written by Danny Baker and hosted by Chris Evans, for the first 5 series. The final series was hosted by a number of Guest Presenters. It was broadcast on...
among other jobs.
Early work and Peep Show
| "We have superficial differences and underlying similarities. We pretty much agree about what we think is funny. But we come across differently. We get on really. And together we're greater than the sum of our parts." |
| — Mitchell describing his partnership with Webb. |
Mitchell's first project with Robert Webb
Robert Webb (actor)
Robert Webb is an English actor, comedian and writer, and one half of the double act Mitchell and Webb, alongside David Mitchell.-Early life:...
was in January 1995, a show about the First World War entitled Innocent Millions Dead or Dying: A Wry Look at the Post-Apocalyptic Age. Webb later described it as being "fucking terrible". After leaving university he and Webb began performing a number of two-man shows at the Edinburgh Fringe.
From this, the duo were given the chance to write for Alexander Armstrong
Alexander Armstrong (comedian)
Alexander Henry Fenwick Armstrong is a British comedian, actor and television presenter.-Early life and career:Armstrong was born in Rothbury, Northumberland, the youngest of three children, to Henry Angus Armstrong and his wife Emma Virginia Peronnet Thompson-McCausland, daughter of Lucius...
and Ben Miller
Ben Miller
Bennet Evan "Ben" Miller is an English comedian, actor and director. He is perhaps best known as one half of comedy double act Armstrong and Miller, along with Alexander Armstrong. Together the pair wrote and starred in Channel 4 sketch show Armstrong and Miller, and the more recent BBC television...
and for series two of Big Train
Big Train
Big Train is a surreal British television comedy sketch show created by Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan, writers of the successful sitcom Father Ted...
. After minor work on The Jack Docherty Show and Comedy Nation
Comedy Nation
Comedy Nation is a British sketch comedy television programme that premiered at midnight 9 January 1998 on BBC Two. The first series consists of 13 episodes, each containing 30 sketches. Each episode of the first series cost £29,000 to produce....
, their first break into television acting was in 2000, on the short-lived BBC sketch show Bruiser
Bruiser (TV series)
Bruiser was a TV comedy sketch show produced for BBC Choice. It premiered on 28 February 2000 and ran for six episodes ending on 15 March 2000. The main writers were David Mitchell and Robert Webb...
, which they primarily wrote, and starred in. The show also featured Olivia Colman
Olivia Colman
Olivia Colman is an English actress, best known for her supporting roles in various comedy shows, such as Sophie Chapman in Peep Show and Harriet Schulenburg in Green Wing. She trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and has appeared in radio, television and theatre.-Personal life:Colman...
, who would become a regular cast member of Mitchell and Webb projects, and Martin Freeman
Martin Freeman
Martin John C. Freeman is an English actor. He is known for his roles as John in Love Actually, Tim Canterbury in the BBC's Golden Globe-winning comedy The Office, Arthur Dent in the film adaptation of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Dr. John Watson in Sherlock and Mr. Madden...
, later of The Office
The Office (UK TV series)
The Office is a British sitcom television series that was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the programme is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictitious...
fame. Other cast members included Matthew Holness
Matthew Holness
Matthew Holness is an English comedian and actor from Whitstable in Kent. He attended Chaucer Technology School in Canterbury and read English at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he was vice-president of the Cambridge Footlights...
and Charlotte Hudson
Charlotte Hudson
Charlotte Hudson is a British television presenter. She presents the Sky One television series Brainiac: History Abuse, a spin-off from the award-winning Brainiac: Science Abuse...
. Additional material for the show was provided by various people, including Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Dene Gervais is an English comedian, actor, director, radio presenter, producer, musician, and writer.Gervais achieved mainstream fame with his television series The Office and the subsequent series Extras, both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with friend and frequent collaborator...
and James Bachman
James Bachman
James Bachman is an English comedian, actor and writer.He has written for many U.K. radio and television programmes, including That Mitchell and Webb Look , That Mitchell and Webb Sound , Popetown , and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway...
.
In 2001 the two men were commissioned for a sketch show of their own, entitled The Mitchell and Webb Situation
The Mitchell and Webb Situation
The Mitchell and Webb Situation was a British television sketch show shown on Play UK in 2001. Written by and starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb, it lasted for one series of six episodes and was released on region 2 DVD in 2006 by Eureka Video...
, which ran for six episodes on the now defunct channel Play UK
Play UK
Play UK was a television channel broadcasting in the United Kingdom as part of the UKTV network of channels. The channel was launched on 10 October 1998...
. Despite the show running for a mere series, it was reasonably well-received. Wessex Scenes Darren Richman said "what the series lacked in budget, it made up for in magnificent material" and went on to call it "far superior to the vastly overrated Little Britain
Little Britain
Little Britain is a British character-based comedy sketch show which was first broadcast on BBC radio and then turned into a television show. It was written by comic duo David Walliams and Matt Lucas...
" and "perhaps the greatest forgotten sketch show of modern times." Eureka! TV said that the show "gushes forth an hilarious stream of surreal and quirkily inventive sketches", as well as calling it a "cult success". Eureka! TV released The Mitchell and Webb Situation on DVD in 2005. In the interview with Wessex Scene, Mitchell stated that he was "more proud of the way it turned out than annoyed that it was only aired on a small channel."
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
sitcom Peep Show
Peep Show (TV series)
Peep Show is a British sitcom starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. The television programme is written by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, with additional material by Mitchell and Webb themselves, amongst others. It has been broadcast on Channel 4 since 2003. The show's seventh series makes it...
, as flatmates Mark Corrigan and Jeremy Usbourne respectively. The show originated from writers Jesse Armstrong
Jesse Armstrong
Jesse Armstrong is one of the co-creators of Channel 4's Peep Show, along with Sam Bain. He also co-wrote the BBC Four comedy The Thick of It and was one of the writers on series 1 and 2 of the BBC Radio 4 sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Sound and the BBC Two sketch show That Mitchell and Webb...
and Sam Bain
Sam Bain
Sam Bain is one of the co-creators of Channel 4's Peep Show, which won a BAFTA for best Situation Comedy in 2008. He was also one of the writers of two series of the BBC Radio 4 sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Sound and the BBC Two sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Look...
's failed attempt to complete a team-written sitcom for the BBC, they had an old script that they wanted to revive and Mitchell and Webb helped out, with it eventually evolving into Peep Show. Despite low viewing figures (which almost got the show cancelled after series three) the show was received to wide critical acclaim. The British Sitcom Guide called it "without a doubt one of the best sitcoms of the decade." Ricky Gervais has been cited as saying "the last thing I got genuinely excited about on British TV was Peep Show, which I thought was the best sitcom since Father Ted
Father Ted
Father Ted is a comedy series set in Ireland that was produced by Hat Trick Productions for British broadcaster Channel 4. Written jointly by Irish writers Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan and starring a predominantly Irish cast, it originally aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May...
". The BBC hailed Mitchell's performance in the series, citing that "As Mark Corrigan, David reached out to all those middle-aged men in a twentysomething's body, who believe drugs are boring and systems are necessary if society is to function at all." Mitchell has stated that he empathises with Mark and enjoys playing him and that he "agrees with many of [Mark's] opinions." Peep Show has aired seven series, making it the longest-running sitcom in Channel 4 history.
In 2009, Mitchell won the British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy Performance
British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy Performance
-See also:* British Academy Television Awards* British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy -External links:* * , Internet Movie Database...
for his work on Peep Show, after having lost in the same category the year before. He was nominated again in 2010. He won the award "Best Television Comedy Actor" at the 2007 British Comedy Awards
British Comedy Awards
The British Comedy Awards is an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom celebrating notable comedians and entertainment performances of the previous year.-History:...
, and the pair shared the 2007 Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
Award for "Comedy Performance". They were also jointly nominated for "Best Television Comedy Actor" at the 2006 British Comedy Awards. Peep Show itself has also won the BAFTA for "Best situation comedy" in 2008, and the British Comedy Award for "Best TV comedy" in 2006, and retained it the following year. It also won "Best TV Comedy" at the South Bank Show Awards, and claimed a Golden Rose
Rose d'Or
The Rose d’Or is one of the most important international festivals in entertainment television. It was founded in Montreux in 1961 and has taken place in Lucerne since 2004. Producers, executives from independent and public service broadcasters and heads of production companies from over 40...
in 2004.
Other Mitchell and Webb projects
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Sound
That Mitchell and Webb Sound
That Mitchell and Webb Sound is a comedy sketch show on BBC Radio 4 which started on 28 August 2003. A second series was broadcast in 2005 with a third starting on 24 May 2007. The series became adapted for television as That Mitchell and Webb Look in 2006. The series is seen in some ways a...
, which has run for four series. The show was adapted for television and became That Mitchell and Webb Look
That Mitchell and Webb Look
That Mitchell and Webb Look is a British television sketch show starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. Shown on BBC Two since 2006, its first two series were directed by David Kerr, who also directed Mitchell and Webb's previous television sketch show The Mitchell and Webb Situation, whereas...
, producer Gareth Edwards
Gareth Edwards (producer)
Gareth Edwards is a radio and television producer and writer. He is the great-grandson of Hollywood pioneer Albert E. Smith, founder of Vitagraph Studios.TV and Radio Career...
described it as "the shortest pitch [he had] ever written". The British Sitcom Guide named That Mitchell and Webb Look the "Best Sketch Show of 2006", as well as saying that it was the best thing that David Mitchell did in all of 2006. The show has run for four series. Towards the end of 2006 the pair made their first tour, with a show called The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb
The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb
The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb was a live stage tour undertaken by the comedy team of David Mitchell and Robert Webb, accompanied by their frequent collaborators James Bachman and Abigail Burdess, who played supporting roles.-Overview:...
. The tour was criticised as just "a succession of largely unrelated scenes" by The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
s Brian Logan, who gave it a rating of two stars.
That Mitchell and Webb Look won them the BAFTA for "Best Comedy Programme or Series" at the 2007 awards, and they earned a further nomination for it in 2009. It was nominated for two British Comedy awards in 2006: "Britain's Best New TV Comedy" and the "Highland Spring People's Choice". Their stage tour The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb was nominated for the British Comedy Award for "Best Stage Comedy", and That Mitchell and Webb Sound won a Sony Silver Award.
Their first film, Magicians was released on 18 May 2007. It was directed by Andrew O'Connor and written by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain. Webb played the role of modern magician Karl. Later in 2007, the pair recorded a pilot BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. 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...
sitcom entitled Daydream Believers, in which Mitchell played Ray, a science-fiction writer. The show was previously a one off television pilot from Channel 4's Comedy Lab, and also starred Mitchell and Webb.
Mitchell and Webb's first comedy book This Mitchell and Webb Book was published in 2009, and a second book is in the works. They also wrote and filmed Playing Shop, a comedy television pilot for BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
about two men who operate a business out of their shed. Although the BBC commissioners were happy with it, Mitchell and Webb scrapped it themselves, as they felt it was too similar to Peep Show. A new pilot had been commissioned, but the plan was later shelved.
The duo also fronted the campaign of the UK version of Apple Inc.'s Get a Mac
Get a Mac
The Get a Mac campaign is a television advertising campaign created for Apple Inc. by TBWA\Media Arts Lab, the company's advertising agency, that ran from 2006 to 2009...
adverts, with Mitchell playing PC. The adverts have received much criticism. Writing in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, Charlie Brooker
Charlie Brooker
Charlton "Charlie" Brooker is a British journalist, comic writer and broadcaster. His style of humour is savage and profane, with surreal elements and a consistent satirical pessimism...
claimed that the use of Mitchell and Webb in the adverts was a curious choice. He compared the characters of PC and Mac in the adverts to those of Mark and Jeremy in Peep Show, stating that "when you see the ads, you think, 'PCs are a bit rubbish yet ultimately lovable, whereas Macs are just smug, preening tossers.'" The British Sitcom Guide also criticised the pair for "selling their souls". One journalist called the adverts "worse than not funny", and accused Mitchell and Webb of "an act of grave betrayal" for taking corporate work. In an interview with The Telegraph, Robert Webb responded to the duo's critics, stating that "when someone asks, 'Do you want to do some funny ads for not many days in the year and be paid more than you would be for an entire series of Peep Show?' the answer, obviously, is, 'Yeah, that's fine'". In the same interview, Mitchell also said "I don't see what is morally inconsistent with a comedian doing an advert. It's all right to sell computers, isn't it? Unless you think that capitalism is evil – which I don't. It's not like we're helping to flog a baby-killing machine".
In 2005, the duo were placed ninth on a list of the United Kingdom's best television talent, and were named twelfth in a Radio Times
Radio Times
Radio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
list of the most powerful people in television comedy.
Solo work
As well as his work alongside Webb, Mitchell has appeared on his own in several shows. He played technical expert Owen in the Radio 4 sitcom Think the UnthinkableThink the Unthinkable
Think the Unthinkable is an audience sitcom about hapless management consultants, written by James Cary and first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2001. It starred Marcus Brigstocke, David Mitchell, Catherine Shepherd, Emma Kennedy and Beth Chalmers. Each week the team of consultants inflict their...
in 2001. He played the surgeon Dr Toby Stephens in the BBC2 sitcom Doctors and Nurses. In 2005 he played Kate's hapless secretary Tim in the BBC's updating of The Taming of The Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1591.The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the Induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken tinker named Sly into believing he is actually a nobleman himself...
in its ShakespeaRe-Told
ShakespeaRe-Told
ShakespeaRe-Told is the umbrella title for a series of four television adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays broadcast on BBC One during November 2005. In a similar manner to the 2003 production of The Canterbury Tales, each play is adapted by a different writer, and relocated to the present day...
series. Mitchell appeared as various roles on the Channel 4 sketch programme Blunder
Blunder (TV series)
Blunder was a Channel 4 comedy sketch series shown in the UK on E4 and repeated on Channel 4. No announcement of a second series has yet been made.-Characters:-The Baron:...
. The show was not well received, with the British Sitcom Guide naming it as the worst thing that Mitchell did in all of 2006 in their "British Sitcom Awards" of that year. He portrayed the recurring character of Dr. James Vine in the BBC sitcom Jam and Jerusalem
Jam and Jerusalem
Jam & Jerusalem is a British comedy-drama that aired on BBC One from 2006 to 2009. Written by Jennifer Saunders and Abigail Wilson, it starred Sue Johnston, Jennifer Saunders, Pauline McLynn, Dawn French, Maggie Steed, David Mitchell, and Sally Phillips. Earlier episodes also starred Joanna Lumley...
. Mitchell had a small part in the film I Could Never Be Your Woman
I Could Never Be Your Woman
I Could Never Be Your Woman is a 2007 American romantic comedy film directed and written by Amy Heckerling and starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Paul Rudd. The film was released on May 11 in Spain, July 18 in Belgium, September 14 in Brazil, September 20 in Greece and October 19 in Taiwan...
, playing an English writer, also named David. Whilst in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to record the part he decided that he did not like the area much, and preferred filming in Britain. He has also written for series five of the BBC2 impressionist sketch show Dead Ringers
Dead Ringers (comedy)
Dead Ringers is a UK radio and television comedy impressions broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and later BBC Two. The programme was devised by producer Bill Dare and developed with Jon Holmes, Andy Hurst and Simon Blackwell. It starred Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Phil Cornwell, Kevin Connelly and Mark Perry...
, and voiced Mitch in the Disney animated series Phineas and Ferb
Phineas and Ferb
Phineas and Ferb is an American animated television comedy series. Originally broadcast as a preview on August 17, 2007, on Disney Channel, the series follows Phineas Flynn and his English stepbrother Ferb Fletcher on summer vacation. Every day the boys embark on some grand new project, which...
. He also narrated the reality show Beauty and the Geek. Following the success of Channel 4's Alternative Election Night in 2010, which Mitchell hosted with Jimmy Carr
Jimmy Carr
James Anthony Patrick "Jimmy" Carr is an English-Irish comedian and humourist. He is known for his deadpan delivery and dark humour. He is also a writer, actor and presenter of radio and television....
, Charlie Brooker
Charlie Brooker
Charlton "Charlie" Brooker is a British journalist, comic writer and broadcaster. His style of humour is savage and profane, with surreal elements and a consistent satirical pessimism...
and Lauren Laverne
Lauren Laverne
Lauren Cecilia Fisher , known professionally as Lauren Laverne, is an English radio DJ, television presenter, author and singer...
, the four presented 10 O'Clock Live
10 O'Clock Live
10 O'Clock Live is a British satirical comedy/news television programme presented by Charlie Brooker, Jimmy Carr, Lauren Laverne and David Mitchell....
, a series of live shows looking at the week's affairs.
Mitchell has become a regular participant on many panel shows, leading The Independents James Rampton to christen him "if not king, then certainly prince regent of the panel games." He has appeared on QI
QI
QI is a British comedy panel game television quiz show created and co-produced by John Lloyd, hosted by Stephen Fry, and featuring permanent panellist Alan Davies. Most of the questions are extremely obscure, making it unlikely that the correct answer will be given...
, Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been broadcast since 1990, currently the BBC's longest-ever running television panel show...
, Mock the Week
Mock the Week
Mock the Week is a British topical celebrity panel game hosted by Dara Ó Briain that launched in 2005. The game is influenced by improvised topical stand-up comedy, with several rounds requiring players to deliver answers on unexpected subjects on the spur of the moment.It is made by independent...
, Just a Minute
Just a Minute
Just a Minute is a BBC Radio 4 radio comedy panel game chaired by Nicholas Parsons. Its first transmission on Radio 4 was on 22 December 1967, three months after the station's launch. The Radio 4 programme won a Gold Sony Radio Academy Award in 2003....
, Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive
Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive
Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive is a British radio comedy programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in 2005 with a second series in 2006, a third in 2007 and a fourth in 2008. Series 2, 3 and 4 of the show were broadcast in the popular Friday evening slot, which it has shared with The...
and 8 Out of 10 Cats
8 Out of 10 Cats
8 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...
, as well as appearing on The Big Fat Quiz of the Year
The Big Fat Quiz of the Year
The Big Fat Quiz of the Year is an annual British television programme broadcast in the last or first week of the year on Channel 4. Essentially, the show is a comedy panel game in the style of a pub quiz. Three teams, of two celebrities each, are asked questions relating to the events of the year...
in 2005, 2007 and 2009. He was a team captain on the Channel 4 comedy quiz show Best of the Worst
Best of the Worst (UK)
Best of the Worst was a British panel game, which was broadcast on Channel 4 in 2006. The show was created by Giles Pilbrow and Colin Swash....
, opposite Johnny Vaughan
Johnny Vaughan
Jonathan Randall Vaughan is an English broadcaster and journalist. Vaughan has become well known as a television and radio personality and has also built a reputation as a film critic. He co-presented Capital Breakfast alongside Lisa Snowdon on 95.8 Capital FM between 2004 and 2011...
. The British Sitcom Guide named Best of the Worst the "Worst Comedy Quiz Show of 2006". On 19 October 2006, he hosted the pilot edition of The Unbelievable Truth
The Unbelievable Truth
The Unbelievable Truth is a BBC radio comedy panel game made by Random Entertainment, devised by Graeme Garden and Jon Naismith. It is very similar to the occasional I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue game "Lies, All Lies", which was first played in 1985...
, a panel game
Panel game
A panel game or panel show is a radio or television game show in which a panel of celebrities participates. Panelists may compete with each other, such as on The News Quiz; facilitate play by guest contestants, such as on Match Game/Blankety Blank; or do both, such as on Wait Wait.....
on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
, in which the panellists are encouraged to lie; the show became a full series in April 2007. He is also a team captain on the panel show Would I Lie To You?
Would I Lie To You? (TV series)
Would I Lie to You? is a comedy panel game made by Zeppotron for BBC One. It was first broadcast on 16 June 2007.-Format:The show was presented by Angus Deayton in 2007 and 2008, and by Rob Brydon from 2009 onwards...
, and has hosted three episodes of Have I Got News For You. Mitchell hosted the panel show The Bubble
The Bubble (UK TV series)
-Further reading:*...
. He hosted the second week of Channel 4's FAQ U
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...
, and appeared as himself in an episode of Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive
Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive
Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive is a British television show, first aired on BBC Three in July 2006. Devised by Paul Duddridge, it concerns the making of a comedy panel game show called Annually Retentive, themed around historical events, and hosted by Welsh comedian Rob Brydon...
, a panel show parody. He also appeared as one of the participants on the Channel 4 show TV Heaven, Telly Hell
TV Heaven, Telly Hell
TV Heaven, Telly Hell is a comedy television show on Channel 4, presented and produced by Sean Lock. The format is similar to Room 101, with guests discussing their likes and dislikes of items on television....
, and has appeared on several episodes of Question Time
Question Time
Question time in a parliament occurs when members of the parliament ask questions of government ministers , which they are obliged to answer. It usually occurs daily while parliament is sitting, though it can be cancelled in exceptional circumstances...
. In a 2007 interview with Digital Spy, Mitchell stated that he enjoyed panel shows, as they are "a game worth playing." The Radio Times
Radio Times
Radio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
named him "The Best Comedy Panel Show Guest" in the world, stating that "he's incredibly, disgustingly witty" and "even starting to make Paul Merton
Paul Merton
Paul Merton is a British comedian, writer, actor and television presenter. Known for his improvisation skill, his humour is rooted in deadpan, surreal and sometimes dark comedy...
look slow on the uptake".
Mitchell has presented three series of the online video show David Mitchell's Soapbox, a series of short monologue
Monologue
In theatre, a monologue is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience. Monologues are common across the range of dramatic media...
s co-written with John Finnemore
John Finnemore (writer)
John David Finnemore is a comedy writer and actor best known as a frequent guest on The Now Show and for the radio sitcom Cabin Pressure.-Education:...
for ChannelFlip
ChannelFlip
ChannelFlip is a London-based webcasting internet media company that creates and produces short form internet video content targeted at 18 to 34 year old men...
. In these monologues Mitchell has criticised a variety of subjects, including the popular BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
show Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
and 3D television
3D television
A 3D television is a television set that employs techniques of 3D presentation, such as stereoscopic capture, multi-view capture, or 2D-plus-depth, and a 3D display – a special viewing device to project a television program into a realistic three-dimensional field.- History :In the late-1890's,...
. Matt Warman of the Daily Telegraph suggested that the series could be a sign that new comedy will increasingly become available online, rather than on television. He provided the voiceover for a £1 million government advert for FRANK
FRANK (drugs)
FRANK is a national drug education service jointly established by the Department of Health and Home Office of the British government in 2003. It is intended to reduce the use of both legal and illegal drugs by providing "targeted" and "accurate information on drugs and alcohol", particularly to...
, warning of the dangers of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, as "Pablo the Drug Mule Dog
Pablo the Drug Mule Dog
Pablo the Drug Mule Dog is the main character in a series of anti-cocaine television advertisements produced by the agency Mother for FRANK, the United Kingdom government's national anti-drug campaign...
"; and also for the Driving Standards Agency
Driving Standards Agency
The Driving Standards Agency is an executive agency of the UK Department for Transport .DSA’s vision is 'Safe Driving for Life'. Its overall mission is to contribute to the public service agreement objective to achieve 40% reduction in riders and drivers killed or seriously injured in road...
's "The Highway Code". He writes columns for The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
and The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
. He also took part in Channel 4's Comedy Gala
Channel 4's Comedy Gala
Channel 4's Comedy Gala is a British stand-up comedy benefit show organised Channel 4 in aid of the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. The gig is filmed live at the O2 Arena in London, and then broadcast later by Channel 4...
, a benefit show
Benefit concert
A benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
held in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children is a children's hospital located in London, United Kingdom...
at the O2 Arena
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...
. In October 2009, Mitchell signed a deal with HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
and its imprint Fourth Estate to write a volume of memoirs and a novel. The memoirs are scheduled for publication in 2012 and the novel in 2013.
Following his BAFTA win, Mitchell was ranked at #53 in the 2009 MediaGuardian 100, an annual ranking of media people in The Guardian. In reference to his ubiquitous presence in broadcast and print media, The Guardians writer called him "the go-to funnyman of the moment". In their entry for Peep Show on their list of "The top 50 TV shows of the Noughties", The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
labelled Mitchell "a national institution".
Personal life
As of 2011, Mitchell was living in a small flat in Kilburn; he does not drive. In a 2005 interview, Mitchell admitted that he had "been in so many situations when I've just said nothing to someone I've fancied," and he had not dated anyone "for six or seven years", though was occasionally propositioned by fans. Mitchell noted that "I'm sort of all right on my own. I don't want it to be forever, but the fundamental thing is I'm all right alone." In December 2010 he stated that he had started dating someone; according to The Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
he is dating Victoria Coren
Victoria Coren
Victoria Elizabeth Coren is a British writer, presenter and champion poker player. Coren writes weekly columns for The Observer and The Guardian newspapers and hosts the BBC Four television quiz show Only Connect....
. In 2007, he was best man at Robert Webb's wedding to Abigail Burdess. He remains interested in history and said in an interview with The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
that "I can see myself in a few years' time joining the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
and going round the odd castle. I think I might find that restful as the anger of middle age sets in." In his interview on Parkinson he stated that if he could go back in time to do one thing, it would be to go to the building of Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
, to ask them "why they were bothering". He also plays the occasional game of squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, and enjoys watching snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
. Mitchell has expressed an interest in writing a novel but admitted that he currently has no ideas. He is a user of Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
. Mitchell voted for the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
in the 2010 election.
Mitchell is constantly "checking and re-checking things", such as whether the door is locked or whether he's left the gas on and describes himself as a worrier. He once stated that he had diagnosed himself with obsessive-compulsive disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Obsessive–compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry, by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing the associated anxiety, or by a combination of such obsessions and compulsions...
(OCD), but later noted that that was "overstating it a bit", and he does not actually have OCD.
His favourite television programme is The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, which he called the "best programme ever". He claims that watching new comedy is "very stressful", and cites I'm Alan Partridge
I'm Alan Partridge
I'm Alan Partridge is a BBC situation comedy starring Steve Coogan, of which two series of six episodes each were produced — the first in 1997 and the second in 2002...
, The Office
The Office (UK TV series)
The Office is a British sitcom television series that was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the programme is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictitious...
and Monty Python
Monty Python
Monty Python was a British surreal comedy group who created their influential Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series...
as being among his favourite television programmes. He also likes Extras
Extras (TV series)
Extras is a British sitcom about extras working on TV and film sets and in theatre. The series was co-produced by the BBC and HBO, and is created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, both of whom also star in it...
, 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
, Bleak House, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is a 1974 British spy novel by John le Carré, featuring George Smiley. Smiley is a middle-aged, taciturn, perspicacious intelligence expert in forced retirement. He is recalled to hunt down a Soviet mole in the "Circus", the highest echelon of the Secret Intelligence...
, Terry and June
Terry and June
Terry and June is a British sitcom that was broadcast on BBC1 from 1979 to 1987. The programme is largely a continuation of Happy Ever After, and stars Terry Scott and June Whitfield as a middle-class suburban couple, Terry and June Medford...
and the television programmes of Adam Hart-Davis
Adam Hart-Davis
Adam John Hart-Davis is an English scientist, author, photographer, historian and broadcaster, well-known in the UK for presenting the BBC television series Local Heroes and What the Romans Did for Us, the latter spawning several spin-off series involving the Victorians, the Tudors, the Stuarts,...
. His favourite actor is Sir Alec Guinness, and he lists Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
, Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Richard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
and Peter Cook
Peter Cook
Peter Edward Cook was an English satirist, writer and comedian. An extremely influential figure in modern British comedy, he is regarded as the leading light of the British satire boom of the 1960s. He has been described by Stephen Fry as "the funniest man who ever drew breath," although Cook's...
as being his comedy idols. Mitchell has stated that Morecambe and Wise
Morecambe and Wise
Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, usually referred to as Morecambe and Wise, or Eric and Ernie, were a British comic double act, working in variety, radio, film and most successfully in television. Their partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe's death in 1984...
, Monty Python and The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies is a British sketch show that aired on BBC1 from 1971 to 1987. It featured the double act of Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett, the "Two Ronnies" of the title.-Origins:...
have been a big influence on his career. He once claimed he is "not remotely interested in music," but appeared on Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs is a BBC Radio 4 programme first broadcast on 29 January 1942. It is the second longest-running radio programme , and is the longest-running factual programme in the history of radio...
, and owns two CDs, Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
' ...But Seriously
...But Seriously
-Instrumental contributions:*Phil Collins — keyboards, drums, percussion, tambourine, vocals*Nathan East — bass guitar*Daryl Stuermer — guitar*Dominic Miller — guitar*The Phoenix Horns:**Don Myrick — saxophone...
and Susan Boyle
Susan Boyle
Susan Magdalane Boyle is a Scottish singer who came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on the TV programme Britain's Got Talent on 11 April 2009, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from ...
's debut, though has expressed a dislike for both.
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Magicians | Harry | First starring role |
| I Could Never Be Your Woman I Could Never Be Your Woman I Could Never Be Your Woman is a 2007 American romantic comedy film directed and written by Amy Heckerling and starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Paul Rudd. The film was released on May 11 in Spain, July 18 in Belgium, September 14 in Brazil, September 20 in Greece and October 19 in Taiwan... |
David |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | The Jack Docherty Show | Various characters | Also writer |
| 1998 | Comedy Nation | Various characters | |
| 2000 | Bruiser Bruiser (TV series) Bruiser was a TV comedy sketch show produced for BBC Choice. It premiered on 28 February 2000 and ran for six episodes ending on 15 March 2000. The main writers were David Mitchell and Robert Webb... |
Various characters | Also writer; appeared in all six episodes |
| 2001 | Fun at the Funeral Parlour Fun at the Funeral Parlour Fun at the Funeral Parlour was a comedy series broadcast on BBC Choice for two series in 2001 and 2002. It was set in a Welsh funeral directors called Thomas, Thomas, Thomas and Thomas.... |
Strachan | Episode 1.4: "The Mountains of Doom" |
| The Mitchell and Webb Situation The Mitchell and Webb Situation The Mitchell and Webb Situation was a British television sketch show shown on Play UK in 2001. Written by and starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb, it lasted for one series of six episodes and was released on region 2 DVD in 2006 by Eureka Video... |
Various characters | Also writer; appeared in all six episodes | |
| Comedy Lab Comedy Lab Comedy Lab is a British television series which showcases pilots of experimental comedy shows. Series have been aired irregularly on Channel 4 and E4 since 1998.... |
Ray | Daydream Believers: "Brand New Beamer"; later adapted into a radio one-off | |
| 2003 | The Strategic Humor Initiative | Various characters | |
| 2003– | Peep Show Peep Show (TV series) Peep Show is a British sitcom starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. The television programme is written by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, with additional material by Mitchell and Webb themselves, amongst others. It has been broadcast on Channel 4 since 2003. The show's seventh series makes it... |
Mark Corrigan | Longest running role; Won – British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actor in 2007 Nominated – BAFTA for Best Comedy Performance in 2008 Won – BAFTA for Best Comedy Performance in 2009 Nominated - BAFTA for Male Performance in a Comedy Role in 2010, 2011 |
| 2004 | Doctors and Nurses | Dr Toby Stephens | |
| 2005 | Twisted Tales | Ray | Episode 1.9: "Nothing to Fear"; also writer |
| All About George | Jed | Episode 1.3 | |
| Dirty Tricks | Penguin | Episode 1.5 | |
| Look Around You Look Around You Look Around You is a British television comedy series devised and written by Robert Popper and Peter Serafinowicz, and, in the first series, narrated by Nigel Lambert... |
Pat Taylor | Episode 2.6: "Live Final" | |
| ShakespeaRe-Told ShakespeaRe-Told ShakespeaRe-Told is the umbrella title for a series of four television adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays broadcast on BBC One during November 2005. In a similar manner to the 2003 production of The Canterbury Tales, each play is adapted by a different writer, and relocated to the present day... |
Tim Agnew | Episode 1.3: The Taming of the Shrew The Taming of the Shrew The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1591.The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the Induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken tinker named Sly into believing he is actually a nobleman himself... |
|
| 2006 | Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive is a British television show, first aired on BBC Three in July 2006. Devised by Paul Duddridge, it concerns the making of a comedy panel game show called Annually Retentive, themed around historical events, and hosted by Welsh comedian Rob Brydon... |
'Himself' | Episode 1.1 |
| 2006–2009 | Jam & Jerusalem | Dr James Vine | Appeared in 12 episodes |
| 2006–2010 | That Mitchell and Webb Look That Mitchell and Webb Look That Mitchell and Webb Look is a British television sketch show starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. Shown on BBC Two since 2006, its first two series were directed by David Kerr, who also directed Mitchell and Webb's previous television sketch show The Mitchell and Webb Situation, whereas... |
Various characters | Also writer; Won – BAFTA for Best Comedy Programme or Series in 2007; nominated 2009 Two British Comedy Award nominations |
| 2006 | Blunder Blunder (TV series) Blunder was a Channel 4 comedy sketch series shown in the UK on E4 and repeated on Channel 4. No announcement of a second series has yet been made.-Characters:-The Baron:... |
Various characters | Also writer |
| 2009 | Phineas and Ferb Phineas and Ferb Phineas and Ferb is an American animated television comedy series. Originally broadcast as a preview on August 17, 2007, on Disney Channel, the series follows Phineas Flynn and his English stepbrother Ferb Fletcher on summer vacation. Every day the boys embark on some grand new project, which... |
Mitch | Episode 2.11: "The Chronicles of Meap Part I & II" |
| 2010 | Playing Shop | Also writer, unaired pilot. | |
| 2011 | How TV Ruined Your Life How TV Ruined Your Life How TV Ruined Your Life is a six-episode BBC Two television series written and presented by Charlie Brooker. Charlie Brooker, whose earlier TV-related programmes include How to Watch Television, Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe and You Have Been Watching, examines how the medium has bent reality to fit... |
'Himself' | Episode 1.6 |
| 2011 | The Bleak Old Shop Of Stuff The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff is a four-part BBC comedy series, premiering on BBC Two on 19 December 2011. It is a parody of the works of Charles Dickens, drawing its title from Bleak House and The Old Curiosity Shop... |
TBA |
Other appearances
As narrator
|
Panel game Panel game A panel game or panel show is a radio or television game show in which a panel of celebrities participates. Panelists may compete with each other, such as on The News Quiz; facilitate play by guest contestants, such as on Match Game/Blankety Blank; or do both, such as on Wait Wait..... s
|
Other programmes
- The 100 Greatest Cartoons (2005)
- Britain's 50 Greatest Comedy Sketches (2005)
- ImagineImagine (TV series)Imagine is a wide ranging arts series first broadcast on BBC One in 2003, hosted and executive produced by Alan Yentob. Each series usually consists of 4 to 7 episodes, each on a different topic...
– 1 appearance (2006) - TV Heaven, Telly HellTV Heaven, Telly HellTV Heaven, Telly Hell is a comedy television show on Channel 4, presented and produced by Sean Lock. The format is similar to Room 101, with guests discussing their likes and dislikes of items on television....
– 1 appearance (2006) - The Law Of The PlaygroundThe Law Of The PlaygroundThe Law of the Playground is a British television series broadcast on Channel 4 produced by Zeppotron in which various British comedians and celebrities recollect the past times of childhood at school...
– 7 appearances (2006) - Friday Night with Jonathan RossFriday Night with Jonathan RossFriday Night with Jonathan Ross was a British comedy chat show presented by Jonathan Ross. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 2 November 2001. The programme featured Ross's take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from both a guest music group and the house band...
– 2 appearances (2007, 2009) - The World's Greatest Comedy Characters (2007)
- ParkinsonParkinson (TV series)Parkinson is a British television talk show that was presented by Sir Michael Parkinson. It was first shown on the BBC from 1971 to 2004, and on ITV from 2004 to 2007.-Background:...
– 1 appearance (2007) - Time Shift – 1 appearance (2007)
- Lily Allen and FriendsLily Allen and FriendsLily Allen and Friends is a British TV talk show presented by Lily Allen. The programme is produced by Princess Productions for BBC Three. It was first shown on 12 February 2008. The audience consists entirely of Lily's online friends, who sign up via the programme's website...
– 1 appearance (2008) - The Graham Norton ShowThe Graham Norton ShowThe Graham Norton Show is a British 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...
– 3 appearances (2008, 2009, 2011) - Question TimeQuestion Time (TV series)Question Time is a topical debate BBC television programme in the United Kingdom, based on Any Questions?. The show typically features politicians from at least the three major political parties as well as other public figures who answer questions put to them by the audience...
– 3 appearances (2008, 2009, 2011) - Who Do You Think You Are? – 1 appearance (2009)
- This MorningThis Morning (TV series)This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
– 1 appearance (2009) - The One ShowThe One ShowThe One Show is a topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One and BBC One HD, hosted by Alex Jones and Matt Baker. Chris Evans joins Jones to present the programme on Friday...
– 2 appearances (2009, 2011) - Alan Carr: Chatty ManAlan Carr: Chatty ManAlan Carr: Chatty Man is a British comedy chat show presented by comedian Alan Carr. The award-winning show is on Channel 4. The show features interviews with celebrity guests, sketches, topical chat and music....
– 1 appearance (2009) - Channel 4's Comedy Gala (2010)
- Channel 4's Alternative Election Night – host (2010)
- BBC BreakfastBBC BreakfastBBC Breakfast is the morning television news programme simulcast on BBC One and the BBC News channel. It is presented live from BBC Television Centre in White City, West London, and contains a mixture of news, sport, weather, business and feature items...
– 4 appearances (2010, 2011) - 10 O'Clock Live10 O'Clock Live10 O'Clock Live is a British satirical comedy/news television programme presented by Charlie Brooker, Jimmy Carr, Lauren Laverne and David Mitchell....
– Co-host (2011) - Mark Lawson Talks to... - 1 appearance (2011)
- Ronnie Corbett's Comedy Britain - 1 appearance (2011)
- The Making of QI (2011)
Radio
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Until Morning | BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the... Afternoon Play Afternoon Play The Afternoon Play is a long-running drama programming strand, broadcast every weekday at 2.15pm on BBC Radio 4. Each play lasts for 45 minutes, and roughly 190 new Afternoon Plays are broadcast each year.... |
|
| 2001–2005 | Think the Unthinkable Think the Unthinkable Think the Unthinkable is an audience sitcom about hapless management consultants, written by James Cary and first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2001. It starred Marcus Brigstocke, David Mitchell, Catherine Shepherd, Emma Kennedy and Beth Chalmers. Each week the team of consultants inflict their... |
Owen | 4 series |
| 2003–2009 | That Mitchell and Webb Sound That Mitchell and Webb Sound That Mitchell and Webb Sound is a comedy sketch show on BBC Radio 4 which started on 28 August 2003. A second series was broadcast in 2005 with a third starting on 24 May 2007. The series became adapted for television as That Mitchell and Webb Look in 2006. The series is seen in some ways a... |
Various | 4 series; also writer |
| 2006 | Vent Vent (radio series) Vent is a dark comedy series produced for BBC Radio 4 in 2006. It is written by Nigel Smith. The producer is Gareth Edwards.The story revolves around an unsuccessful writer named Ben , who is in a coma... |
John Dee | |
| 2007 | Daydream Believers | Ray | BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. 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... pilot |
| 2008 | Bleak Expectations Bleak Expectations Bleak Expectations is a Radio 4 comedy series, whose first series premiered in August 2007. It is a pastiche of the works of Charles Dickens – such as Bleak House and Great Expectations, from which it derives its name – and costume dramas set in the same period, and parodies several of their plot... |
Reverend Fecund | BBC Radio 4, 3 appearances |
| 2009 | The Death of Grass The Death Of Grass The Death of Grass is a 1956 post-apocalyptic science fiction novel written by the English author Samuel Youd under the nom de plume John Christopher... |
Narrator | BBC Radio 4 serial |
Non-fictional appearances
- The Unbelievable TruthThe Unbelievable TruthThe Unbelievable Truth is a BBC radio comedy panel game made by Random Entertainment, devised by Graeme Garden and Jon Naismith. It is very similar to the occasional I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue game "Lies, All Lies", which was first played in 1985...
– Host (2006–) - HeresyHeresy (radio series)This article is about the British talk show, for other uses see heresy Heresy is a comedy talk show on BBC Radio 4, now presented by Victoria Coren and formerly by David Baddiel...
– 4 appearances (2008–2010) - Just a MinuteJust a MinuteJust a Minute is a BBC Radio 4 radio comedy panel game chaired by Nicholas Parsons. Its first transmission on Radio 4 was on 22 December 1967, three months after the station's launch. The Radio 4 programme won a Gold Sony Radio Academy Award in 2003....
– 4 appearances (2009, 2010) - Desert Island DiscsDesert Island DiscsDesert Island Discs is a BBC Radio 4 programme first broadcast on 29 January 1942. It is the second longest-running radio programme , and is the longest-running factual programme in the history of radio...
– 1 appearance – (2009) - The News QuizThe News QuizThe News Quiz is a topical panel game broadcast on British radio BBC Radio 4.-History:It was first broadcast in 1977 with Barry Norman as chairman. Subsequently it was chaired by Simon Hoggart, Barry Took , and then again by Simon Hoggart until March 2006. Hoggart was replaced by Sandi Toksvig in...
– 1 appearance – (2009) - I'm Sorry I Haven't A ClueI'm Sorry I Haven't a ClueI'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, sometimes abbreviated to ISIHAC or Clue, is a BBC radio comedy panel game broadcast since 11 April 1972 at the rate of one or two series each year , transmitted on BBC Radio 4, with occasional repeats on BBC Radio 4 Extra and the BBC's World Service...
– 6 appearances – (2009-2011)