| Norman Lovett | |
|---|---|
 Norman Lovett in 2005 | |
| Born | 31 October 1946 Windsor, Berkshire, England [1] |
| Medium | Stand-up comedy, actor, film, television |
| Nationality | British |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Website | normanlovett |
Norman Lovett (born 31 October 1946) is a British stand-up comedian and actor best known for his portrayal of Holly, the ship's computer in Red Dwarf .
Lovett became a stand-up comedian in his thirties, initially supporting punk bands in the late 1970s, before establishing himself on the alternative comedy scene during the 1980s. [2] He played London's Comedy Store on many occasions. [3]
From 1989 to 1993, Lovett wrote and starred in his own surreal BBC2 sitcom called I, Lovett . He played a version of himself who is an inventor living in a world of surrealism with his talking dog, voiced by Geoffrey Hughes; spider, voiced by Mary Riggans; and talking inanimate objects. [4] During this time, he also wrote and starred in a one-off special called Lovett Goes To Town, which was aired as part of Galaxy series The Last Laugh. [5]
In 1996, Lovett played a doctor in the short-lived sitcom Asylum , created by Edgar Wright, alongside Simon Pegg, Jessica Stevenson, Julian Barratt and an ensemble cast. Lovett later worked with Edgar Wright again on Is It Bill Bailey? , a stand-up/sketch series starring Bill Bailey. [6]
Lovett's first television appearances include a stand-up performance on Pyjamarama in 1983, and a brief role in The Young Ones in the episode Summer Holiday . He appeared again with The Young Ones star Rik Mayall in sketches for UK music series The Tube , and television act The Dangerous Brothers . [7]
Lovett has made a number of other acting appearances such as the Ghost of Christmas Past in a television adaptation of A Christmas Carol , Mr. Follett in The History of Tom Jones , the film The Criminal , BBC docudrama Seven Wonders of the Industrial World , as well as the BBC One sitcom Keeping Up Appearances . He also appeared in three episodes of drama The Bill , three episodes of the Scottish sitcom Rab C Nesbitt , an episode of EastEnders , comedy drama series Happy Families , and children's television series Gordon the Gopher . He played a supporting role in two series of the television series Don't Miss Wax, hosted by Ruby Wax. [7]
In 2006, Lovett appeared in the comedy-horror film Evil Aliens . [8] In 2013, he featured in the mockumentary feature film Behind the Scenes of Total Hell .
Lovett's comedy has a quiet, dead-pan surrealism, and in 2000, he made a successful stand-up tour, co-headlining with Chris Barrie, who played Rimmer in Red Dwarf. [9] In 2008 Lovett co-headlined a stand-up tour with Hattie Hayridge, who played the female version of Holly in Red Dwarf. [10] His career as a stand-up comedian has included regular appearances at the Edinburgh Fringe. [11] Comedian Stewart Lee has cited Lovett as an influence, [12] and on occasion the two have featured on the same bill, including an alternative comedy showcase event in 2011, curated by Lee at the Royal Festival Hall. [13] In 2008, Lovett released his first stand-up DVD Bags and Biscuits. In 2012, he released his second stand-up DVD, Norman Lovett: Outside the Box.
From 2014 to 2018, Lovett was a main cast member in BBC Radio 4 comedy To Hull and Back, alongside Maureen Lipman and series creator Lucy Beaumont. [14]
Lovett played the role of Holly in Red Dwarf in its first and second series. [15] Starting from the third series, Lovett declined to join the cast when Red Dwarf filming moved to London, while Lovett had moved to Edinburgh, [4] [16] with the distance between the two cities decreasing his willingness to participate.
Lovett returned in the seventh series as a guest star and the eighth as a regular. However, a disagreement with writer/producer Doug Naylor meant that for a period Lovett refused to take part in any further Red Dwarf productions. [15]
Following the success of Red Dwarf X , Lovett resumed contact with Naylor, [17] resulting in his guest appearance in the twelfth series episode "Skipper". [18] After this, Lovett resumed his role as Holly in the 2020 special The Promised Land . [19]
Lovett has also played the role of Holly in Red Dwarf-related releases, such as the "Tongue Tied" music video, a sketch for BBC's Children in Need, the interactive DVD game Beat the Geek, and additional footage filmed for Red Dwarf Remastered .
Lovett is known for political activism. He has performed stand-up comedy on numerous occasions for 'Stand Up For Labour' in support of said party. In 2016, he was awarded Stand Up For Labour's Act of the Year. [20] In September 2016, Lovett performed at the 'Keep Corbyn' rally in Brighton, in support of Jeremy Corbyn's campaign in the Labour Party leadership election. [21]
Lovett's voice is available as an in-game purchase in the 2014 game Elite Dangerous, allowing the user to customise the ships 'COVAS' speech system. [22]
Lovett has stated that one of his personal career highlights was supporting punk rock band The Clash. [23]
Red Dwarf is a British science fiction comedy franchise created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, which primarily consists of a television sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999, and on Dave since 2009, gaining a cult following. The series follows low-ranking technician Dave Lister, who awakens after being in suspended animation for three million years to find that he is the last living human, and that he is alone on the mining spacecraft Red Dwarf—save for a hologram of his deceased bunkmate Arnold Rimmer and "Cat", a life form which evolved from Lister's pregnant cat.
Benjamin Charles Elton is a British comedian, actor, author, playwright, lyricist and director. He was a part of London's alternative comedy movement of the 1980s and became a writer on the sitcoms The Young Ones and Blackadder, as well as continuing as a stand-up comedian on stage and television. His style in the 1980s was left-wing political satire. Since then he has published 17 novels and written the musicals The Beautiful Game (2000), We Will Rock You (2002), Tonight's the Night (2003), and Love Never Dies (2010), the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera. His novels cover the dystopian, comedy, and crime genres.
Alexei David Sayle is an English actor, author, stand-up comedian, television presenter and former recording artist. He was a leading figure in the British alternative comedy movement in the 1980s. He was voted the 18th greatest stand-up comic of all time on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups in 2007. In an updated 2010 poll he came 72nd.
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Jeremy James Hardy was an English comedian. Born and raised in Hampshire, Hardy studied at the University of Southampton and began his stand-up career in the 1980s, going on to win the Perrier Comedy Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1988. He is best known for his appearances on radio panel shows such as the News Quiz and I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue.
Tony Declan James Slattery is an English actor and comedian. He appeared on British television regularly from the mid-1980s, most notably as a regular on the Channel 4 improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway? His serious and comedic film work has included roles in The Crying Game, Peter's Friends and How to Get Ahead in Advertising.
Holly is a fictional character in the science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf. The character, who is the eponymous spaceship's onboard computer, has been played by Norman Lovett and Hattie Hayridge.
Francesca Martinez is an English comedian, writer and actress. She has cerebral palsy, but prefers to describe herself as "wobbly". Martinez first came to public attention in 1994, when she made her debut on the television series Grange Hill, where she went on to portray the role of Rachel Burns for a total of 55 episodes. Later turning her focus to stand-up comedy, she has performed at the Edinburgh Festival and internationally, including the Melbourne Comedy Festival, the Adelaide Fringe Festival, the Perth Festival and the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal. In 2018 she completed a 140-date tour, and has had off-West End London runs at the Tricycle Theatre, the Hackney Empire, and the Soho Theatre. Martinez's debut play, All of Us, was scheduled to be performed at the National Theatre in 2020, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It opened in July 2022.
Kevin Eldon is an English actor and comedian. He featured in British comedy television shows of the 1990s including Fist of Fun, This Morning with Richard Not Judy, Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge, Big Train, Brass Eye and Jam. In 2013, Eldon appeared in his own BBC sketch series It's Kevin. He has also appeared in minor speaking roles in the HBO series Game of Thrones.
Christopher David Addison is a British comedian, writer, actor, and director. He is perhaps best known for his role as a regular panellist on Mock the Week. He is also known for his lecture-style comedy shows, two of which he later adapted for BBC Radio 4.
Hattie Hayridge is a British comedian and actress, best known for the role of the female version of Holly in Red Dwarf during the third, fourth and fifth series. She was described as a "cult figure in a beloved sit-com" by The List in 2007.
Janice Connolly is an English actress, comedian and artistic director. She runs the Birmingham-based group Women and Theatre and performs stand-up comedy as her character Mrs Barbara Nice. Connolly has also appeared in Coronation Street, That Peter Kay Thing, Phoenix Nights, Max and Paddy's Road To Nowhere, Thin Ice and Dead Man Weds. In 2017, Connolly was awarded a British Empire Medal in the New Years Honours list for services to community arts in the West Midlands. In 2022, she began appearing in the BBC soap opera Doctors as Rosie Colton.
"Queeg" is the fifth episode of science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf series two and the eleventh in the series run. It premiered on the British television channel BBC2 on 4 October 1988. Written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, and directed by Ed Bye, the plot features a backup computer named Queeg that replaces Holly. The episode was remastered, along with the rest of the first three series, in 1998.
"Parallel Universe" is the sixth episode of science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf series two, and the twelfth in the show's run. It premiered on the British television channel BBC2 on 11 October 1988. Written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, and directed by Ed Bye, the plot involves the Red Dwarf crew travelling to a parallel universe where they meet alternative versions of themselves. This marked the final appearance of Norman Lovett as Holly, although he would return years later at the end of Series VII and then for the whole of Series VIII. The episode was remastered, along with the rest of the first three series, in 1998.
"Nanarchy" is the eighth, and final, episode of science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf Series VII and the 44th in the series run. It was first broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on 7 March 1997. The episode was written by Paul Alexander, James Hendrie and Doug Naylor, and directed by Ed Bye. After two series of tracking their ship, the crew of Starbug finally discover the location of their missing mining ship Red Dwarf and its computer Holly.
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