Bennett Arron

Last updated

Bennett Arron is a Welsh writer and stand-up comedian.

Contents

Background

Born in Port Talbot to the only Jewish family in the area, [1] Bennett Arron moved to London to attend the drama school, the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts. After leaving drama school he formed the sketch group 4-Ply and toured venues around the country, appearing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Career

In 1997 Arron was a finalist of the BBC New Comedy Awards , alongside Peter Kay. He is a past winner of the BBC Wales New Writer's Award and the TAPS Comedy Writer of The Year Award.

He has written and starred in the BBC Radio series Bennett Arron is JeWelsh and Bennett Arron Worries About..., both of which were nominated for a Celtic Media Award. He presented the BBC Television Documentary The Kosher Comedian in which he traced his family's roots from Lithuania to South Wales and described a reason for the decline of Jews in Wales. In 2007, he wrote, directed and presented the documentary How Not to Lose Your Identity for Channel 4 [2] which was based on his own experience of identity fraud. [3] In the programme he proved how easy it is to carry out the crime by dumpster diving and social engineering. He even went as far as setting up a stall at a shopping centre, supposedly selling identity theft insurance, but was, in fact, scamming people into revealing all their identity information. He also stole the identity of the then Home Secretary, Charles Clarke and was subsequently arrested. [4] [5] Bennett wrote a memoir of his experience Heard the One About Identity Theft? [6]

Bennett also wrote the romantic comedy novel The Girl From The Discotheque [7] which was described as "Funny from beginning to end" by Ricky Gervais and "A touching, funny, page-turning book about what the heart wants – no matter how irrational. This is romance and comedy with a bruised heart" by Tony Parsons.

Bennett has written comedy material for Hale and Pace, Freddie Starr, The Real McCoy , Large, Stop the World, No Limit, The Varrell and Decker Show, Samstag Nacht, The April Hailer Show, The 11 O'Clock Show , Commercial Breakdown , RI:SE , V Graham Norton and Jack Whitehall's Hit the Road Jack.

Bennett currently plays the part of Morris in the BBC Radio 4 sitcom Alone . [8] which is now in its 4th series

He has also written for situation comedies, including Ed Stone is Dead (starring Richard Blackwood) and Sam's Game (starring Davina McCall and Ed Byrne). He was also one of the main writers on two children's series; The Slammer (BBC One) and Genie in the House (the highest rated programme on Nickelodeon.) He also wrote several episodes for the children's sitcom Which Is Witch?

As a stand-up comedian, Bennett has performed at every major venue in the UK as well as performing in the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Poland and Australia. Bennett recently supported Ricky Gervais on some of his tour dates.

Most recently Bennett was a presenter on BBC Three Counties Radio and he presented the BBC Wales Radio Documentary Bennett Arron's Cymru Knish

He has been described as "Genuinely Original and Funny" by The Times and "One of the best on the Circuit..... a Welsh Seinfeld" by The Guardian.[ citation needed ]

Publications

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stand-up comedy</span> Comedy style where the performer addresses the audience directly

Stand-up comedy is a performance directed to a live audience, where the performer stands on a stage and delivers humorous and satirical monologues sometimes incorporating physical acts. These performances are typically composed of rehearsed scripts but often include varying degrees of live crowd interaction. Stand-up comedy consists of one-liners, stories, observations, or shticks that can employ props, music, impressions, magic tricks, or ventriloquism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ricky Gervais</span> English comedian (born 1961)

Ricky Dene Gervais is an English comedian, actor, writer, producer, director and musician. He co-created, co-wrote, and acted in the British television sitcoms The Office (2001–2003), Extras (2005–2007), and Life's Too Short (2011–2013) with Stephen Merchant. He also created, wrote and starred in Derek (2012–2014) and After Life (2019–2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Merchant</span> English comedian, actor, director and writer (born 1974)

Stephen James Merchant is an English comedian, actor, director, and writer. He was the co-writer and co-director of the British TV comedy series The Office (2001–2003), and co-writer, co-director, and co-star of both Extras (2005–2007) and Life's Too Short (2011–2013) alongside Ricky Gervais. With Gervais and Karl Pilkington, he hosted The Ricky Gervais Show in its radio, podcast, audiobook, and television formats; the radio version won a bronze Sony Award. He also provided the voice of the robotic "Intelligence Dampening Sphere" Wheatley in the 2011 video game Portal 2. Merchant co-developed the Sky One travel documentary series An Idiot Abroad (2010–2012) and co-created Lip Sync Battle (2015–2019).

<i>Extras</i> (TV series) British TV sitcom (2005–2007)

Extras is a British sitcom about extras working in television, film, and theatre. The series was co-produced by the BBC and HBO, and written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, both of whom starred in it. It follows the lives of Andy Millman (Gervais), his friend Maggie Jacobs and Andy's substandard agent and part-time retail employee Darren Lamb (Merchant) as Millman muddles through life as an anonymous "background performer" who eventually finds success as a B-list sitcom star.

Shaun Pye is an English comedian, actor, writer, and television producer, known for co-creating the animated sketch comedy Monkey Dust with Harry Thompson, and for his role as Greg Lindley-Jones on Ricky Gervais's sitcom Extras. Pye created and wrote There She Goes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robin Ince</span> English comedian and writer

Robin Ince is an English comedian, actor and writer. He is known for presenting the BBC radio show The Infinite Monkey Cage with physicist Brian Cox, creating Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People, co-creating The Cosmic Shambles Network, and his stand-up comedy career.

<i>The Office</i> (British TV series) British mockumentary television sitcom (2001–2003)

The Office is a British mockumentary television sitcom first broadcast in the UK on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, it follows the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictional Wernham Hogg paper company. Gervais also starred in the series as the central character, David Brent.

Steve Speirs is a Welsh actor and writer who has appeared in films such as Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhod Gilbert</span> Welsh comedian (born 1968)

Rhodri Paul Gilbert is a Welsh comedian and television and radio presenter who was nominated in 2005 for the Perrier Best Newcomer Award. In 2008 he was nominated for the main comedy award.

William James Smith is an English stand-up comedian, screenwriter, novelist, actor and producer. He is known for being part of the writing team of the BBC sitcom The Thick of It and its American HBO counterpart Veep (2012–16). Additionally, he starred as Phil Smith in the former. He is also the creator and showrunner of the Apple TV+ drama thriller Slow Horses (2022–).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerry Godliman</span> English actor and comedian (born 1973 or 1974)

Kerry Anna Godliman is an English actress and comedian. She has appeared in TV roles in Derek, Bad Move, and After Life.

Life's Too Short is a British mockumentary sitcom created and written by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, and starring Warwick Davis, about "the life of a showbiz dwarf." Davis plays a fictionalised version of himself, and both Gervais and Merchant appear in supporting roles as themselves. The show began airing on BBC Two on 10 November 2011. Premium cable channel HBO, which co-produced the series with the BBC, has the US rights and aired the series from 19 February 2012.

Ruth Bratt is an English actress and comedian. Bratt has appeared in the BAFTA award winning BBC2 series People Just Do Nothing. In 2022 she was at the Edinburgh Festival in "Starship Improvise" with the Mischief Theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elis James</span> Welsh comedian

Owain Elis James is a Welsh comedian, broadcaster and actor. James is known as a stand-up comedian and for his weekly radio show and podcast for BBC Radio 5 Live, his football punditry and presenting, and his TV acting roles. James's first language is Welsh and he performs stand-up in English and Welsh.

<i>Dead Boss</i> 2012 British TV series or programme

Dead Boss is a British sitcom which was shown on BBC Three in 2012.

Dane Baptiste is a British stand-up comedian, writer and presenter. He was the first Black British act to be nominated for the "Best Newcomer" award at 2014's Edinburgh Comedy Awards and his comedy series Sunny D premiered on BBC Three in Spring 2016. He has made numerous TV and radio appearances, and hosts his own podcast Dane Baptiste Questions Everything. In January 2021, Baptiste's comedy pilot Bamous launched on BBC Three / BBC One.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spencer Jones (comedian)</span> English actor, comedian and writer

Spencer Jones is an English actor, comedian and writer. He has performed regularly at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and in 2017 and 2019 was nominated for the main prize in the Edinburgh Comedy Awards. He was co-creator and co-star of the BAFTA-nominated CBBC comedy Big Babies, and had a regular role in the sitcom Upstart Crow.

Talking Funny is a one-hour comedy television special featuring four comedians: Louis C.K., Ricky Gervais, Chris Rock, and Jerry Seinfeld. In the informal conversation, which aired in 2011 on HBO, the four comedians discussed subjects like race, crude language, the motivations driving their comedy, their inspirations, and the comedy industry in general.

Mike Bubbins (born 18 April 1972) is a Welsh comedian, writer and actor. He has appeared in various TV projects as himself and acted in several BBC sitcoms. Bubbins makes regular appearances on radio and has performed stand-up comedy throughout the UK, supporting Rhod Gilbert and Rich Hall. Bubbins has performed his stand-up show Retrosexual Male at the Edinburgh Festival and appeared on Stand Up at BBC Wales.

Henry Paker is a British comedian, writer and illustrator.

References

  1. ↑ WalesOnline (4 November 2011). "Welsh comedian Bennett Arron brings his tales of being the only Jewish boy in his town to the stage". Wales Online.
  2. ↑ "Bennett Arron – Stand-Up Comedian". Gordon Poole Agency. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  3. ↑ "Comedy review: Bennett Arron, Glasgow". The Scotsman. 25 March 2011.
  4. ↑ "Anorak – Identity Card: Bennett Arron Is Charles Clarke?".
  5. ↑ "GQ jokes: Bennett Arron - GQ.COM (UK)". Archived from the original on 30 January 2012. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  6. ↑ Arron, Bennett (2015). Heard the one about identity theft?. ISBN   978-0993357107 . Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  7. ↑ Arron, Bennett (2015). The girl from the discotheque. ISBN   9780993357114 . Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  8. ↑ "Alone – Not Listening but Hearing". BBC. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.