In film, television, and radio, British comedy has produced some of the most renowned characters in the world. In it, satire is one of the features of British comedy. Radio comedy in Britain has been almost exclusively hosted on BBC.
Christopher John Tarrant, is a retired English broadcaster, television personality, radio DJ and stand up comedian. He is best known for presenting the ITV children's television show Tiswas from 1974 to 1981, and the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? from its inception in 1998 until 2014.
Tiswas was a British children's television series that originally aired on Saturday mornings from 5 January 1974 to 3 April 1982 and was produced for the ITV network by ATV.
Basil Brush is a fictional fox best known for his appearances on daytime British children's television. He is primarily portrayed by a glove puppet, but has also been depicted in animated cartoon shorts, books, annuals and comic strips. The character has featured on children's television from the 1960s to the present day. He has also appeared in pantomimes across the UK.
John Gorman is an English comedian, vocalist and comedy musician.
Robert Christopher Nankeville, known professionally as Bobby Davro, is an English actor and comedian.
The Krankies are a British comedy duo who enjoyed success as a cabaret act in the 1970s and on television in the 1980s, featuring in their own television shows and making pop records. Since this period, they have also regularly appeared in pantomime. The duo comprises wife Janette Tough and her husband Ian. As the Krankies they portray schoolboy Wee Jimmy Krankie (Janette), and paternal figure Ian Krankie (Ian), though in their comedy act they also portray other characters. Beginning in the 1990s, they regularly appeared as the Krankies in episodes of the BBC comedy series French and Saunders. Wee Jimmy Krankie often used the catchphrase exclamation "Fandabidozi!"
Christopher Biggins is an English actor and television personality. He became widely known for his roles in television series such as Porridge, Poldark and I, Claudius in the 1970s. He later became known for making frequent appearances as a celebrity on television, which included winning the 2007 series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, and has performed frequently in pantomime.
Christopher Quinten is a British actor, best known for his role as Brian Tilsley on Coronation Street, which he played from 1978 to 1989.
Deborah Lee Duffield, known professionally as Debra Stephenson, is an English actress, comedian, impressionist and singer, best known for her roles as Diane Powell in Playing the Field (1999–2000), Shell Dockley in Bad Girls and as Frankie Baldwin in Coronation Street (2004–2006).
Robert "Roy" Walker is a television personality and comedian from Northern Ireland, who worked for many years as both a television presenter and comedy actor. He is best known as the original host of the game show Catchphrase between 1986 and 1999, and as one of the stars of the comedy showcase The Comedians.
Martin Christopher Jarvis is an English actor, presenter and writer who has appeared mainly on children's television for the BBC since 1992, apart from 2000 to 2002 when he was working with ITV and Channel 4. In 2019, he started a radio station for children called Little Radio.
O.T.T. is a late-night adult version of the anarchic ATV children's show Tiswas, and was made by its ITV franchise successor Central Independent Television. It was broadcast at 11.00pm on Saturday nights for one series from 2 January until 3 April 1982. O.T.T. was created and presented by Chris Tarrant, and also starred Tiswas performers John Gorman, Lenny Henry and Bob Carolgees. Helen Atkinson-Wood was the female sidekick replacement for Sally James, who stayed behind to present the concurrent and final series of Tiswas alone with special appearances from Ellen Thomas.
Sally James is a British television presenter. She presented the ITV Saturday morning children's show Tiswas from 1977 until it ended in 1982. James's role on the show included conducting the "Almost Legendary Pop Interviews", interviewing musical acts including Elvis Costello, Sting, The Clash, Motörhead, Iron Maiden and Kate Bush, and serving as music editor.
Bernie Clifton is a British comedian and entertainer, known for his work with his orange ostrich puppet costume Oswald the Ostrich.
Sooty is a British children's television media franchise created by Harry Corbett incorporating primarily television and stage shows. The franchise originated with his fictional glove puppet character introduced to television in The Sooty Show in 1955. The main character, Sooty, is a mute yellow bear with black ears and nose, who is kind-hearted but also cheeky. Sooty performs magic tricks and practical jokes, and squirts his handler and other people with his water pistol. The franchise itself also includes several other puppet characters who were created for television, as well as an animated series, two spin-off series for the direct-to-video market, and a selection of toy merchandising.
Tony Maudsley is an English actor. He is best known for his portrayal of hairdresser Kenneth Du Beke in the ITV sitcom Benidorm, and George Shuttleworth in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street (2020–present).
Bob Golding is an English actor and voice artist. He is best known for the voices of Milo and Max in the CBeebies show Tweenies.
Slapstick Festival is an annual comedy film festival in Bristol, United Kingdom. The festival, which was created in 2005 by Bristol Silents, screens silent, classic, and visual comedy films. The mission of the festival is to introduce these films to modern audiences and bring them to life for a new generation of viewers. Silent comedies are presented with musicians performing a score live, introductions by special guests, and various special events take place throughout the festival.
Nicholas Wilton is an English actor and scriptwriter. He has appeared as Mr Lister in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as a recurring character; he has also appeared in Carrott's Lib and Jackanory.
