Clive Anderson

Last updated

Clive Anderson
Clive Anderson at Selwyn May Ball -21June2008.JPG
Anderson at Selwyn May Ball (2008)
Born
Clive Stuart Anderson

(1952-12-10) 10 December 1952 (age 71)
Stanmore, London, England
Education Selwyn College, Cambridge (BA)
Occupation(s)Comedy author, game show host, barrister, radio presenter, television presenter
Years active1979–present
Known forHosting Whose Line Is It Anyway? , Clive Anderson Talks Back and Clive Anderson All Talk
Spouse
​
(m. 1981)​

Clive Stuart Anderson (born 10 December 1952) [1] is an English television and radio presenter, comedian, writer, and former barrister. Winner of a British Comedy Award in 1991, [2] Anderson began experimenting with comedy and writing comedic scripts during his 15-year legal career, before becoming host of Whose Line Is It Anyway? , initially a radio show on BBC Radio 4 in 1988, before moving to television on Channel 4 from 1988 to 1999. He was also host of his own chat show Clive Anderson Talks Back, which changed its name to Clive Anderson All Talk in 1996, from 1989 to 1999. He has also hosted many radio programmes, and made guest appearances on Have I Got News for You , Mock the Week and QI . [3]

Contents

Early life

Anderson's mother was English and his parents met while serving in the RAF. [4] He was educated at Stanburn Primary School and Harrow County School for Boys [5] then a grammar school which closed in 1975. [4] [6] His group of contemporaries included Geoffrey Perkins and Michael Portillo. [7] His Scottish father originally from Glasgow was promoted to manager [4] of the Bradford & Bingley Building Society, Wembley branch. [8] Anderson attended Selwyn College, Cambridge, where, from 1974 to 1975, he was President of the Cambridge Footlights. [9] He was called to the bar at the Middle Temple in 1976 and became a practising barrister, specialising in criminal law. While still practising law, he continued performing, including taking a show to the Edinburgh Fringe in 1981 with Griff Rhys Jones. [10]

Career

Television

Anderson was involved in the fledgling alternative comedy scene in the early 1980s and was the first act to appear at The Comedy Store when it opened in 1979. [11] He made his name as host of the original UK version of the improvised television comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway? , which ran for 10 series on Channel 4 from 1988 to 1999. [12]

Anderson hosted his own chat show Clive Anderson Talks Back, which ran for 10 series on Channel 4 from 1989 to 1996. The show then moved to the BBC, with the name changed to Clive Anderson All Talk, running for 4 series from 1996 to 1999. In one incident in 1997, Anderson was deserted by his guests, the Bee Gees, after he made several digs at them and their music. [13] He once had a glass of water poured over his head by a perturbed Richard Branson, to which he replied, "I'm used to that; I've flown Virgin." [14] When singer and actress Cher appeared on the show, Anderson alluded to her alleged cosmetic surgery, asking her "You look like a million dollars – is that how much it cost?" [15] He also said to author and politician Jeffrey Archer, in response to his derogatory comment about the show, "You're a critic too... there's no beginning to your talents." Archer retorted that "The old ones are always the best" for Anderson to reply "Yes, I've read your books." [16]

He has made ten appearances on Have I Got News for You . In 1996, a heated exchange occurred on the show when he joked to fellow guest Piers Morgan that the Daily Mirror was now, thanks to Morgan (then its editor), almost as good as The Sun . When asked by Morgan, "What do you know about editing newspapers?" he swiftly replied "About as much as you do". Anderson has also frequently appeared on QI . In 2007, he featured as a regular panellist on the ITV comedy show News Knight . From 2019 to 2020 he co-hosted the television series Mystic Britain on the Sky television channel Smithsonian.

In 2005, he presented the short-lived quiz Back in the Day for Channel 4. On 25 February 2008, he started to present Brainbox Challenge , a new game show, for BBC Two. Later that year, he presented a talent show-themed reality TV series produced by the BBC entitled Maestro , starring eight celebrities. In 2009, Anderson was the television host of the BBC's Last Night of the Proms .

In November 2023, Anderson appeared on TV game show Richard Osman's House of Games , winning the show by one point.

Radio

Anderson presents legal show Unreliable Evidence on BBC Radio 4. He also covered the Sunday morning 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. show on BBC Radio 2 until the end of January 2008. [17]

In early 1988, Anderson hosted the original radio version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? , which ran for 6 episodes on BBC Radio 4 before the show moved to television later that year.

It was announced in April 2008 that Anderson, who had previously filled in for host Ned Sherrin from 2006 until Sherrin's death in 2007, would be taking over as permanent host of Loose Ends . [18] He also hosted six series of Clive Anderson's Chat Room on BBC Radio 2 from 2004 to 2009. Anderson has appeared on BBC Radio 4's The Unbelievable Truth hosted by David Mitchell.

Anderson also presented the radio show The Guessing Game on BBC Radio Scotland. [19] Anderson has also appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live's Fighting Talk .

Comedy and newspaper writing

Anderson is a comedy sketch writer who has written for Frankie Howerd, Not the Nine O'Clock News , and Griff Rhys Jones and Mel Smith. [11] One of his early comedy writing projects was Black Cinderella Two Goes East with Rory McGrath for BBC Radio 4 in 1978. As well as writing comedy, Anderson is also a frequent contributor to newspapers and was a regular columnist for The Sunday Correspondent . [12]

Personal life

Anderson lives in Highbury, north London, with his consultant wife, Jane Anderson, a physician who has spent her career in managing HIV/AIDS. [20] The couple have three children. [21]

He supports Arsenal, [22] and Rangers [23] football teams. He is President of the Woodland Trust [24] and became Vice Patron of the Solicitors' Benevolent Association, a registered charity. [25]

Awards

The show Whose Line is it Anyway? won a BAFTA award in 1990. [26] Later, Anderson won both the "Top Entertainment Presenter" and "Top Radio Comedy Personality" at the British Comedy Awards in 1991. [27] In 2023 he was made an Honorary Fellow of Selwyn College, Cambridge. [28]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graeme Garden</span> British comedian and actor

David Graeme Garden OBE is a Scottish comedian, actor, author, artist and television presenter, best known as a member of the Goodies and a regular panellist on I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue.

<i>Whose Line Is It Anyway?</i> (British TV series) British TV improvisational comedy series

Whose Line is it Anyway? is a short-form improvisational comedy television panel show created by Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson, presented by Clive Anderson, and produced for Channel 4 between 23 September 1988 and 4 February 1999. The programme features a panel of four performers conducting a series of short-form improvisation games, creating comedic scenes per predetermined situations made by the host or from suggestions by the audience. Such games include creating sound effects, performing a scene to different television and film styles, using props, and making up a song on the spot. The programme originally began as a short-lived BBC radio programme, before the concept was adapted for television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Ross</span> English broadcaster, film critic, actor, and comedian (born 1960)

Jonathan Stephen Ross is an English broadcaster, film critic, comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He presented the BBC One chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross during the 2000s and early 2010s, hosted his own radio show on BBC Radio 2 from 1999 to 2010, and served as film critic and presenter of the Film programme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geoffrey Perkins</span> British comedy writer, producer and actor

Geoffrey Howard Perkins was a British comedy producer, writer and performer. He was BBC head of comedy between 1995 and 2001, and produced the first two radio series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He is one of the people credited with creating the panel game Mornington Crescent for I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. In December 2008 he posthumously received an Outstanding Contribution to Comedy Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Vranch</span> English comedian and musician

Richard Leslie Vranch is an English actor, improviser, comedian, writer and musician. He is known for providing the music for the British TV series Whose Line Is It Anyway?

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Slattery</span> English actor and comedian (born 1959)

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.

Robert Russell Davies is a British journalist and broadcaster.

U&Dave is a British free-to-air television channel that mainly broadcasts comedy-oriented factual programming. It is owned by UKTV, a subsidiary of BBC Studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ned Sherrin</span> Author and broadcaster

Edward George Sherrin was an English broadcaster, author and stage director. He qualified as a barrister and then worked in independent television before joining the BBC. He appeared in a variety of radio and television satirical shows and theatre shows, some of which he also directed and produced.

<i>Friday Night with Jonathan Ross</i> Former British television chat show

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross is a British chat show presented by Jonathan Ross and broadcast on BBC One between 2001 and 2010. The programme featured Ross' take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from both a guest music group and the house band. First broadcast on 2 November 2001, the show began its final series in January 2010 and ended on 16 July 2010.

James Thomas Mulville is an English comedian, comedy writer, producer and television presenter. He is best known for co-founding the British independent television production company Hat Trick Productions with Denise O'Donoghue and Rory McGrath. In 2003, Mulville and O'Donoghue, as co-founders of Hat Trick, were listed in The Observer as two of the 50 funniest people in Britain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Mitchell (comedian)</span> British comedian and actor (born 1974)

David James Stuart Mitchell is a British comedian, actor and writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colin Sell</span> British pianist (born 1948)

Colin Sell is a British pianist who has appeared on the radio panel games Whose Line Is It Anyway? and I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. He has become famous mostly for his long service on the latter show, where he is frequently the butt of the host's jokes about the supposedly poor quality of his playing.

Loose Ends is a British radio programme originally broadcast on Saturday mornings, and then transmitted early Saturday evenings from 1998 by BBC Radio 4. It was hosted by Ned Sherrin until 2006 and has been hosted by Clive Anderson, Nikki Bedi and Peter Curran since 2007. The programme brings together guests, generally from the world of entertainment, in a mix of interviews, sets by comedians and musical sessions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Watson</span> British comedian and writer

Mark Andrew Watson is an English comedian, novelist and producer.

Dan Patterson is a British television producer and writer, best known as co-creator, alongside Mark Leveson, and producer of both the British and American incarnations of the comedy improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway? and the British satirical comedy panel show Mock the Week.

Whose Line Is It Anyway? is a short-form improvisational comedy radio programme, which ran for six episodes on BBC Radio 4 in 1988. A television version of the show began on Channel 4 later that year, which ran for ten years. Following the conclusion of the British television show in 1998, ABC began airing an American television version, which lasted until 2007 before returning on The CW in 2013.

<i>Whose Line Is It Anyway?</i> (American TV series) American improv TV series

Whose Line Is It Anyway? is an American improvisational comedy television series, and is an adaptation of the British series of the same name. It originally aired on ABC and ABC Family from August 5, 1998 to December 15, 2007, hosted by Drew Carey. A revival of the show, hosted by Aisha Tyler, began airing on The CW on July 16, 2013.

Jason Forbes is an English actor, writer, comedian, impressionist, and TV presenter. He is best known for the CITV series Horrible Science; The Mash Report on BBC Two; as PC Peasey in the Professor Branestawm television films on BBC One; and as a member of the award-winning sketch trio 'Daphne'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Wang</span> British Chinese-Malaysian comedian

Philip Nathaniel Wang Sin Goi is a British-Malaysian stand-up comedian and comedy writer who is a member of the sketch comedy group Daphne, and co-creator of their BBC Radio 4 series, Daphne Sounds Expensive. He currently hosts the comedy podcast ‘BudPod’ with fellow comedian and Footlights alumnus Pierre Novellie.

References

  1. ↑ comedygigs.co.uk. "Clive Anderson | Band | Gig Listings – Artist Listed on Comedy Gigs". www.comedygigs.co.uk. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  2. ↑ Clive Anderson awards at IMDb Retrieved 27 August 2007[ unreliable source? ]
  3. ↑ Clive Anderson at BBC Radio 4 Retrieved 27 August 2007
  4. 1 2 3 "Clive Anderson: I identify with Scottishness but I don't think audiences see me as Scottish". HeraldScotland. 8 June 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  5. ↑ Maynard, Jeff. "Some Gaytonians". Virtual Gaytonian. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  6. ↑ "Harrow County Grammar School", Wikipedia, 10 April 2022, retrieved 5 November 2022
  7. ↑ Brown, Helen (1 April 2024). "Clive Anderson: 'I studied with Blair. I thought he'd be a parish councillor'". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  8. ↑ What Became of the Bank Manager?, BBC Radio 4, 22 November 2009
  9. ↑ "Footlights: Alumni". Cambridge Footlights. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  10. ↑ Anderson, Clive (11 August 2017). "Clive Anderson: how much has actually changed in my 40 years at the Fringe?". What's On Stage. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  11. 1 2 "Clive Anderson's Chat Room". BBC Radio 2. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  12. 1 2 "UKTV G2 Stars: Profile: Clive Anderson". UKTV Interactive Limited. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  13. ↑ "Five stars that walked out of their interviews and never came back – BBC Newsbeat". BBC Newsbeat. 8 February 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  14. ↑ "Clive Anderson Profile | Have I Got News for You | Dave Channel". dave.uktv.co.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  15. ↑ Public Law Today 2 September 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  16. ↑ Cavendish, Dominic (5 August 2014). "Clive Anderson: 'For most people, I have ceased to exist!'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  17. ↑ "Unreliable Evidence". BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  18. ↑ Dowell, Ben (7 April 2008). "Anderson goes full time on Radio 4's Loose Ends". London: MediaGuardian. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  19. ↑ "BBC Radio Scotland – The Guessing Game". BBC.
  20. ↑ "Jane Anderson: HIV and human rights". BMJ. 358: j3667. 2017. doi:10.1136/bmj.j3667. PMID   28768615. S2CID   5268806 . Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  21. ↑ Gallacher, Stevie (14 June 2022). "A Wonderful life: Broadcaster Clive Anderson on choosing just seven modern marvels". Sunday Post . Retrieved 23 January 2024. Clive lives with wife Jane, who he married in 1981, and has three children.
  22. ↑ "Arsenal's A to Z: Famous fans". Arsenal Broadband Limited. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  23. ↑ McIver, Brian (4 April 2012). "Funnyman Clive Anderson admits he'd love to buy in to Rangers". Daily Record. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  24. ↑ "New advocate for native woodland: Woodland Trust welcomes Clive Anderson as president". The Woodland Trust. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  25. ↑ "Clive wows 'em". Law Gazette. 21 October 2010. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  26. ↑ "Television and Television Craft Awards winners and nominees" (PDF). British Academy of Film and Television Arts. p. 36. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 August 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  27. ↑ "Past winners: 1991". Michael Hurll Television. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  28. ↑ @Selwyn1882 (3 October 2023). "The college has installed 3 new fellows and 2 honorary fellows" (Tweet) – via Twitter.[ user-generated source ]
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.