Jon Canter

Last updated

Jon Canter is an English television comedy writer for Lenny Henry and other leading comedians. Canter was born and brought up in the Jewish community of Golders Green, North London and studied law at the University of Cambridge, where he became President of Footlights.

After a spell in advertising, copywriting (and as a housemate of Douglas Adams) [1] he became a freelance comedy writer, setting up home in Aldeburgh with his wife, painter Helen Napper. He became a principal writer for the comedian Lenny Henry, also writing for Dawn French, Angus Deayton, Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones, as well as script editor for Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. [2] [3] [4] He co-wrote the 2003 BBC television satirical comedy Posh Nosh with the co-star Arabella Weir; and the BBC Radio 4 situation comedy Believe It! [5] and, with Guy Jenkin, Legal, Decent, Honest and Truthful . He wrote a Radio 4 Afternoon Play , I Love Stephen Fry [6] in 2008; and in 2017 Radio 4 broadcast the short series Homes and Watford in its 15 Minute Drama slot. His comedy Boswell's Lives (starring Miles Jupp) ran on BBC Radio 4 for four series, 2015–2018. He wrote for the ITV animated cartoon version of Mr. Bean , and the screenplay for the film Full Monty 2.

His first novel, Seeds of Greatness, a comic story inspired by his upbringing, was published in 2006 ( ISBN   978-0-224-07773-6), [7] and was abridged by Fiona McAlpine as a BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime . [8] His subsequent novels have been A Short Gentleman (2008) and Worth (2011). An adaptation of A Short Gentleman was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2012. [9]

Since 2008, he has been a regular contributor to The Guardian's comment pages. In 2014, The Rev. Diaries was published: this was based on the TV programme starring Tom Hollander, and was written with help from Hollander and James Wood.

Related Research Articles

Paul Julian Whitehouse is a British actor, writer, presenter and comedian. He was one of the main stars of the BBC sketch comedy series The Fast Show, and has starred with Harry Enfield in the shows Harry & Paul and Harry Enfield & Chums. He has appeared with Bob Mortimer in the BBC series Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, and has also acted in films including Corpse Bride (2005), Alice in Wonderland (2010), and The Death of Stalin (2017).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Fry</span> English actor, comedian and presenter (born 1957)

Stephen John Fry is an English actor, broadcaster, comedian, director, narrator and writer. He first came to prominence as one half of the comic double act Fry and Laurie, alongside Hugh Laurie, with the two starring in A Bit of Fry & Laurie (1989–1995) and Jeeves and Wooster (1990–1993). He also starred in the sketch series Alfresco (1983–1984) alongside Laurie, Emma Thompson and Robbie Coltrane, and in Blackadder (1986–1989) alongside Rowan Atkinson. Since 2011, he has served as president of the mental health charity Mind.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Curtis</span> British filmmaker (born 1956)

Richard Whalley Anthony Curtis is a British screenwriter, producer and film director. One of Britain's most successful comedy screenwriters, he is known primarily for romantic comedy films, among them Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Notting Hill (1999), Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), Love Actually (2003), Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004), About Time (2013), and Yesterday (2019). He is also known for the drama War Horse (2011) and for having co-written the sitcoms Blackadder, Mr. Bean, and The Vicar of Dibley. His early career saw him write material for the BBC's Not the Nine O'Clock News and ITV's Spitting Image.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hugh Laurie</span> English actor, comedian, and musician (born 1959)

James Hugh Calum Laurie is an English actor, comedian, writer, and musician. He first gained recognition for his work as one half of the comedy double act Fry and Laurie with Stephen Fry. The two acted together in a number of projects during the 1980s and 1990s, including the BBC sketch comedy series A Bit of Fry & Laurie and the P. G. Wodehouse adaptation Jeeves and Wooster. From 1986 to 1989 he appeared in three series of the period comedy Blackadder, first as a guest star in the last two episodes of Blackadder II, before joining the main cast in Blackadder the Third, and going on to appear in Blackadder Goes Forth and many specials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lenny Henry</span> British stand-up comedian and actor

Sir Lenworth George Henry is a British actor, comedian, singer, television presenter and writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Herring</span> English comedian and writer (born 1967)

Richard Keith Herring is an English stand-up comedian and writer whose early work includes the comedy double act Lee and Herring. He is described by The British Theatre Guide as "one of the leading hidden masters of modern British comedy".

<i>Jeeves and Wooster</i> British comedy-drama television series (1990–1993)

Jeeves and Wooster is a British comedy-drama television series adapted by Clive Exton from P. G. Wodehouse's "Jeeves" stories. It aired on the ITV network from 22 April 1990 to 20 June 1993, with the last series nominated for a British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series. Set in the UK and the US in an unspecified period between the late 1920s and the 1930s, the series starred Hugh Laurie as Bertie Wooster, an affable young gentleman and member of the idle rich, and Stephen Fry as Jeeves, his highly intelligent and competent valet. Bertie and his friends, who are mainly members of the Drones Club, are extricated from all manner of societal misadventures by the indispensable Jeeves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Higson</span> British actor, comedian and author

Charles Murray Higson is an English actor, comedian, author and former singer. He has also written and produced for television and is the author of the Enemy book series, as well as the first five novels in the Young Bond series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Punt</span> British writer, comedian and actor

Stephen Mark Punt is a British comedy writer, comedian and actor. Along with Hugh Dennis, he is part of the double act Punt and Dennis and presenter of BBC Radio 4 satirical news programme The Now Show. He is also a writer and programme associate for various television panel game shows, including Would I Lie to You? and Mock the Week, and is a writer for fellow comedians such as Rory Bremner and Jasper Carrott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Addison</span> British comedian, writer, actor, and director

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.

<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–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Holmes</span> British writer, comedian and broadcaster

Jon Holmes is a British comedian, writer, presenter and broadcaster known for his work on such programmes as The Skewer,The Now Show, Listen Against, along with both music and spoken word radio. He has appeared on numerous television programmes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen K. Amos</span> English comedian

Stephen Kehinde Amos is a British stand-up comedian and television personality. A regular on the international comedy circuit, he is known for including his audience members during his shows. He began his career as a compere at the Big Fish comedy clubs in South London, and has been nominated for Chortle's Best Compere Award three times in 2004, 2007 and 2008.

Tony Sarchet is a British television and radio writer for alternative comedy shows.

The Cambridge Footlights Revue is an annual revue by the Footlights Club, a group of comedy writer-performers at the University of Cambridge. Three of the more notable revues are detailed below.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Fry bibliography and filmography</span>

Stephen Fry is an English actor, comedian, author and television presenter. With Hugh Laurie, as the comedy double act Fry and Laurie, he co-wrote and co-starred in A Bit of Fry & Laurie, and the duo also played the title roles in Jeeves and Wooster. Fry played the lead in the film Wilde, played Melchett in the Blackadder television series, and was the host of celebrity comedy trivia show QI. He has contributed columns and articles for newspapers and magazines, and has written four novels and three autobiographies, Moab Is My Washpot, The Fry Chronicles, and More Fool Me: A Memoir.

Simon Tracey Brint was a British musician, best known for his role as part of the comedy duo Raw Sex with Rowland Rivron. He also composed for many British TV comedy and drama programmes.

Fiona McAlpine is a British radio drama producer and director. Her company, Allegra Productions, is an independent production company based in Suffolk, England.

Dean Earle Wilkinson is an English comedy writer. He wrote the multi-award-winning SMTV Live and Chums for Ant & Dec, and scripted the Sony console game series LittleBigPlanet.

Simon Richard Evans is an English theatre and television director, writer, and actor. He is best known as co-creator, writer, and producer of Staged (2020–2022), in which he also co-stars as a fictionalised version of himself, which premiered on BBC One.

References

  1. Canter, Jon (1 April 2006). "The flatmate's guide to the galaxy". The Daily Telegraph . London. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2007.
  2. "Jon Canter". Archived from the original on 15 March 2007. Retrieved 25 March 2007.
  3. "View Artist | PBJ Management". www.pbjmanagement.co.uk.
  4. "BBC Guide to Comedy: A Bit of Fry and Laurie" . Retrieved 25 March 2007.
  5. BBC Radio 4 - Believe It!
  6. BBC – Afternoon Play – I Love Stephen Fry
  7. "In a flap with Hornby envy". The Guardian . London. 2 April 2006. Retrieved 24 March 2007.
  8. BBC – Book at Bedtime – Seeds of Greatness
  9. "BBC Radio 4 Extra - A Short Gentleman".