Lloyd Woolf

Last updated

Lloyd Woolf (born 1981) is a British comedy actor and writer from Swansea, Wales.

Contents

Personal life

Woolf was born in 1981 in Swansea, and grew up in the Swansea Valley town of Pontardawe. [1] After graduating with an English degree from Cambridge University, Woolf moved to London. He now lives in Essex with his wife and children.

Career

At university Woolf became involved in the Cambridge Footlights, performing alongside the likes of Ed Weeks, Dan Stevens, Sarah Solemani, Mark Watson, Matt Kirshen, Tim Key, Tom Basden and Stefan Golaszewski.

After graduating Woolf formed the sketch group Cowards with Key, Basden and Golaszewski. They performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2005 and 2006. They produced two radio series for BBC Radio 4, broadcast in 2007 and 2008. They also produced a television series for BBC Four, which was broadcast in January 2009, to critical acclaim. [2] It was nominated for a Scottish BAFTA. [3]

As an actor Woolf also featured in the BBC Three sketch show The Wrong Door and the sitcom How Not to Live Your Life , as well as the short film Nightwalking . In theatre, Woolf appeared in Captain Oates' Left Sock at the Finborough Theatre [4] [5] and The Roman Bath at the Arcola Theatre. [6] He appeared briefly in Richard Ayoade's feature film The Double opposite Jesse Eisenberg. He has also featured in numerous TV adverts, including Pot Noodle's infamous Welsh miners parody.

Woolf has also performed extensively as a stand-up, including a solo show at the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe. [7]

Partnership with Joe Tucker

Woolf has formed a successful writing partnership with Joe Tucker.

In 2012, Woolf and Tucker co-wrote the Sky One sitcom Parents starring Sally Phillips and Tom Conti. [8] Woolf also featured in the show as Dr. Blair. [9]

Their second sitcom, Big Bad World starring Blake Harrison, was broadcast on Comedy Central (UK and Irish TV channel) in 2013.

Woolf and Tucker created and wrote the comedy thriller Witless , starring Kerry Howard and Zoe Boyle, for BBC Three (online). The show ran for three series between 2016 and 2018, and was nominated for the Rose d'Or. Again, Woolf appeared in the show as PC Ferns. [10]

Woolf and Tucker wrote and created Click & Collect starring Stephen Merchant and Asim Chaudhry, a one-off Christmas Special for BBC One. It was broadcast on Christmas Eve 2018.

Notes and references

  1. Thomas, Geraint (18 September 2017). "This is how a shy valleys lad ended up becoming a master sitcom writer". walesonline. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  2. "TV Review: Cowards, BBC Four, Tuesday 20 January, 10pm | TV Scoop". Tvscoop.tv. 21 January 2009. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  3. "British Academy Scotland Awards: Winners in 2009". www.bafta.org. 8 November 2009. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  4. Lyn Gardner (12 January 2009). "Theatre review: Captain Oates' Left Sock / Finborough, London | Stage". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  5. "Review: Captain Oates' Left Sock, Finborough Theatre | Matt Trueman" . Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  6. "Theatre review: The Roman Bath at Arcola Theatre". British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  7. Solutions, Powder Blue Internet Business. "Lloyd Woolf: Ten Shows I Abandoned : Reviews 2008 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2019.{{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  8. "Parents - Sky1 Sitcom - British Comedy Guide". Comedy.co.uk. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  9. Parents (TV Series 2012– ) - IMDb , retrieved 13 March 2019
  10. Witless (TV Series 2016–2018) - IMDb , retrieved 13 March 2019

Related Research Articles

<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>Allo Allo!</i> British TV sitcom (1982–1992)

'Allo 'Allo! is a British sitcom television series, created by David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd, starring Gorden Kaye, Carmen Silvera, Guy Siner and Richard Gibson. Originally broadcast on BBC1, the series focuses on the life of a French café owner in the town of Nouvion, during the German occupation of France in World War II, in which he deals with problems from a dishonest German officer, local French Resistance, the handling of a stolen painting and a pair of trapped British airmen, all while concealing from his wife the affairs he is having with his waitresses.

Henry James Naylor is a British comedy writer, director and performer. He is also a playwright.

Cowards are a British four-man comedy act, composed of Tim Key, Stefan Golaszewski, Tom Basden and Lloyd Woolf. The group has created eponymous radio and TV series of their sketch comedy.

<i>The Sitcom Trials</i> British TV series or programme

The Sitcom Trials is a stage and TV show devised, produced, and presented by Kev F. Sutherland. Beginning in Bristol in 1999, it showcases new sitcoms and comedy items in a head-to-head format. The audience then vote for the one they like best and only see the ending of the winner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Key</span> English comedian and poet

Tim Key is an English poet, comedian, actor and screenwriter. He has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, both as a solo act and as part of the comedy group Cowards, and plays Alan Partridge's sidekick Simon in film and television. In 2009, he won the Edinburgh Comedy Award and was nominated for the Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality.

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

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isy Suttie</span> English comedian and actress

Isobel Jane Suttie is a British musical comedian, actress, and writer. She played Dobby in the Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show, and in 2013 won the gold Sony Radio Academy Award for her radio show Pearl And Dave. She also provides narration on the UK television show, Posh Pawn.

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

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

Justin Matthew Edwards is an English actor and writer.

Thomas William Basden is an English actor, writer and comedian. He is best known for co-creating and starring in Plebs, which won the Royal Television Society award for Best Scripted Comedy in 2014. He was nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2007 Edinburgh Comedy Awards and is a member of the sketch group Cowards.

Stefan Golaszewski is a British writer, performer and director. He is part of the comedy troupe Cowards and is the writer and creator of BAFTA-winning sitcoms Him & Her and Mum.

Sarah Kendall is an Australian comedian from Newcastle, New South Wales. She won the Raw Comedy competition in 1998 and appeared regularly on Australian television. She moved to the United Kingdom in 2000 at the age of 24.

Anna Crilly is an English actress and comedian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Bird</span> English actor and comedian

Simon Antony Bird is an English comedian, actor, director and producer. He is best known for playing Will McKenzie in the multi-award-winning E4 comedy series The Inbetweeners (2008–2010), as well as its two films, and Adam Goodman in the Channel 4 comedy series Friday Night Dinner (2011–2020). He is believed to be the new DI in Death in Paradise, with an announcement imminent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre</span>

The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre is a comedy act that began in the United Kingdom in 2005 and has performed nationally and internationally since. They first appeared as part of The Sitcom Trials in London. They appeared in the Gilded Balloon at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2022 attracting highly positive reviews. The act has toured nationally and internationally every year since 2008 including Australia, Holland, Denmark and the Channel Isles. Prestigious appearances have included the Cheltenham Literary Festival and the Edinburgh International Magic Festival. They have appeared on BBC TV's The One Show, Comedy Shuffle, The Culture Show, Points West and Upstaged, GMTV, MTV, Current TV and Channel 4's Big Brother's Little Brother.

Daniel Rigby is an English actor and comedian. He received a BAFTA TV Award for his leading role as Eric Morecambe in the 2011 BBC television film Eric and Ernie.

<i>Plebs</i> (TV series) British TV series or programme

Plebs is a British sitcom broadcast on ITV2. It was first broadcast in March 2013, and was produced by Tom Basden, Caroline Leddy, Sam Leifer and Teddy Leifer. It stars Tom Rosenthal, Ryan Sampson, Joel Fry, and Jonathan Pointing, who play young residents of ancient Rome. The format has been compared to The Inbetweeners, Up Pompeii and Chelmsford 123. The first series, comprising six episodes, was broadcast between 25 March and 22 April 2013. Three subsequent series of eight episodes each were broadcast between 22 September and 3 November 2014, between 4 April and 16 May 2016, and between 9 April and 21 May 2018. A fifth series was commissioned with Rosenthal, Sampson and Pointing all returning. The fifth series started on 30 September 2019, ending on 11 November 2019. On 30 April 2020, it was confirmed the series would end with a feature-length special. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, filming was delayed but eventually completed in May 2022.

<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.

Witless is a British thriller sitcom created by Lloyd Woolf and Joe Tucker, produced by Objective Fiction, part of Objective Media Group, for the BBC. The first episode of the first series was released on 22 April 2016 on BBC Three, with a new episode weekly. A second series was commissioned prior to the series finale to air in early 2017, with the full series released on 25 January 2017. A third series was commissioned on 23 February 2017, in a statement co-star Kerry Howard said she was "beyond thrilled that Witless has a third series". The full third series was released on 10 January 2018. Before it was released Howard confirmed on her Twitter page that this would be the final series.