Nick Helm | |
---|---|
![]() Helm in 2017 | |
Birth name | Nicholas Tristan Phillip Helm |
Born | West Smithfield, England | 1 October 1980
Medium |
|
Nationality | British |
Years active | 2005–present |
Subject(s) | |
Notable works and roles | |
Website | nick-helm |
Nicholas Tristan Phillip Helm (born 1 October 1980) is an English comedian, actor and rock musician known for his comedic confrontational delivery. [1] His routines have been described as "brash and bullish". [2] Many of his performances begin with him acting calmly and see him gradually getting more and more enraged about what he is talking about. He came to prominence following the success of his 2010 Edinburgh Fringe show Keep Hold of the Gold. In 2014, Helm made his main acting debut as lead character Andy in the BBC Three sitcom Uncle .
Helm was born in Barts Hospital in West Smithfield, London, and raised in Finsbury Park, until the age of 8 when he then moved to St Albans, Hertfordshire. [3] He attended Cunningham Hill Primary School, after which he went to Sandringham Secondary School. [4] Following this he attended the University of Winchester.
While at secondary school Helm began writing and performing. In 1997, when he was in the sixth form, his drama teacher Louise Howes brought the school's production of Romeo and Juliet to the Edinburgh Festival. [5] Helm played the part of Prince Escalus. [3]
With friends, Helm began taking shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in the early 2000s with increasing levels of success. [6]
By 2007, Helm began performing solo stand-up, but also maintained his theatrical work with a 2008 Fringe show called I Think You Stink, which gained critical acclaim. Comedian Richard Herring called it a "lovely little hidden gem... funny, silly and slightly chilling... something very new and special".
Helm has worked closely with his friends on the stand-up circuit, performing mixed bill stand-up shows at the Fringe before his first fully solo show, Keep Hold of the Gold, in 2010.
In 2011, the follow-up, Dare to Dream, saw him nominated for the Fosters best comedy show [7] and a joke lifted from the show won Dave's award for the funniest joke of the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe: "I needed a password eight characters long so I picked Snow White and the Seven Dwarves". [8]
In 2012 Helm appeared regularly on the BBC Three series Live at the Electric performing songs with backing band, The Helmettes. There were further TV appearances on 8 Out of 10 Cats (including as Santa in the 2012 Christmas Special) and its spin-off 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (on which he has a recurring bit where he repeatedly fails to woo the show's lexicographer, Susie Dent), [9] The Boyle Variety Performance, Russell Howard's Good News and a new show for Edinburgh, This Means War.
His 2013 Edinburgh Fringe show, One Man Mega Myth, strongly referenced Evel Knievel, and he was again nominated for Best Show in the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, losing out to Bridget Christie. [10]
Helm won the South Bank Sky Arts "The Times Breakthrough Award" on 27 January 2014. [11]
Helm also plays guitar and sings. He has so far released three solo albums. His latest album is called Hot 'n' Heavy, released on 10 May 2013. [12] He performed "He Makes You Look Fat", one of the tracks from his album, when he appeared as the stand-up guest on Russell Howard's Good News . [13]
In 2014 Helm started playing the lead role of Andy in the BBC Three sitcom Uncle . [14] The show was written by Oliver Refson, and featured songs written and performed by Helm and his band. The third and final series of Uncle was screened in January–February 2017.
Helm's comedy/music show Nick Helm's Heavy Entertainment broadcast on BBC Three in May–June 2015.
In 2015 Helm co-wrote and co-starred with Esther Smith in an episode of the BBC Three online series of short stories, Funny Valentines. The episode, titled "Elephant", [15] was nominated for a Short Film BAFTA Award in 2016. [16]
In mid-2017 Helm starred in the sitcom Loaded (Channel 4), about a group of IT entrepreneurs who become millionaires when their company is bought out, and in the food comedic documentary Eat Your Heart Out with Nick Helm (Dave). He also performed Work in Progress shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, he starred in the online comedy series Angry Quiz Guy.
In August 2021, he starred as a guest on the Cheapshow podcast with fellow comedian Nathaniel Metcalfe.
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | Big Babies | Major Moustache (voice) | 13 episodes |
2012–2017 | Uncle | Andy | 20 episodes |
2013 | The Day They Came to Suck Out Our Brains! | Ringer | 1.10 "Mankind Strikes Back" |
2014 | Santageddon | Nick Pliskin | Short film |
2014 | The Milkman | Customer | Short film |
2015 | Funny Valentines: Elephant | Him | Short film; also writer |
2015 | The Girl in the Dress | Rob | Short film |
2016 | Hell's Garden | Spade Man | Short film |
2017 | Loaded | Watto | 8 episodes |
2018 | Nick Helm: The Killing Machine | Sam Miller | Short film |
2018 | The Reluctant Landlord | Lemon | 13 episodes |
2018 | Roast Battle | Santa Claus | 2.06 "Christmas Special" |
2021 | Intelligence | Fin | 1 episode |
2024 | EastEnders | Ostrich Man | 1 episode |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | Russell Howard's Good News | Himself | 3.07 "Episode: 2 December 2010" |
2011 | Show & Tell | Himself | 1.03 "Maeve Higgins, Elis James and Nick Helm" 1.05 "Diane Morgan, Josh Widdicombe and Nick Helm" |
2011 | So This Is Christmas! | Himself | Television special |
2012–2013 | 8 Out of 10 Cats | Himself / Santa Claus | 6 episodes |
2012 | Live at the Electric | Himself | 8 episodes |
2012 | Nick Helm Solid Gold Super Hits | Himself | Television miniseries |
2012 | The Boyle Variety Performance | Himself | Television special |
2012 | The 50 Funniest Moments of 2012 | Himself | Television special |
2013 | '8 Out of 10 Cats' Does 'Deal or No Deal' | Himself | Television special |
2013–2021 | 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown | Dictionary Corner Guest / Himself | 8 episodes |
2013 | BBC Comedy Feeds | Himself | 2.02 "Nick Helm's Heavy Entertainment" |
2014, 2017–2018, 2024 | Sunday Brunch | Himself (guest) | 1.96 "Episode: 26 January 2014", 7 episodes (2017-2018), Episode: 21 January 2024 [17] |
2014 | Sweat the Small Stuff | Himself | 2 episodes |
2015 | 30 Greatest Disaster Movies | Himself | Television documentary |
2015 | Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled | Himself (panelist) | 3.01 |
2015 | Greatest Sci-Fi Movies | Himself | Television documentary |
2015 | Live at the Apollo | Himself | 11.06 "Episode: 14 December 2015" |
2015 | Mastermind | Himself (contestant) | Celebrity Mastermind 2015/16: "Episode 6" |
2016 | Drunk History | Himself | 2.09 "Episode Nine" |
2018 | Roast Battle | Himself | 1.02 "Episode: 16 January 2018" |
2018 | How The Young Ones Changed Comedy | Himself | Television documentary |
2021 | Question Team | Guest Question Setter | Episode 1.02: [18] 1 November 2021 |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2005 | X3: Reunion | Additional voices |
Year | Title [19] [20] | Label | Format |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Keep Hold of the Gold | Laughing Stock Productions | CD, Download |
2012 | Dare to Dream | Redbush Entertainment | |
2013 | Hot 'n' Heavy | Download | |
Glorious Management | CD | ||
Uncle: The Songs | Baby Cow Productions | CD, Download | |
2015 | Nick Helm's Single For Christmas | Redbush Entertainment | |
2016 | Nick Helm is Fucking Amazing | Glorious Management | |
2023 | Hot 'n' Heavy | Fancy Pants | LP |
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".
James Anthony Patrick Carr is an Irish-British comedian, presenter, writer and actor. He is known for his rapid-fire deadpan delivery of one-liners which have been known to offend some people. He began his comedy career in 1997, and he has regularly appeared on television as the host of Channel 4 panel shows such as 8 Out of 10 Cats, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year.
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.
Timothy Mark Vine is an English comedian, actor, writer and presenter best known for his one-liners and his role on the sitcom Not Going Out. He has also released a number of stand-up comedy specials and has written several joke books.
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.
Alun Cochrane is a British comedian, and actor. He was born in Glasgow and raised in Mirfield, West Yorkshire. He was a co-presenter on The Frank Skinner Show on Absolute Radio (2011–2022).
Rob Rouse is an English comedian.
Russell Kane is an English writer, comedian, and actor. He has four times been nominated at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, winning the Best Comedy Show award in 2010. Although known mainly for stand-up comedy, for television, he has presented Big Brother's Big Mouth (2007), I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here - Now (2009-2011), Freak Like Me (2010), Geordie Shore: The Reunion and Britain Unzipped (2012), Live at the Electric (2013), Stupid Man, Smart Phone (2016), and hosted the BBC Radio 4 series Evil Genius in 2018 as well as a television show by the same name on Sky History in 2023.
Richard Ian Boldsworth, previously known by the stage name Ray Peacock, is an English comic performer, best known for The ParaPod, The Peacock and Gamble Podcast and The Ray Peacock Podcast. He came to prominence in the Big and Daft comedy trio.
Daniel Gregory Clark is an English actor, comedian, writer, director, and singer. He is best known for playing Don Danbury on the BBC Three sitcom How Not to Live Your Life, which he also wrote, co-produced, and sometimes directed. He has been a regular on the British comedy scene as both a sketch and stand-up comedian.
Jack Peter Benedict Whitehall is an English comedian, actor, writer, and television personality. He is known for his roles as JP in the Channel 4 comedy-drama series Fresh Meat (2011–2016) and as Alfie Wickers in the BBC Three sitcom Bad Education also co-writing the latter and its film adaptation, The Bad Education Movie (2015).
Daniel Sloss is a Scottish comedian, actor, and writer.
London Hughes is a British comedian, television writer and presenter. She wrote and starred in Laughter Shock, a comedy for the BBC which piloted in 2010.
Joshua Michael Widdicombe is an English comedian, presenter and actor. He is best known for his appearances on The Last Leg (2012–present), Fighting Talk (2014–2016), Insert Name Here (2016–2019), Mock the Week (2012–2016) and his BBC Three sitcom Josh (2015–2017).
Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast ) and Richard Herring's Edinburgh Fringe Podcast are two related comedy podcasts, created and hosted by British comedian Richard Herring. Hosted on The British Comedy Guide, the podcasts are interviews with notable guests, usually fellow comedians. The original Edinburgh Fringe podcast ran from 2011 to 2013, and took place most days for the duration of the Fringe, focusing on interviews with performers at the festival. They also contain short stand-up segments from Fringe performers. The Leicester Square Theatre Podcast, recorded at Leicester Square in London, began in 2012 and follows a similar format, with higher profile guests. It runs for a shorter series than the Edinburgh Fringe version, with weekly recordings.
John Kearns is an English comedian and actor.
Rose Matafeo is a New Zealand comedian, actress and TV presenter. She was a writer and performer on the New Zealand late-night comedy sketch show Funny Girls. In 2018, she won the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for her show Horndog.
Lucy Ann Beaumont is a British comedian from Hull. Her early performances were based largely on anecdotes about Hull and the wider Northern England region. She was a finalist on So You Think You're Funny in 2011 and won the BBC Radio New Comedy Awards in 2012. Her 2014 debut show at the Edinburgh Fringe, We Can Twerk It Out, was nominated for that year's Best Newcomer Award.
Ahir Shah is a British comedian. He was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017 and 2018, and won the award in 2023. Before that he was a finalist in the 2008 So You Think You're Funny? competition for new acts. Shah has been called "one of his generation's most eloquent comic voices".
Jamie Demetriou is an English comedian, actor and screenwriter. He is best known for his role as Bus Rodent in Fleabag and for creating, co-writing, and starring in Stath Lets Flats. For the latter, he won Best Male Actor in a Comedy, Best Writer of a Comedy, and Best Scripted Comedy at the 2020 BAFTA Awards.