Simon Day | |
---|---|
Born | Simon William Day 7 June 1962 Blackheath, London, England |
Nationality | English |
Occupation(s) | Comedian, actor |
Years active | 1990–present |
Spouse | Ruth |
Children | 2 |
Simon William Day (born 7 June 1962) is an English comedian and actor known for his roles in the sketch show The Fast Show and the sitcom Grass .
Day was born in Blackheath, London, and rose to fame as a stand-up comic, winning the Time Out new act of the year in 1991 with his music hall character Tommy Cockles. He then appeared on the BBC One show Paramount City as a weekly guest. He continued working live all over England before joining up with Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer for two tours and two series of Big Night Out . He continued to work with Vic Reeves throughout the 1990s. [1]
In 1994, he was a cast regular in Saturday Zoo , [2] Channel 4's Saturday night extravaganza, in which he appeared as groundbreaking white rapper Ice Pick. His other TV credits include Heartbeat , Jonathan Creek , Sensitive Skin , Love Soup , Driving School , and Skins . His film credits include Shakespeare in Love , as a ferryman on the Thames.
In 2006, he collaborated with Ambient house band The Transit Kings on their song "The Last Lighthouse Keeper" which appears on their debut album Living in a Giant Candle Winking at God .
In 2008, Day embarked on his first solo UK stand-up tour, titled 'What a Fool Believes', which saw him play 36 dates during the period 30 October – 15 December, including Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. [1]
In 2009, Day collaborated again with Rhys Thomas and wrote and starred in a web series of six videos as the character Brian Pern for the BBC. [3]
In 2010, Day appeared in the long-running BBC TV series Hustle , playing Luke Baincross, a wannabe playboy with a huge country mansion. [4]
In May 2010, Day played a hospital porter in BBC TV series Holby City on his last day at work following his resignation having won the National Lottery. He had an altercation with a patient's relative and received a bang on the head, and he became increasingly lairy during the episode, at one point making a pass at Connie Beauchamp; some people assumed he was drunk, but it transpired that he had developed a Subdural hematoma as a result of the knock on the head.
Day has appeared as a pundit on the long-running BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Pundit Quiz Fighting Talk on a number of occasions, and is most notable for swearing during a live broadcast during a show in 2009. This was later edited out on the podcast version of the show.
Day appeared in an online-only version of The Fast Show sponsored by Lager brand Fosters on 10 November 2011 along with original cast save for Mark Williams. [5]
In 2012, he published his autobiography, Comedy and Error: They Really Were Marvellous Times. [6]
Day has presented his own series, The Simon Day Show on BBC Radio 4 in May to June 2012. [7]
From 2014 to 2017, he co-wrote and starred in the spoof-documentary series Brian Pern , a BBC Four comedy which parodied the life and career of former Genesis singer Peter Gabriel. [8]
In 2015 Day appeared as Charlie Beckett in the BBC TV series Death in Paradise episode 4.2. [9] In 2019 he appeared as Sid Onslow, a pub landlord, in Pennyworth .
Day starred as Big Gary King, father of Tom Davis' titular character in the BBC One sitcom King Gary, appearing in the 2018 pilot episode and the full series broadcast in 2020. [10]
Day reprised his Fast Show character 'Dave Angel, Eco Warrior' in 2023 in energy usage advertising. [11]
Day was addicted to alcohol, drugs and gambling, and spent some time in borstal for theft during his teenage years. [12] He continued to take illegal drugs including cocaine and crack cocaine into the 1990s at the height of his Fast Show fame. [13] [6]
After failing to pass his driving test for charity during the 2003 Comic Relief Programme, Day later went on to gain an automatic driving licence. [6] He is married to Ruth, a former waitress, with whom he has two children, Lloyd and Evie. [6]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1992 | Sid the Sexist | Graham / Various Cockney Characters | |
1998 | Shakespeare in Love | First Boatman | |
The Fast Show Live | Various roles | Direct-to-video | |
2002 | The Heart of Me | Hospital Doctor | |
2007 | Run Fatboy Run | Vincent | |
2009 | The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus | Uncle Bob | |
2010 | Huge | Noel Faulkner | |
2012 | Jon | Child Therapist | |
2016 | Ethel & Ernest | Alf |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1991 | Vic Reeves Big Night Out | Various roles | 5 episodes |
1992 | The Fat Slags | Baz | Miniseries |
Wilderness Edge | Ian Kaye | 2 episodes | |
A Bunch of Fives | Slow PC | Episode: "The Weekenders" | |
Saturday Zoo | Bruce Urqhart | Episode #1.2 | |
The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer | Milkman | 2 episodes | |
1994 | The All New Alexei Sayle Show | Various characters | Episode #1.4 |
1994, 2006 | The Bill | BJ Berry / Stephen Latham | 2 episodes |
1994–2014 | The Fast Show | Various characters | 24 episodes |
1995 | The Great Kandinsky | News Reporter | Television film |
1996 | Heartbeat | Fenwick | Episode: "Forget Me Not" |
1997 | Jonathan Creek | Jordan Strange | Episode: "The House of Monkeys" |
1998 | In Exile | Denzel | Episode #1.6 |
Casualty | Cardiothoracic Surgeon | Episode: "New Year and All That" | |
Ted and Ralph | Tall Tom / Cliff Carter / Friend of Dorothy | Television film | |
Rex the Runt | Constable Funnyname / Taxi Driver | 3 episodes | |
1999 | You Ain't Seen All These, Right? | Various roles | Television film |
2000 | Peak Practice | Consultant | Episode: "A Test of Faith" |
Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) | Swift | Episode: "Paranoia" | |
2001 | Happiness | Miserable Dad / Angry Father | 2 episodes |
Jumpers for Goalposts | Clive Graham | 13 episodes | |
We Know Where You Live | Billy Bleach | Television film | |
2002 | Fun at the Funeral Parlour | Dirty Ernie | Episode: "A Pocket Full of Gravel" |
Bertie and Elizabeth | Robert Wood | Television film | |
2003 | Grass | Billy | 8 episodes |
The Fast Show Farewell Tour | Various roles | Television film | |
2003–2004 | Swiss Toni | Geoff | 16 episodes |
2004 | He Knew He Was Right | Club Member #2 | Episode: "Part 1" |
Shane | Suicide Man | Episode #1.6 | |
EastEnders | Cabbie | Episode dated 25 December 2004 | |
2005 | Casanova | Argenti | Episode #1.1 |
Space Race | Kammler | Episode: "Race for Rockets" | |
ShakespeaRe-Told | Quince | Episode: "A Midsummer Night's Dream" | |
2006 | Mr. Loveday's Little Outing | Doctor | Television film |
2007 | Sensitive Skin | Mike | Episode: "The Wilderness" |
Learners | Simon | Television film | |
2007–2012 | Harry & Paul | Various character | 12 episodes |
2008 | Love Soup | Wolf | Episode: "Lobotomy Bay" |
2009, 2010 | Skins | Leo Mclair | 2 episodes |
2010 | Hustle | Luke Baincross | Episode: "Tiger Troubles" |
Bellamy's People | Various characters | 10 episodes | |
Holby City | Frank Chapman | Episode: "Brutally Frank" | |
Pete & Dud: The Lost Sketches | Performer | Television film | |
2011 | Midsomer Murders | Combover Guy | Episode: "The Oblong Murders" |
The Fast Show Faster | Dave Angel / Clive / Colonel Mumas | 3 episodes | |
2011–2012 | Pixelface | QM | 26 episodes |
2012 | Comedy Showcase | Rhodesy | Episode: "The Function Room" |
New Tricks | Tony Symes | Episode: "Queen and Country" | |
Mr Blue Sky | Mr. Bolt | 3 episodes | |
2013 | It's Kevin | Various / Screaming Pillows Pitchman | |
Mount Pleasant | Gerry | 5 episodes | |
2014 | Moone Boy | Sean Murphington Esq. | Episode: "Handball Duel" |
The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm | Colonel Dedshott | Television film | |
2014–2017 | Brian Pern (Various titles) | Brian Pern | 11 episodes |
2015 | Death in Paradise | Charlie Beckett | Episode: "Hidden Secrets" |
Drunk History: UK | Lord Carnarvon | Episode: "Tutankhamen/Dick Turpin/Byron's Pet Bear" | |
Nurse | Tony Beckton | 3 episodes | |
SunTrap | Handlebar | Episode: "The Big Sleep" | |
Cradle to Grave | Shaky | Episode #1.6 | |
Professor Branestawm Returns | Colonel Dedshott | Television film | |
2016 | Boomers | Vaughan | Episode: "Naming Ceremony" |
The Amazing World of Gumball | Narrator | Episode: "The Love" | |
Lost Sitcoms | Alf Garnett | Episode: "Till Death Us Do Part" | |
2017 | Loaded | Jeff | 3 episodes |
Zapped | Daggett | Episode: "Pear Fair" | |
2018 | Dave Allen at Peace | Lew Grade | Television film |
A Year in the Life of a Year | Various | Episode: "2018" | |
2018–2020 | King Gary | Big Gary King | 8 episodes |
2019–present | Pennyworth | Sid Onslow | 15 episodes |
2020 | The Windsors | Mike Middleton | Episode #3.2 |
The Kemps: All True | Neighbour | Television film | |
2021 | Elliott from Earth | Various voices | 5 episodes |
Paul Julian Whitehouse is a Welsh 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).
Philip R. J. Pope is a British composer and actor.
Chris Barrie is a British actor and comedian. He worked as a vocal impressionist on the ITV sketch show Spitting Image (1984–1996) and as Lara Croft's butler Hillary in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003). Barrie starred as Arnold Rimmer in 13 series of the sci-fi space comedy Red Dwarf between 1988 and 2020, and as Gordon Brittas in seven series of the BBC leisure centre sitcom The Brittas Empire (1991–1997).
Nigel Allan Havers is an English actor and presenter. His film roles include Lord Andrew Lindsay in the 1981 British film Chariots of Fire, which earned him a BAFTA nomination; as Dr. Rawlins in the 1987 Steven Spielberg war drama Empire of the Sun; and as Ronny in the 1984 David Lean epic A Passage to India. Television roles include Tom Latimer in the British TV comedy series Don't Wait Up and Lewis Archer in Coronation Street, between 2009 and 2019.
Caroline Mary Aherne was an English actress, comedian, writer and director. She was best known for performing as the acerbic chat show host Mrs Merton, in various roles in The Fast Show, and as Denise in The Royle Family (1998–2012), a series which she co-wrote. She won BAFTA awards for her work on The Mrs Merton Show and The Royle Family.
Reeves and Mortimer, colloquially known as Vic and Bob, are a British double act consisting of Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer. They have written and starred in several comedy programmes on British television since 1990, with Reeves having made his first TV appearance in 1986. They have often been referred to as a modern-day Morecambe and Wise.
Hustle is a British crime drama television series starring Adrian Lester, Robert Glenister and Robert Vaughn. Created by Tony Jordan, it was produced by Kudos Film and Television, and broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom. The show premiered on 24 February 2004, and ran for eight series, with its final episode aired on 17 February 2012. The show's premise is on a group of con artists who specialise in "long cons" – extended forms of deceptive frauds that require greater commitment, but offer higher rewards than simple confidence tricks. The show's most notable qualities are plots that involve behind-the-scenes action that the viewers are unaware of until near the end of an episode, along with fantasy scenes and occasional breaches of the fourth wall by the main actors.
Richard Gilbert Emery was an English comedian and comic actor. His broadcasting career began on radio in the 1950s, and his self-titled television series ran from 1963 to 1981.
John Patrick Thomson is an English comedian, narrator and actor best known for his roles in The Fast Show, Men Behaving Badly, Cold Feet, 24 Hour Party People, The Brothers Grimsby and Coronation Street.
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.
Brian Paul Conley is an English actor, comedian, singer and television presenter. Conley has been the host of The Brian Conley Show, as well as presenting the Royal Variety Performance on eight occasions. In his 40-year television career, he has starred in multiple award-winning television sitcoms including Time After Time and The Grimleys.
Brian Trevor John Murphy is an English actor and comedian. He is best known as the henpecked husband George Roper in the popular sitcom Man About the House and its spin-off series George and Mildred. He also played Alvin Smedley in Last of the Summer Wine. Other notable roles include Stan the shopkeeper in the 1990s children's series Wizadora, and Maurice in the comedy drama series The Booze Cruise.
Gary Beadle is a British actor.
Rhys Thomas is a British director, producer, actor, comedian and writer.
Gavin & Stacey is a British sitcom created, written by and starring James Corden and Ruth Jones about two families: one from Billericay in Essex, and the other from Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan. Mathew Horne and Joanna Page play the eponymous characters Gavin and Stacey, while Corden and Jones star as their respective friends Smithy and Nessa. Alison Steadman and Larry Lamb co-star as Gavin's parents Pam and Mick, Melanie Walters plays Stacey's mother Gwen, and Rob Brydon plays Stacey's uncle Bryn.
Michael Smiley is a Northern Irish comedian and actor. He is well known for his roles in the films Kill List (2011) and The Lobster (2015). He has also made appearances in British television series such as Spaced, Luther, Utopia, Black Mirror and Doctor Who.
The Fast Show, also known as Brilliant in the United States, is a BBC comedy sketch show that ran on BBC 2 from 1994 to 1997, with specials in 2000 and 2014. The show's central performers were Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson, Simon Day, Mark Williams, John Thomson, Arabella Weir and Caroline Aherne. Other significant cast members included Felix Dexter, Paul Shearer, Rhys Thomas, Jeff Harding, Maria McErlane, Eryl Maynard, Colin McFarlane and Donna Ewin.
Greg McHugh is a Scottish actor and writer. He is the creator, writer and star of the BBC1 comedy series Gary: Tank Commander. He also played Howard in the Channel 4 comedy Fresh Meat.
The Brian Pern mockumentaries are a British comedy spoof-documentary series about a fictional ageing rock star, Brian Pern, the former frontman of the 1970s progressive rock group Thotch. The series is written by Rhys Thomas and Simon Day, and stars Day as Pern, with Michael Kitchen, Paul Whitehouse and Nigel Havers in supporting roles.
Saturday Zoo is a British alternative comedy and chat show series, featuring an eclectic mix of stand-up acts, interviews and music. Hosted by Jonathan Ross, it ran for 13 episodes, beginning in January 1993, on Channel 4.