Norman Lovett was born on 31 October 1946 in Windsor, Berkshire, and grew up in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. He didn’t enter stand-up comedy until his thirties, initially supporting punk bands in the late 1970s before establishing himself on the alternative comedy scene at venues including the London Comedy Store. He has a distinctive deadpan, surreal style…
Doug Naylor was born on 31 December 1955 in Manchester and met his future writing partner Rob Grant while both were attending Chetham’s Hospital School. The pair studied psychology at Liverpool University before dropping out to pursue writing careers, eventually becoming BBC Radio staff writers and contributing to programmes including Son of Cliché — which…
James Baxter was born on 3 August 1990 in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, and trained at the Northern Academy of Dramatic Arts at Sunderland’s Royalty Theatre. His early performance in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe stage play Scarborough earned him a best actor nomination. He first came to wider attention playing Jake Doland in the long-running…
Robert Llewellyn was born on 10 March 1956 in Northampton, England. Before his acting career he worked as a shoemaker, before organising cabaret evenings and forming the alternative comedy theatre group The Joeys. It was his Edinburgh Fringe show Mammon, Robot Born of Woman — about an android whose behaviour deteriorates as it becomes more…
Chris Barrie was born on 28 March 1960 in Hanover, West Germany, where his father was serving in the British Army, and was brought up in Northern Ireland, attending Methodist College Belfast where he was Head Boy. After dropping out of Brighton Polytechnic, he developed his skills as a vocal impressionist, eventually joining the ITV…
Rupert Young was born on 16 May 1978 in Lambeth, London, and trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. His grandfather worked as a theatre attendant in London, giving Rupert access to live performances from the age of four and sparking his lifelong love of the stage. Rupert is best known to…
Chris Fulton was born on 27 November 1988 and grew up in Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway, where his parents run a hotel. He trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, graduating in 2012, and built an early career across BBC dramas including Stonemouth and Clique, before making his feature film debut in the historical…
Richard Rankin was born Richard Harris on 4 January 1983 in Rutherglen, near Glasgow, and adopted his mother’s maiden name professionally to avoid confusion with the late Irish actor of the same name. He trained at Langside College and first gained attention in the regional Scottish sketch comedy series Burnistoun, before moving into BBC drama…
Isobel Meikle-Small was born on 22 March 1996 in Hove, East Sussex, and began her acting career as a child, playing the young Kathy H. in the acclaimed 2010 film Never Let Me Go opposite Carey Mulligan. She went on to play the young Ravenna in Snow White and the Huntsman (2012) and young Estella…
John Bellwas born on 20 October 1997 in Paisley, Scotland, and made his television debut at the age of nine playing Creet in the Doctor Who episode “Utopia” after winning a Blue Peter competition. His early career included the BAFTA-winning CBBC series Tracy Beaker Returns and the fantasy epics The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug…
