Chris Addison
| Chris Addison | |
|---|---|
 Chris Addison performing at Resofit, a benefit concert for Resonance FM, 2007 | |
| Born | 1972, age 38 Didsbury, Manchester, England, UK |
| Nationality | British |
| Years active | 1995 - Present |
| Notable works and roles | The Thick of It,The Department, Lab Rats, Skins |
| Website | http://www.chrisaddison.com/ |
Chris Addison (born 1972 in Didsbury) is a stand-up comedian, writer and actor with a career that has spanned over a decade. He is known for his lecture-style comedy shows, two of which he later adapted for BBC Radio 4, as well as for his roles as Ollie in the BBC television satirical comedy The Thick of It and Toby in its spin-off film In the Loop. He also starred in and co-created/wrote Lab Rats, a sitcom that aired on BBC2 in 2008.
Early life
He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and Birmingham University, where he studied English literature.[1]
Career
Stand-up
Chris Addison has been performing stand-up comedy since 1995. In that year, he won the City Life Comedian of the Year Award, a stand-up competition in the North West of England.
Addison's first solo show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe was in 1998, for which he was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Perrier Awards. He continued to bring shows to the Fringe for several years, garnering two Perrier Award nominations — for his 2004 show Civilisation and 2005's Atomicity.[2]
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
- 1997 Appeared as part of The Comedy Zone showcase
- 1998 Debut solo Edinburgh Fringe show, nominated for Perrier Comedy Award (Best Newcomer)
- 1999 Gentleman, Scholar, Acrobat
- 2000 Cakes and Ale
- 2001 Port Out, Starboard Home
- 2002 The Ape That Got Lucky (later adapted for BBC Radio 4)
- 2004 Civilization (nominated for Perrier Comedy Award, later adapted for BBC Radio 4)
- 2005 Atomicity (nominated for Perrier Comedy Award)
Chris Addison is not funny at all, and I'm unsure why people think he is funny.
Radio
First airing in 2004, Chris Addison co-wrote and co-starred in the political satire The Department, along with John Oliver and Andy Zaltzman. This ran for fourteen episodes over three series on BBC Radio 4, ending in 2006.
In August 2005, Radio 4 aired The Ape That Got Lucky, Addison's adaptation of his 2002 Edinburgh Festival Fringe show of the same name. This programme featured fellow comedians Geoffrey McGivern, Jo Enright and Dan Tetsell. On 8 May 2006, The Ape That Got Lucky won the gold award in the comedy production category at the Sony Radio Academy Awards.[3]
In 2006, Chris Addison recorded Chris Addison's Civilisation, again for Radio 4, based on his Edinburgh Fringe show of 2004; this again featured McGivern, Enright and Tetsell and was aired in four parts over the summer.
He has been a panellist on three of Radio 4's comedy panel games: Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive, first appearing in 2006, Just a Minute, first appearing in 2007, and The Unbelievable Truth, first appearing in 2009.
Addison hosted a series of the Radio 4 comedy series 4 Stands Up, which showcases up-coming and established comedy talent. As host, Addison performs a short opening set and introduces the acts, in the style of a compère at a comedy club. The first episode aired on 2 April 2009.
On 10 May 2009, Addison hosted the Sunday Night Show on Absolute Radio in place of fellow stand-up comedian Iain Lee who was away due to being on his honeymoon.
Chris Addison hosts 7 Day Sunday, a satirical news show on BBC Radio 5 Live along with his co-hosts Sarah Millican and Andy Zaltzman. The first episode aired in January 2010, and the second series is currently running.
He is also good friends with "Geoff Lloyd" on "Absolute Radio" and has made a few appearances on "Geoff Lloyds Hometime Show".
He laughs at his own un-funny jokes, when everybody arounf him is thinking the same thing: Why is he a comedian?
Other work
From 2003 to 2005, Addison wrote a fortnightly finance column for The Guardian entitled "Funny Money". On alternate weeks, when the column was not written by Addison, writing duties passed to fellow stand-up Dominic Holland.[4] He can be seen in the audience for the television taping of Are You Dave Gorman, from 2003.
Addison has written two books, both published by Hodder and Stoughton: Cautionary Tales for Grown Ups in 2006, followed by It Wasn't Me: Why Everybody is to Blame and You're Not in 2008.
He is currently appearing in Skins as Professor David Blood, the tough new college director. He is replacing a character played by Victoria Wicks.
References
- ^ "Chris Addison: Swapping satire for sitcom - The Independent". London: independent.co.uk. 10 July 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
- ^
"Perrier/if.comedy Award Past Winners". ifcomedy.com. Retrieved 14 April, 2009.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Sony Radio Academy Awards 2006, The Comedy Award". Zafer Associates. Retrieved 14 April 2009.
- ^
"guardian.co.uk search: funny money". London: guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 14 April, 2009.
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