List of British comedians
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This is a list of comedians of British birth or famous mainly in Britain. Many of the comedy panel-game regulars and sitcom actors may not be regarded as comedians by some people but they are included here because this page uses the word "comedian" in its broadest possible sense.
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Impersonators
- Terry Alderton, (Spitting Image)
- Ronni Ancona, (Alistair McGowan's Big Impression)
- Chris Barrie, (Spitting Image)
- Rory Bremner, (born 1961)
- Phil Cool
- Kevin Connelly, (Dead Ringers)
- Jon Culshaw, (Dead Ringers, 2DTV)
- Bobby Davro
- Dave Lamb, (2DTV)(Goodness Gracious Me)
- Alistair McGowan, (Alistair McGowan's Big Impression)
- Mark Perry, (Dead Ringers, 2DTV)
- Jan Ravens, (Dead Ringers, 2DTV)
- Mike Yarwood
Musical comedians
- Les Barker
- Bill Bailey, (The Bill Bailey Show)
- Ivor Biggun, pseudonym of Doc Cox
- Jasper Carrott
- Billy Connolly
- Ivor Cutler
- Bernard Cribbins, (born 1928)
- Angus Deayton (in the HeeBeeGeebees)
- Richard Digance
- John Hegley also performs as half of the "Popticians"
- Neil Innes, (born 1944)
- Sid Kipper also performed as half of the "Kipper Family"
- Bill Oddie
- Vivian Stanshall, (1943-1995)
- Flanders and Swann
- Jake Thackray
- Victoria Wood, (1953-)
Variety and music hall comedians
- Chesney Allen
- Arthur Atkins
- Michael Barrymore
- Max Bygraves, (born 1922)
- Frank Carson
- Tommy Cooper, (1922-1984)
- Jimmy Cricket
- Les Dawson, (1931-1993)
- Ken Dodd, (born 1929)
- Bud Flanagan
- Cyril Fletcher (1913-2005)
- George Formby
- Max Miller
- Spike Milligan
- Bob Monkhouse, (1928-2003)
- Morecambe and Wise
- Des O'Connor
- Frank Randle
- Max Wall
- Charlie Williams
Radio comedians
- Michael Bentine, (1922-1996), (The Goon Show)
- Graham Fellows (plays the characters Jilted John, John Shuttleworth and Brian Appleton)
- Cyril Fletcher, (1913-2005)
- Joyce Grenfell, (1910-1979)
- Deryck Guyler, (1914-1999)
- Tony Hancock, (1924-1968) (Hancock's Half Hour)
- Tommy Handley, (1892-1949) (ITMA)
- Kenneth Horne, (died 1969), (Round the Horne, Beyond Our Ken)
- Roy Hudd, (born 1936) (News Huddlines)
- Bill Kerr, (Hancock's Half Hour)
- Betty Marsden, (1919-1998)
- Spike Milligan, (1918-2002), (The Goon Show)
- Chris Morris, (On The Hour)
- Richard Murdoch (Much Binding in the Marsh)
- Bill Pertwee, (born 1926)
- Harry Secombe, (1921-2001), (The Goon Show)
- Peter Sellers, (1925-1980), (The Goon Show)
- Mark Steel, (The Mark Steel Solution, The Mark Steel Revolution, The Mark Steel Lectures)
- Hugh Paddick, (1915-2000)
- Ted Ray, (1905-1977)
- Al Read
- Kenneth Williams, (1926-1988) (Round the Horne)
Satirists
- Douglas Adams (1952-2001)
- John Bird, (Bremner, Bird and Fortune)
- Eleanor Bron
- Peter Cook, (1937-1995)
- John Fortune, (Bremner, Bird and Fortune)
- Chris Morris, (born 1965), (Brass Eye)
- Ian Hislop, (born 1960), (Private Eye)
- Armando Iannucci
- William Rushton
- Mark Thomas, (The Mark Thomas Comedy Product)
Comedy panel game regulars
B
C
- Craig Charles, (born 1964), (Space Cadets)
- Alan Coren, (The News Quiz, Call My Bluff)
- Barry Cryer, (I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue)
- Justin Lee Collins
D
- Alan Davies, (QI)
- Angus Deayton, (born 1956), (former chair of Have I Got News for You)
- Jack Dee, (It's Only TV But I Like It)
F
- Clement Freud, (Just A Minute)
- Rebecca Front
- Stephen Fry, (chair of QI)
G
H
- Andy Hamilton, (The News Quiz)
- Nick Hancock, (born 1962), (They Think It's All Over)
- Jeremy Hardy, (The News Quiz, If I Ruled The World)
- Tony Hawks (I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue)
- Ian Hislop, (born 1960), (The News Quiz, Have I Got News for You)
- Simon Hoggart, (The News Quiz)
I
J
L
M
- Rory McGrath (They Think It's All Over)
- Paul Merton, (born 1957), (Have I Got News for You)
- Arthur Marshall, (Call My Bluff)
- Robert Morley, (Call My Bluff)
- Frank Muir, (Call My Bluff)
N
R
- Jonathan Ross, (born 1960), (They Think It's All Over, It's Only TV But I Like It)
- Willie Rushton, (I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue))
- Robin Ray, (Call My Bluff)
S
T
- Tim Brooke-Taylor, (I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue)
- Sandi Toksvig, (Call My Bluff)
- Barry Took, (The News Quiz)
W
Sketch show/alternative comedians
- Charlie Drake, (born 1925)
- Harry Enfield, (Harry Enfield and Chums)
- Dawn French, (French and Saunders)
- The Goodies
- Arthur Haynes
- Lenny Henry (born 1958)
- Benny Hill, (1924-1992)
- Harry Hill
- Hugh Laurie (born 1959)
- John Junkin
- Monty Python
- Graham Chapman, (1941-1989)
- John Cleese, (born 1939)
- Terry Gilliam, (born 1940)
- Eric Idle, (born 1943)
- Terry Jones, (born 1942)
- Michael Palin, (born 1943)
- Not the Nine O'Clock News
- Rowan Atkinson, (born 1955)
- Griff Rhys-Jones
- Pamela Stephenson, (born 1949)
- Mel Smith, (born 1952)
- Vic Reeves
- Jennifer Saunders
- The Two Ronnies
- Ronnie Barker
- Ronnie Corbett (born 1931)
- Harry Worth, (1917-1989)
- Paul Whitehouse (born 1958) (The Fast Show)
Film
- Bernard Bresslaw, (1934-1993)
- John Cleese, (born 1939), (Monty Python films)
- Lee Evans, (born 1964)
- Nick Frost, (Shaun of the Dead)
- Marty Feldman, (1933-1982)
- Eric Idle, (born 1943), (Monty Python films)
- Sid James, (1913-1976) ("Carry Ons")
- Rick Mayall, (Drop Dead Fred)
- Dudley Moore, (1935-2002) (Arthur, 10)
- Simon Pegg, (Shaun of the Dead)
- Peter Sellers, (1925-1980), (Dr Strangelove, Inspector Clouseau films)
- Eric Sykes, (born 1923)
- Kenneth Williams, (1926-1988), ("Carry Ons")
- Norman Wisdom, (born 1915)
Sitcom comedians
(See also: British sitcoms)
- Rowan Atkinson, (born 1955), (Blackadder, The Thin Blue Line, Mr. Bean)
- Bill Bailey, (Spaced, Black Books)
- Ronnie Barker, (born 1929), (Porridge)
- Chris Barrie, (born 1960), (Red Dwarf, The Brittas Empire)
- Craig Charles, (born 1964), (Red Dwarf, Captain Butler)
- John Cleese, (born 1939), (Fawlty Towers)
- Ronnie Corbett, (Sorry!)
- Angus Deayton, (born 1956), (One Foot in the Grave)
- Adrian Edmondson, (The Young Ones, Filthy, Rich and Catflap, Bottom)
- Nick Frost, (Spaced)
- Tamsin Greig, (Black Books, Green Wing)
- Jane Horrocks, (born 1964), (Absolutely Fabulous)
- David Jason, (born 1940), (Do Not Adjust Your Set, Only Fools and Horses, Open All Hours, The Darling Buds of May)
- Danny John-Jules (Red Dwarf)
- Joanna Lumley, (born 1947), (Absolutely Fabulous)
- Nicholas Lyndhurst, (born 1961), (Only Fools and Horses, Butterflies, Goodnight Sweetheart, The Piglet Files)
- Rick Mayall, (The Young Ones, Filthy, Rich and Catflap, Bottom)
- Al Murray (Time Gentlemen Please)
- Simon Pegg (Spaced)
- Tony Robinson, (born 1946), (Blackadder)
- Julia Sawalha, (born 1968), (Absolutely Fabulous)
- June Whitfield, (Terry and June, Absolutely Fabulous)
- Richard Wilson, (born 1936), (One Foot in the Grave)
Spoof show comedians
- Sacha Baron Cohen, (The 11 O'Clock Show, Da Ali G Show)
- Steve Coogan, (Knowing Me, Knowing You)
- Chris Langham, (People Like Us)
- Doon Mackichan, (Brass Eye, Knowing Me, Knowing You)
- Chris Morris, (born 1965), (Brass Eye, Blue Jam, The Day Today)
- Peter Serafinowicz, (Look Around You)
- Ricky Gervais, (The Office)
Stand-up comedians
- Russ Abbott
- Terry Alderton
- Bill Bailey
- Aaron Barschak
- Jo Brand
- Rhona Cameron
- Jimmy Carr
- Julian Clary
- Phil Cool
- Billy Connolly, (born 1942)
- Jim Davidson, (born 1954)
- Jack Dee, (born 1962)
- Ben Elton, (born 1959)
- Lee Evans, (born 1964)
- Ricky Gervais
- Janey Godley
- Dave Gorman
- Boothby Graffoe
- Malcolm Hardee
- Mike Harding
- Jeremy Hardy
- Dominic Holland
- Frankie Howerd, (1917-1992)
- Eddie Izzard, (born 1962)
- Phill Jupitus
- Peter Kay, (born 1971)
- Norman Lovett
- Bernard Manning
- Shazia Mirza
- Frank Skinner
- Mark Steel
- Dave Thompson
- Tim Vine
- Mark Webster
Comedy double acts
- Anderson and Webster
- Armstrong and Miller
- Cannon and Ball
- Baddiel and Skinner
- Flanagan and Allan
- Flanders and Swann
- French and Saunders
- Hale and Pace
- Hinge and Bracket
- Little and Large
- The Two Ronnies
- Morecambe and Wise
- Newman and Baddiel
- Parsons and Naylor
- Punt and Dennis
- Rod Hull and Emu
- Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones
- Reeves and Mortimer
See also: List of comedians