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The Thick Of It (U
''The Thick of It'' is a British comedy television series that satirises the inner workings of British government. Written and directed by Armando Iannucci, it was first broadcast for two short series on BBC Four in 2005, initially with a small cast focusing on a government minister, his advisers and their party's spin-doctor. The cast was significantly expanded for two hour-long specials to coincide with Christmas and Gordon Brown's appointment as prime minister in 2007, which saw new characters forming the opposition party added to the cast. These characters continued when the show switched channels to BBC Two for its third series in 2009. A fourth series about a coalition government was broadcast in 2012, with the last episode transmitted on 27 October 2012. The series has been described as the 21st century's answer to ''Yes Minister.'' It highlights the struggles and conflicts between politicians, party spin doctors, advisers, civil servants and the media. In similar fashi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black Comedy
Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discuss. Writers and comedians often use it as a tool for exploring vulgar issues by provoking discomfort, serious thought, and amusement for their audience. Thus, in fiction, for example, the term ''black comedy'' can also refer to a genre in which dark humor is a core component. Popular themes of the genre include death, crime, poverty, suicide, war, violence, terrorism, discrimination, disease, racism, sexism, and human sexuality. Black comedy differs from both blue comedy—which focuses more on crude topics such as nudity, sex, and Body fluids—and from straightforward obscenity. Whereas the term ''black comedy'' is a relatively broad term covering humor relating to many serious subjects, ''gallows humor'' tends to be used more specifical ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chris Langham
Christopher Langham (born 14 April 1949) is an English writer, actor, and comedian. He is known for playing the cabinet minister Hugh Abbot in the BBC sitcom ''The Thick of It'', and as presenter Roy Mallard in '' People Like Us'', first on BBC Radio 4 and later on its transfer to television on BBC Two, where Mallard is almost entirely an unseen character. He subsequently created several spoof advertisements in the same vein. He also played similar unseen interviewers in an episode of the television series ''Happy Families'' and in the film '' The Big Tease''. He is also known for his roles in the television series ''Not the Nine O'Clock News'', ''Help'', and ''Kiss Me Kate'', and as the gatehouse guard in ''Chelmsford 123''. In 2006, he won BAFTA awards for ''The Thick of It'' and ''Help''. On 2 August 2007, Langham was found guilty of 15 charges of downloading and possessing level 5 child sexual abuse images and videos. Langham was jailed for 10 months, reduced to 6 months ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BBC HD
BBC HD was a 24-hour high-definition television channel provided by the BBC. The service was initially run as a trial from 15 May 2006 until becoming a full service on 1 December 2007 before its discontinuation on 26 March 2013. It broadcast only during the afternoon and evening and only broadcast material shot in high definition, either in a simulcast with another channel or by inserting a repeat of an HD programme. The channel featured a mix of programming including new episodes of '' Top Gear'', ''Doctor Who'' and '' Hustle'', repeats of HD programmes including '' Planet Earth'', ''Bleak House'' and ''Torchwood'' as well as live coverage of large events such as The Proms, Wimbledon, the Eurovision Song Contest and the FIFA World Cup. The channel closed for the final time at 01:20 am on Tuesday 26 March 2013, and was replaced with BBC Two HD, partly as a result of budget cuts affecting the entire corporation. History Trial BBC HD began broadcasting on 15 May 2006 as a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BBC Two
BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio channels, it is funded by the television licence, and is therefore free of commercial advertising. It is a comparatively well-funded public-service network, regularly attaining a much higher audience share than most public-service networks worldwide. Originally styled BBC2, it was the third British television station to be launched (starting on 21 April 1964), and from 1 July 1967, Europe's first television channel to broadcast regularly in colour. It was envisaged as a home for less mainstream and more ambitious programming, and while this tendency has continued to date, most special-interest programmes of a kind previously broadcast on BBC Two, for example the BBC Proms, no ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002"Culture, controversy and cutting edge documentary: BBC FOUR prepares to launch" BBC Press Office, 14 February 2002. Retrieved 2 April 2010. and shows a wide variety of programmes including arts, documentaries, music, international film and drama, and current affairs. It is required by its licence to air at least 100 hours of new arts and music programmes, 110 hours of new factual programmes, and to premiere twenty foreign films each year. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Adam Tandy
Adam Tandy is a British television producer and director, perhaps best known for his collaborations with Armando Iannucci. As such, he has worked on ''The Saturday Night Armistice'', ''The Armando Iannucci Shows'', ''Time Trumpet'' and ''The Thick of It''. '' bbc.co.uk'', URL accessed February 3, 2010 In 2009 he moved into film producing with the hit ''Thick of It'' adaptation '' In the Loop''. After the 2012 series of ''The Thick of It'', he has produced '' |
Jon Plowman
Phillip Jon Plowman (born 1953 in Welwyn Garden City, England) is a British television and film producer. He has been a producer at the BBC since 1980, when he produced Russell Harty's chat show ''Harty''. He moved on to executive producing at the BBC in 1986, working on sketch show ''A Bit of Fry and Laurie'', and became Head of Comedy Entertainment in 1994, mainly responsible for sketch shows. He produced the first four series of the BBC comedy show ''Absolutely Fabulous'' between 1992 and 2001, plus the big screen version in 2016. Biography Plowman was educated in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire and at University College, Oxford, where was a member of the University College Players and made friends with others who went on to establish successful careers in comedy. One, Mel Smith, directed Plowman in a production of ''Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead''. After Oxford, Plowman followed Smith to the Royal Court Theatre, where he met the director Lindsay Anderson. Plowman ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Geoffrey Streatfeild
Geoffrey Streatfeild (born 1975) is an English actor in film, television, stage and radio. He is a member of the Streatfeild family. Career His notable film and TV roles include ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' and '' Kinky Boots''. He also appeared in the Royal Shakespeare Company's "Histories" company in 2007-08 as Prince Hal/Henry V ('' Henry IV Part One'', '' Henry IV Part Two'' and ''Henry V''), Suffolk (''Henry VI Parts I and II''), Rivers ('' Henry VI Part III'' and ''Richard III''). His elder brother Richard Streatfeild, as a serving Major in the Rifles, advised Geoffrey on military life for his roles in ''Henry V'' and ''Journey's End''. Streatfeild joined the cast of '' Spooks'' for its final series in 2011, playing the character of Calum Reed, a Junior Case Officer at MI5 until its end. In 2012 Streatfeild joined the cast of the BBC2 political satire ''The Thick of It'' as the "Inbetweener" junior minister in DoSac. In 2015 he reprised his role as Calum Reed in the spy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ben Willbond
Benjamin Thomas Willbond (born 18 January 1973) is an English actor and screenwriter best known as a member of the British Horrible Histories troupe in which he appears in the TV series ''Horrible Histories'', ''Yonderland'' and ''Ghosts''. He is best known for his numerous roles in the CBBC children's programme ''Horrible Histories'', running from 2009 to 2013. As well as starring as various characters throughout the show's run, he also, along with the other five main actors, wrote numerous episodes. Again alongside the same five actors, he also stars as “Captain” in the 2019 TV series ''Ghosts''. Along with Laurence Rickard, he co-wrote the 2022 feature length television comedy ''We Are Not Alone''. Early life Willbond was educated at Stamford School in Lincolnshire, boarding at the school, and read Russian and French at St Catherine's College, Oxford. Career Along with Arnold Widdowson, Willbond was part of the comedy duo "Ben & Arn", who won Perrier Award for "Best Newco ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Olivia Poulet
Olivia Poulet (born 9 July 1978) is an English actress and screenwriter. Early life Poulet was born in south-west London and attended Putney High School. She studied drama at Manchester University. Career After her graduation in 2001, Poulet landed her first role in the television series ''The Bill''. In 2005, she portrayed Camilla Parker Bowles, now the Queen Consort in the television film ''Whatever Love Means''. She appeared in the feature film '' In the Loop'' in 2009. The same year she portrayed Carol Thatcher in the television film '' Margaret''. She has also had roles in ''Day of the Flowers'', '' Sherlock'', ''Dappers'', ''The Thick of It'', ''Reggie Perrin'' and '' Outnumbered''. Poulet has also appeared on stage productions including ''The Queef of Terence'' and ''The Bird Flu Diaries''. She has also voiced roles in video game ''Dragon Age II'' by BioWare. Poulet is an ambassador of The Park Theatre The Park Theatre opened in Finsbury Park, north LondonCecilia ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vincent Franklin
Vincent Warren Franklin (born 3 November 1966) is an English actor from Haworth, Keighley, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. He is best known for his roles in comedy television programmes. He has appeared in a number of feature films including the Mike Leigh films '' Topsy-Turvy'' (1999), '' Vera Drake'' (2004) and ''Mr Turner'' (2014), and the 2006 films '' Confetti'' and '' The Illusionist'', as well as '' The Bourne Identity'' (2002). In 2018, he played the role of Mike Travis in the BBC television series ''Bodyguard''. Early life Franklin was born in Haworth, and was raised there until the age of 9 when his family moved to Kilnsea, East Riding of Yorkshire. A couple of years later they moved back to the City of Bradford when Franklin was 11. Franklin was educated at Bradford Grammar School. Franklin studied from 1988 to 1990 at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Career Franklin has had roles in many TV series including '' Five Days'', '' Doc Martin'', '' Being ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roger Allam
Roger William Allam (born 26 October 1953) is a British actor, who has performed on stage, in film, on television and radio. He played Inspector Javert in the original London production of the stage musical ''Les Misérables'', First Officer Douglas Richardson in the award-winning radio series ''Cabin Pressure'', and DCI Fred Thursday in the TV series '' Endeavour''. He is also known for his roles as Illyrio Mopatis in the HBO series ''Game of Thrones'', Royalton in ''Speed Racer'', Lewis Prothero in the 2005 adaptation of ''V for Vendetta'' and as Peter Mannion MP in ''The Thick Of It''. He has been nominated a Laurence Olivier Award six times, winning thrice. Life and career Allam was born in Bow, London, England. He was educated at Christ's Hospital and Manchester University. His father was rector of St Mary Woolnoth. He played Mercutio for the Royal Shakespeare Company, in 1983. From 1985 to 1986, he played Inspector Javert in the original London production of the sta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
