Alistair MacGowan

Alistair Charles McGowan (born 24 November 1964) is an English impressionist, comic, actor, singer and writer best known to British audiences for ''The Big Impression'' (formerly ''Alistair McGowan's Big Impression''), which was, for four years, one of BBC1's top-rating comedy programmes – winning numerous awards, including a BAFTA in 2003. He has also worked extensively in theatre and appeared in the West End in ''Art'', ''Cabaret'', ''The Mikado'' and '' Little Shop of Horrors'' (for which he received a '' Laurence Olivier Award'' nomination). As a television actor, he played the lead role in BBC1's ''Mayo''. He wrote the play ''Timing'' (nominated as Best New Comedy at the whatsonstage.com awards) and the book ''A Matter of Life and Death or How to Wean Your Man off Football'' with former comedy partner Ronni Ancona. He also provided voices for ''Spitting Image''.

He made his debut broadcast as a tennis commentator for BBC Sport at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships.

In 2012, McGowan wrote and hosted the ITV comedy sports show '' You Cannot Be Serious!'', in which his impressions included Roy Hodgson, Jedward and Louie Spence.

He has written and starred in three plays for BBC Radio 4 about Erik Satie: ''Three Pieces in the Shape of a Pear''), John Field (''The Peregrinations of a Most Musical Irishman'') and George Bernard Shaw (''The 'B' Word''). He devised stage shows showcasing the music and verse of Noël Coward (''Sincerely Noel''), and the music and writings of Erik Satie (''Erik Satie's-faction''). He wrote the stage play ''Timing'' (nominated as Best New Comedy at the 2009 whatsonstage.com awards.

Career

McGowan found work as a comedian, and performed some of the voices for the ITV television series ''Spitting Image''. His sporting impressions were showcased on the BBC 2 football magazine programme ''Sick as a Parrot''. He also appeared as the recycling man in the BBC show ''Think about Science''.

Later he took over from Stephen Tompkinson playing Spock in the Tim Firth comedy drama, ''Preston Front''. In his early career, McGowan had minor roles in shows such as ''Children's Ward'', and in the pilot episode of ''Jonathan Creek''. He also was a series regular in the first season of '' Dead Ringers''.

McGowan also appeared in the Scottish football sketch show Only an Excuse? from 1996 to 1998. He also hosted and starred in a sporting impressions show on Radio 5 live called ''The Game's Up'' in the late 1990s.

In 1998, McGowan provided all of the voice characterisation in the 1998 revival of ''James the Cat'' for Channel 5 and later in the 2000s, McGowan went onto provide guest voices for ''Yoko! Jakamoko! Toto!'' and '' Planet Sketch'' both for CITV (''Yoko! Jakamoko! Toto!'' later went onto air on both the BBC and CBeebies in 2008).

From 2 June to 7 July 2012, McGowan has hosted and written the ITV comedy series, '' You Cannot Be Serious!'' Impressions include England manager Roy Hodgson, Eurovision duo Jedward, and TV personality Louie Spence.

McGowan is patron of the Ludlow Fringe Festival, where he first performed live in 2013.Report by Rory Smith. At the town's St Laurence's Church during the 2021 festival, he performed ''The Piano Show'' combining classical pieces played on a Steinway Grand Piano with stand-up comedy and impressions.

''The Big Impression''

McGowan is best known for the TV show ''The Big Impression'', formerly ''Alistair McGowan's Big Impression'', with Ronni Ancona. His celebrity impressions include David Beckham, Sven-Göran Eriksson, Gary Lineker, Nicky Campbell, Richard Madeley, Tony Blair, Prince Charles, Robert Kilroy-Silk, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Angus Deayton, Terry Wogan and the fictional characters Ross Geller (from '' Friends'') and Dot Cotton (from '' EastEnders'').
McGowan and Ancona are probably best known for their portrayal of Posh and Becks, with McGowan as David Beckham and Ancona in the role of Victoria Beckham.

Return to acting and radio work (2005)

He made a return to dramatic acting in 2005, appearing in the BBC
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