John Simmit (born 13 December 1963) is a British actor and stand-up comedian,
best known for playing Dipsy in BBC TV's global hit ''
Teletubbies
''Teletubbies'' is a British children's television series created by Anne Wood and Andrew Davenport for the BBC. The programme focuses on four differently coloured characters known as the Teletubbies, named after the television screens on th ...
'' from 1997–2001.
Career
His many other TV credits include ''
The Real McCoy
"The real McCoy" is an idiom and metaphor used in much of the English-speaking world to mean "the real thing" or "the genuine article", e.g. "he's the real McCoy". The phrase has been the subject of numerous false etymologies.
History
The phr ...
'',
''
The Gadget Show
''The Gadget Show'' (currently known as ''The Gadget Show: Better Tech, Better Life'') is a British television series which focuses on consumer technology. The show, which is broadcast on Channel 5, is currently presented by Ortis Deley, Geor ...
'' and ''
The Big Fat Quiz of the '90s'',
whilst live he has performed internationally from Bahrain to Budapest.
As a producer through Upfront Comedy he has put comedy shows into UK theatres nationwide
for 25 years,
including two major shows in London's west End, in New York & North Carolina. Previewing Upfront's 10th anniversary show, ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' noted,
" is anniversary show is yet another excellent standup bill from the most enterprising black comedy promoters in the country. Upfront's first Croydon gig featured Felix Dexter
Felix Dexter (26 July 1961
Retrieved 22 October 2013 (the first black comic to become a regular performer at Jongleurs and the Comedy Store), plus lapsed Pentecostal choir boy Junior Simpson
Junior Simpson is a British stand-up comedian of Jamaican descent. He was born in Leagrave, a suburb of Luton, and was educated at Beechwood Primary School and Challney High School for Boys.
Simpson headlines at clubs across Britain as well as p ...
and Nigerian cockney Gina Yashere
Regina Obedapo "Gina" Iyashere is a British comedian who has made many appearances on British and American television.
Early life
Yashere was born and raised in Bethnal Green London to Nigerian parents. Before becoming a comedian, she worked ...
. Also on that first bill was the brains behind Upfront, John Simmit €¦Thanks to pioneering outfits like Upfront, Britain's black comics are getting some of the mainstream exposure that their talents deserve - and now a growing number of African-American standups are coming here to gig alongside them".
Filmography
*''
The Real McCoy
"The real McCoy" is an idiom and metaphor used in much of the English-speaking world to mean "the real thing" or "the genuine article", e.g. "he's the real McCoy". The phrase has been the subject of numerous false etymologies.
History
The phr ...
'' (1994) - Guest
*''
Teletubbies
''Teletubbies'' is a British children's television series created by Anne Wood and Andrew Davenport for the BBC. The programme focuses on four differently coloured characters known as the Teletubbies, named after the television screens on th ...
'' (1997–2001) - Dipsy
*''Teletubbies Everywhere'' (2002) - Dipsy
*
''Today'' (2007) - guest (as Dipsy and himself)
*''
The Paul O'Grady Show
''The Paul O'Grady Show'' is a British comedy chat show presented by comedian Paul O'Grady, first shown on 11 October 2004. The programme is a teatime chat show consisting of a mixture of celebrity guests, comic stunts, musical performances, an ...
'' (2009) - guest (as Dipsy)
*''
The Big Fat Quiz of the '90s'' (2012) - Himself
*''Respect: A Felix Dexter Special'' (2013) - Himself
*''
The Gadget Show
''The Gadget Show'' (currently known as ''The Gadget Show: Better Tech, Better Life'') is a British television series which focuses on consumer technology. The show, which is broadcast on Channel 5, is currently presented by Ortis Deley, Geor ...
'' (2014) - Himself
*''Pikachu & Friends'' - Charmander
*''Stitch's Hawaiian Paradise'' - Stitch
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simmit, John
1963 births
Living people
20th-century British male actors
21st-century British male actors
Black British male actors
British male comedians
British male television actors
Male actors from Birmingham, West Midlands