John Patrick Thomson (born Patrick Francis McAleer; 2 April 1969) is an English

comedian A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting foolish (as in slapstick), or employing prop comedy. A comedian who addresses an audienc ...

, narrator and actor best known for his roles in '' The Fast Show'', ''

Men Behaving Badly ''Men Behaving Badly'' is a British sitcom that was created and written by Simon Nye. It follows the lives of Gary Strang (Martin Clunes) and his flatmates Dermot Povey (Harry Enfield; series 1 only) and Tony Smart (Neil Morrissey; series 2 on ...

'', ''

Cold Feet Cold feet is a phrase that refers to a person not going through with an action, particularly one which requires long term commitment, due to fear, uncertainty, and doubt. A person is said to be "getting cold feet" when, after previously committin ...

'', ''

24 Hour Party People ''24 Hour Party People'' is a 2002 British biographical comedy-drama film about Manchester's popular music community from 1976 to 1992, and specifically about Factory Records. It was written by Frank Cottrell Boyce and directed by Michael Wint ...

'', '' The Brothers Grimsby'' and ''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' is an English soap opera created by Granada Television and shown on ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres around a cobbled, terraced street in Weatherfield, a fictional town based on inner-city Salford. Orig ...

''.

Early life

Thomson was born in 1969 in

Walkden Walkden is a town in the City of Salford in Greater Manchester, England, northwest of Salford, and of Manchester. Historically in the township of Worsley in Lancashire, Walkden was a centre for coal mining and textile manufacture. In 20 ...

, Worsley,

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancas ...

, to Mary McAleer, who gave him up for adoption six weeks later. He was adopted from the Catholic Children's Rescue Society by Andrew and Marita Thomson, a businessman and a bookseller from

Didsbury Didsbury is a suburban area of Manchester, England, on the north bank of the River Mersey, south of Manchester city centre. The population at the 2011 census was 26,788. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, there are ...

. He has one younger brother, Ben (born to his adoptive parents).Cooke, Rachel (2003-05-11
"Infamy, infamy ..."
''The Observer''. Retrieved on 2007-02-17 He attended

All Hallows Catholic High School All Hallows Catholic High School is a coeducational secondary school located in Penwortham in the English county of Lancashire. Established in 1975, it is a Roman Catholic voluntary aided school administered by Lancashire County Council and ...

near

Preston Preston is a place name, surname and given name that may refer to: Places England *Preston, Lancashire, an urban settlement **The City of Preston, Lancashire, a borough and non-metropolitan district which contains the settlement **County Boro ...

, leaving with three

O-levels The O-Level (Ordinary Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education. It was introduced in place of the School Certificate in 1951 as part of an educational reform alongside the more in-depth ...

. He then attended Runshaw College between 1985 and 1987, studying for four

A-levels The A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational a ...

, including theatre studies. He was described as "clearly avinga talent for comedy". Following this, he turned down a scholarship in America, to study drama at

Manchester Polytechnic Manchester Metropolitan University is located in the centre of Manchester, England. The university has over 40,000 students and over 4,000 members of staff. It is home to four faculties (Arts and Humanities, Business and Law, Health and Educat ...

instead.

Career

Comedy and television

While at university, Thomson met

Steve Coogan Stephen John Coogan (; born 14 October 1965) is an English actor, comedian, producer and screenwriter. He is most known for creating original characters such as Alan Partridge, a socially inept and politically incorrect media personality, whi ...

, who secured him a job on ''

Spitting Image ''Spitting Image'' is a television in the United Kingdom, British satire, satirical television puppet show, created by Peter Fluck, Roger Law and Martin Lambie-Nairn. First broadcast in 1984, the series was produced by 'Spitting Image Productio ...

''. They would continue to collaborate on such programmes as ''The Dead Good Show'', a 1993

Granada TV ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was its ...

pilot also starring

Caroline Aherne Caroline Mary Aherne (24 December 1963 – 2 July 2016) was an English actress, comedian and writer. She was best known for performing as the acerbic chat show host '' Mrs Merton'', in various roles in '' The Fast Show'', and as Denise in '' The ...

, ''

Coogan's Run ''Coogan's Run'' is a 1995 UK TV series featuring Steve Coogan as a series of odd characters living in the fictional town of Ottle. It was written by various people including Coogan, Patrick Marber, David Tyler, Graham Linehan, Arthur Mathews, ...

'', the Paul and Pauline Calf video diaries (where he played 'Fat Bob') and '' Knowing Me, Knowing You... with Alan Partridge'', which he also contributed to writing. He also appeared in Coogan's live shows as compère Bernard Righton and the two would be reunited in the 2002 film ''

''. The two won the

Perrier Comedy Award The Dave's Edinburgh Comedy Awards (formerly the Perrier Comedy Awards, and also briefly known by other names for sponsorship reasons) are presented to the comedy shows deemed to have been the best at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. ...

in 1992 for their act at the

Edinburgh Fringe The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as The Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest arts and media festival, which in 2019 spanned 25 days and featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 dif ...

. Thomson also played supporting roles in the first series of the

Stewart Lee Stewart Graham Lee (born 5 April 1968) is an English comedian, screenwriter, and television director. His stand-up routine is characterised by repetition, internal reference, deadpan delivery, and consistent breaking of the fourth wall. Lee b ...

and

Richard Herring Richard Keith Herring (born 12 July 1967) is an English stand-up comedian and writer, whose early work includes the comedy double act Lee and Herring (alongside Stewart Lee). He is described by ''The British Theatre Guide'' as "one of the lea ...

vehicle, '' Fist of Fun''. In 1994 Thomson appeared in the BBC sketch series '' The Fast Show'', remaining with it until it ended in 2001. Thomson played memorable characters such as Chip Cobb, the deaf stuntman, and Roger the Nouveau football fan, but it is as "Jazz Club" host Louis Balfour that he is most remembered, with the catchphrase, "Nice!" He also appeared in ''The Fast Show Live'' and the spin-off ''

Ted and Ralph Ted and Ralph are fictional characters created by Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan, played by Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson in the BBC comedy sketch show '' The Fast Show''. They featured in all three series of the show, and are arguably ...

''. In 1996 he appeared opposite Maureen Lipman as Bob Acres in '' The Rivals'' at the

Royal Exchange, Manchester The Royal Exchange is a grade II listed building in Manchester, England. It is located in the city centre on the land bounded by St Ann's Square, Exchange Street, Market Street, Cross Street and Old Bank Street. The complex includes the Royal ...

.Bourke, Kevin (2003-04-25
"Thomson's Choice"
''Manchester Evening News''. Retrieved on 2007-02-17 He made guest appearances on various series such as

, '' Soldier Soldier'' and ''

'' in the 1990s before being cast as Pete Gifford in the ITV

comedy drama Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...

''. Thomson was known to the producers, who had previously cast him in a one-off drama called ''The Perfect Match''. A series was commissioned that ran until 2003 and earned him a nomination for Best TV Comedy Actor at the British Comedy Awards 2001. Granada Television filmed a comedy drama called ''Stan the Man'' in 2002 in which Thomson starred as Stanley Tully a would-be entrepreneur. Some of the filming was done in south Manchester suburbs. After ''Cold Feet'' wrapped, Thomson appeared in the Royal Exchange's production of ''

Hobson's Choice A Hobson's choice is a free choice in which only one thing is actually offered. The term is often used to describe an illusion that multiple choices are available. The most well known Hobson's choice is "I'll give you a choice: take it or leav ...

'' (helped by his acclaimed performance in ''The Rivals''). ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...

'' described his performance as Willie as "an extremely well-judged performance. With the slightest physical gesture and merest facial expression he conveys disbelief, reluctance, panic and finally acceptance of his fate at the hands of manipulative Maggie". His performance led to a

Manchester Evening News The ''Manchester Evening News'' (''MEN'') is a regional daily newspaper covering Greater Manchester in North West England, founded in 1868. It is published Monday–Saturday; a Sunday edition, the ''MEN on Sunday'', was launched in February 20 ...

Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role. That same year he participated in the BBC series '' Comic Relief does Fame Academy'', being the fourth "student" to be "expelled". and in 2004, he appeared in the musical drama

Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Located on the northwest coast of England, it is the main settlement within the borough also called Blackpool. The town is by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre rivers, and is ...

as Tony Corlette. He has also lent his voice to the revived BBC children's series '' Bill and Ben'' and Mr Windfall in '' Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit''. Another television series, '' New Street Law'', about a Manchester chambers, started in 2006. Thomson plays " lovable rogue" barrister Charlie Darling alongside co-star John Hannah. The second series began in January 2007. In February 2007 he played Sir Alan Prentice, in ''

Kombat Opera Presents ''Kombat Opera Presents'' is a BBC2 comedy show. The comedy parodies British television programmes by transforming them into operas. The music for the series was written by Richard Thomas, with the series having its origins in the ''Kombat Opera ...

... The Applicants'', a spoof opera of the BBC series ''

The Apprentice ''The Apprentice'' is a reality talent game show franchise originally aired in 2004 in the United States. Created by U.S.-based British producer Mark Burnett, the show depicts contestants from around the country with various professional backg ...

''. The programme attracted 700,000 viewers according to unofficial overnights. In March 2007 he appeared as hypnotherapist Ray Bould in the three-part ITV thriller, '' Mobile''. The producers had Thomson lined up for the role of DI Fleming, but he wanted to read for Bould because he "was up against a friend for the same part". Later that year he filmed a guest appearance as Nigel Pearson in a second series episode of '' Kingdom''. He returned as a full-time cast member for the third series. In October 2008, Thomson filmed a three-episode guest stint on the ITV

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio drama ...

'', playing electrician-cum-children's entertainer Jesse, which aired in December. In January 2009, it was announced that he would reprise the role for six months. Jesse returned to ''Coronation Street'' in June, beginning a relationship with

Eileen Grimshaw Eileen Grimshaw (also Phelan) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Portrayed by Sue Cleaver, the character first appeared on-screen during the episode airing on 3 May 2000. Her storylines have often i ...

(

Sue Cleaver Susan Owen ( Cleaver; born 2 September 1963) is an English actress. She is best known for portraying the role of Eileen Grimshaw on the ITV soap opera, ''Coronation Street'', which she has played since 2000. Early and personal life Cleaver wa ...

). He left 2010, after his contract was not renewed. Later that same year, he portrayed H.V. Kershaw in ''

The Road to Coronation Street ''The Road to Coronation Street'' is a 2010 British drama first broadcast on BBC Four. It is a dramatisation of the creation of '' Coronation Street'', the UK's longest-running television soap opera, from conception to its first transmission in ...

'', a dramatisation of ''Coronation Street''s development in the 1960s. In 2011, Thomson joined the cast of the BBC television series '' Waterloo Road''. Later in 2011, it was announced that Thomson would be appearing next to the original cast (with the exception of Mark Williams) in six online-only episodes of The Fast Show sponsored by lager brand, Foster's due to launch on 10 November 2011. In 2011, John was a contestant on the ITV celebrity reality series '' 71 Degrees North''. In 2015 he joined the cast of '' After Hours'' as loveable Geoff, reuniting with his old friends Craig Cash and

, who played his wife Sheila. During filming Thomson was attacked by a swan on set, footage being shown on ITV's This Morning. Thomson was a contestant in the 2013 series of ''

Celebrity MasterChef ''MasterChef'' is a competitive cooking reality show produced by Endemol Shine UK and Banijay and broadcast in 60 countries around the world. In the UK, it is produced by the BBC. The show initially ran from 1990 to 2001 and was revived in 20 ...

''. Since 2015, Thomson has starred in ''

The Keith Lemon Sketch Show ''The Keith Lemon Sketch Show'' is a British television impressions/character sketch show that aired on ITV2 from 5 February 2015 until 10 March 2016. It stars Leigh Francis' character Keith Lemon portraying several celebrities. Episodes Seri ...

'', playing various characters. He narrates the

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...

series '' Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners'' and in September 2015, he became the new narrator of '' Police Interceptors''. He stars in the

Sky1 Sky One was a British pay television channel operated and owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). Originally launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, it was Europe's first satellite and non- terrestrial channel. From 31 July 1989, ...

comedy drama '' After Hours'', directed by Craig Cash. From 2016, Thomson began narrating Channel 5 show 'Bargain Loving Brits in the Sun' - a show about British

expats An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country. In common usage, the term often refers to educated professionals, skilled workers, or artists taking positions outside their home country, either ...

who have moved to

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

to begin a new life in the sun. On 18 November 2017, Thomson was a contestant in the reboot of

The Weakest Link ''Weakest Link'' (also known as ''The Weakest Link'') is a television game show which first appeared in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 14 August 2000 and originally ended on 31 March 2012 when its host Anne Robinson completed her contract. ...

for Children in Need. In 2018, Thomson was a contestant in ''

Dara O Briain's Go 8 Bit ''Dara O Briain's Go 8 Bit'' is a British comedy panel game show, hosted by comedian Dara Ó Briain, co-starring video game journalist Ellie Gibson, and premiered on Dave on 5 September 2016. The show's format is themed around two teams – E ...

''. In 2019, he's currently a star of the comedy clip show, ''Zone of Champions''. In 2020, Thomson voiced the character of Dog in the Cbeebies show, ''Dog Loves Books''. In 2021, Thomson participated on the second series of '' The Masked Singer'', masked as Bush Baby. He finished in 8th place.

Radio

In January 2008 he played Mike (Topaz) in the

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC's ...

comedy drama series ''Pick Ups''. On 12 April 2008, Thomson began hosting the Saturday lunchtime slot on

BBC Radio Manchester BBC Radio Manchester is the BBC's local radio station serving Greater Manchester. It broadcasts on FM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios at MediaCityUK in Salford Quays. According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audience o ...

. His stint ended on 22 November 2008. Since 2016, Thomson has been a team captain on the

panel show ''Gaby's Talking Pictures'', presented by

Gaby Roslin Gaby Roslin (born 12 July 1964) is an English television and radio presenter who rose to fame co-presenting ''The Big Breakfast'' on Channel 4 between 1992 and 1996. Roslin also presented the '' Children in Need'' charity telethons on the BBC ...

Personal life

Thomson married longtime girlfriend Samantha Sharp in 2005 and they have two daughters; Olivia (born 2002) and Sophia Melody (born 2010).Kilkenny, Daniel (31 March 2010).
John Thomson welcomes baby girl
. Digital Spy. Retrieved on 2 April 2010. They divorced in 2015.

Filmography

;Film ;Television

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Thomson, John 1969 births Alumni of Manchester Metropolitan University British sketch comedians Comedians from Lancashire English adoptees English male comedians English male film actors English male radio actors English male stage actors English male television actors English male voice actors English male writers English Roman Catholics English television writers Living people Actors from Preston, Lancashire Entertainers from Preston, Lancashire People from Walkden The Fast Show British male television writers