Edward Michael Robbins (born 11 August 1955) is an English comic, actor, television presenter and radio broadcaster.
He has performed as a warm-up artist for numerous pre-recorded comedy shows that have been filmed before live studio audiences including Granada Television's ''
Wood and Walters
''Wood and Walters'' is a British television comedy sketch show starring Julie Walters and Victoria Wood for Granada Television and written entirely by Wood. The show was short-lived, with one pilot in 1981 and a series of seven shows in 1982.
...
Catchphrase
A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...
'' from 1994 to 1996 and returned in Roy Walker's penultimate series in 1998 and 1999, and the BBC's '' Little Britain''. He also starred in Peter Kay's ''
Phoenix Nights
''Phoenix Nights'' is a British sitcom about The Phoenix Club, a working men's club in the northern English town of Bolton, Greater Manchester. The show is a spin-off from the "In the Club" episode of the spoof documentary series '' That Pet ...
'' (2001–02) for both series as Den Perry, the main "villain", and also the Governor in ''
The Slammer
''The Slammer'' (also known as ''The Slammer Returns'' for its final two series) is a children's talent show sitcom that was broadcast on BBC One and CBBC from 22 September 2006 until 26 July 2014.
Set in a fictional prison called HM Slammer, ...
''. His most recent roles were in '' Benidorm'' in 2012 as Victor St. James as well as '' Hank Zipzer'' in episode 8 playing Bob Bing The Sausage King and
Diddy TV
''Diddy TV'' is a British children's sketch comedy series on CBBC. It stars Richard McCourt and Dominic Wood (Dick and Dom). It is a sequel series to the ''Diddy Dick and Dom'' sketches on ''Dick & Dom in da Bungalow'' and '' Diddy Movies''. T ...
playing Larry
Weinstein Weinstein is a German or Yiddish surname meaning wine stone, referring to the crystals of cream of tartar (potassium bitartrate) resulting from the process of fermenting grape juice.Birds of a Feather'' and also in the comedy series ''
The League of Gentlemen
''The League of Gentlemen'' is a surreal British comedy horror sitcom that premiered on BBC Two in 1999. The programme is set in Royston Vasey, a fictional town in northern England, originally based on Alston, Cumbria, and follows the live ...
'' as Tony Cluedo, singer of Crème Brulee.
In 2020 Robbins appeared on the rebooted version of Crackerjack! as one of the "Crackerjack Players.
Personal life
Robbins is a supporter of
Rossendale RUFC
Rossendale Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union team based in Rawtenstall, Rossendale, Lancashire. The club runs three senior sides, a colts team, and eleven junior sides. The first XV currently play in the Regional 1 North West
...
, where his son, Jack, plays as a prop.
Robbins is also the President of Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary in
Edenfield
Edenfield is a village within the Rossendale borough of Lancashire, England. Lying on the River Irwell, it is around north of Ramsbottom, south of Rawtenstall, and west of Norden, and has a total population of 2,080, reducing to 2,053 at th ...
,
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 Lancashi ...
.
Robbins is the brother of actresses
Kate Kate name may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Kate (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or nickname
* Gyula Káté (born 1982), Hungarian amateur boxer
* Lauren Kate (born 1981), American autho ...
and
Amy Robbins
Amy Louise Robbins (born 18 February 1971) is an English stage, film and TV actress best known for her role as Dr. Jill Weatherill in the British television series ''The Royal''. Before her role in ''The Royal'' she played Police Sergeant Rachel ...
and a first cousin once removed of Paul McCartney. His grandfather, also named
Ted
TED may refer to:
Economics and finance
* TED spread between U.S. Treasuries and Eurodollar
Education
* ''Türk Eğitim Derneği'', the Turkish Education Association
** TED Ankara College Foundation Schools, Turkey
** Transvaal Education Depa ...
, served as secretary of the
Football Association of Wales
The Football Association of Wales (FAW; cy, Cymdeithas Bêl-droed Cymru) is the governing body of association football and futsal in Wales, and controls the Welsh national football team, its corresponding women's team, as well as the Welsh ...
between 1909 and 1946.
Robbins has performed in panto at the Charter Theatre, Preston and in 2014 he performed
Cinderella
"Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...
at the Stockport Plaza, returning to play Widow Twanky in Aladdin in 2017. He also performed in Cinderella at the Liverpool Empire in 2008.
On 31 January 2015, Robbins suffered a heart attack and collapsed on stage, clutching his chest, during his solo sketch at the opening night of the ''Phoenix Nights Live'' tour at the
Manchester Arena
Manchester Arena, currently referred to as the AO Arena for sponsorship reasons, is an indoor arena in Manchester, England, immediately north of the Manchester city centre, city centre and partly above Manchester Victoria station in air rights s ...
. His health has improved since then and he has lost two stone.
Filmography
Film
Television
He also narrated
the Railway Series
''The Railway Series'' is a series of British books about a railway known as the North Western Railway, located on the fictional Island of Sodor. There are 42 books in the series, the first published in May 1945 by the Rev. Wilbert Awdry. Tw ...
books by
Christopher Awdry
Christopher Vere Awdry (born 2 July 1940) is an English author. He is best known for his contributions to ''The Railway Series'' of books featuring Thomas the Tank Engine, which was started by his late father, Wilbert Awdry (1911–1997). He has ...