Thomas Tuck (born 28 March 1982) is a British

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

and

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 Amusement is the state of experiencing humorous and entertaining events or situations while the person or a ...

known for being one third of comedy troupe

The Penny Dreadfuls The Penny Dreadfuls are a British sketch comedy troupe consisting of comedians Humphrey Ker, David Reed and Thom Tuck, often supported by Margaret Cabourn-Smith. The troupe are best known for writing and performing ''The Brothers Faversham'' a ...

and as a

stand-up comedian Stand-up comedy is a comedy, comedic performance to a live audience in which the performer addresses the audience directly from the stage. The performer is known as a comedian, a comic or a stand-up. Stand-up comedy consists of One-line joke ...

. He was nominated for the Best Newcomer award at the

2011 Edinburgh Festival 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 ...

Early life

Tuck attended the

American International School of Dhaka The American International School Dhaka (AISD) is an independent co-educational day school located in Baridhara, Dhaka, Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the ...

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

and Cardinal Heenan Roman Catholic High School and Notre Dame Sixth Form College in

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

. As a child, he also lived in

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast ...

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

and the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. He studied philosophy at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

and graduated with a 2:2. While at university, he performed with the

Edinburgh University Theatre Company Edinburgh University Theatre Company (EUTC) is a student theatre company at the University of Edinburgh. The EUTC was founded in 1871 as the ''Edinburgh University Amateur Dramatic Club'' and adopted its current name in the 1970s. Since 1980 it ha ...

; acting in, writing and directing plays, including directing a piece written by playwright Sam Holcroft, and was a member of acclaimed

improvisational comedy Improvisational theatre, often called improvisation or improv, is the form of theatre, often comedy, in which most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted: created spontaneously by the performers. In its purest form, the dialogue, a ...

troupe '' The Improverts''. It was with The Improverts that he first met and performed with fellow comedians

Humphrey Ker David Humphrey Rivers Ker (; born 11 October 1982) is a British actor, writer and comedian who is a member of the sketch comedy troupe The Penny Dreadfuls. Early life and education Ker was born to David Peter James Ker, a fine art dealer, ...

and

David Reed David Reed may refer to: Entertainment * David Vern Reed (1924–1989), American comics writer * David E. Reed (1927–1990), ''Reader's Digest'' editor * David Reed (artist) (born 1946), American artist * David Jay Reed (born 1950), artist * Da ...

Career

Tuck's radio work includes ''The Penny Dreadfuls Present...'' alongside

and

, and 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' ...

series ''Thom Tuck Goes Straight-to-DVD''. With

, Tuck debuted at the

Edinburgh Festival 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 ...

in 2006. The group created new sketch shows for the four years that follow. In addition they created a radio series for

called ''The Brothers Faversham'', which aired in 2008. A sequel series aired that same year, and for most years that followed The Penny Dreadfuls have performed a historical comedy play. In 2011 BBC Radio 4 commissioned ''Thom Tuck Goes Straight To DVD'', a comedy show adapted from his Edinburgh show that year. The pilot aired in February 2012, and a full series of four episodes began to air in April 2013. His television credits include

BBC Three BBC Three is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was first launched on 9 February 2003 with programmes targeting 16 to 34-year-olds, covering all genres including animation, comedy, curre ...

's ''Comedy Shuffle'', ''

The Wrong Door ''The Wrong Door'' is a comedy sketch show, that first aired on BBC Three on 28 August 2008. The programme is the first comedy show in which the majority of the sketches include CGI elements. As such, it was produced under the working title of ...

'', '' The Supersizers...'', ''

Dick and Dom's Funny Business ''Dick and Dom's Funny Business'' is a British comedy television series for children, hosted by comic presenting duo Richard McCourt and Dominic Wood (Dick and Dom). The series was broadcast in a Saturday morning slot on BBC Two and simulcast ...

'' and ''

Mongrels A mongrel, mutt or mixed-breed dog is a dog that does not belong to one officially recognized breed and including those that are the result of intentional breeding. Although the term ''mixed-breed dog'' is sometimes preferred, many mongr ...

''. He hosts and curates ''

The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) is a British comedy night, where comedians are invited to perform sets that might not work at more mainstream comedy nights. It was founded by John-Luke Roberts and Thom Tuck at the New Red Lion Theatr ...

'' with John-Luke Roberts at the New Red Lion Theatre in Islington. Tuck has also ventured into the world of video game acting. In 2014 he took on the role of voicing Kablooey, a well dressed peacock and peggle master in the

Popcap A drink can (or beverage can) is a metal container designed to hold a fixed portion of liquid such as carbonated soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, fruit juices, teas, herbal teas, energy drinks, etc. Drink cans are made of aluminum (75% of ...

game

Peggle Blast ''Peggle Blast'' is a casual puzzle video game developed by PopCap Games and published by Electronic Arts in the ''Peggle'' franchise. Released on December 2, 2014, to Android and iOS, it is the second game in the franchise released to mobil ...

Theatre

1999 Edinburgh Festival 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 ...

*''West Side Story'', winner of Herald Angel Award. NSDF 2003 *''Like Skinnydipping'' by Chris Perkin

2005 Edinburgh Festival 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 ...

& NSDF 2005 *''Scaramouche Jones'' by Justin Butcher 2006 Edinburgh Festival Fringe *''Aeneas Faversham'' with

*''Geronimo'' by

Lucy Kirkwood Lucy Ann Kirkwood (born October 1983) is a British playwright and screenwriter. She is writer in residence at Clean Break. In June 2018 Kirkwood was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in its "40 Under 40" initiative. Early life ...

, winner of ThreeWeeks Editors' Award.

2007 Edinburgh Festival 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 ...

*''Aeneas Faversham Returns'' with

, winner of ThreeWeeks Editors' Award.Award Citations 2007
/ref> 2008 Edinburgh Festival Fringe *''Aeneas Faversham Forever'' with

2009 National Tour *''Totally Looped'' 2009 Edinburgh Festival Fringe *''The Never Man'' with

*''The Hotel'' by

Mark Watson Mark Andrew Watson (born 13 February 1980) is a British comedian and novelist. Early life Watson was born in Bristol to a Welsh mother and English father. He has younger twin sisters and a brother, Paul. He attended Bristol Grammar School, ...

2010 Edinburgh Festival Fringe *''Penny Dreadfuls 2010'' with

*''Gutted: A Revenger's Musical'' by Danielle Ward & Martin White

*''Thom Tuck Goes Straight-to-DVD'' * Directed ''Bad Mother'' by Meryl O'Rourke 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2013 Pleasance Theatre, London *''Coalition'' written by Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky 2018 King's Head Theatre, Islington *''Brexit'' written by Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky

References

External links

Official Penny Dreadfuls website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tuck, Thom Living people English male stage actors English male comedians 1982 births Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Male actors from Leeds English male television actors People educated at Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School, Leeds