''Toast of…'' is a
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
television
sitcom
A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...
, known either as ''Toast of London'' (when it was set in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
) or ''Toast of Tinseltown'' (with episodes set in America). It was created by
Arthur Mathews and
Matt Berry
Matthew Charles Berry (born 2 May 1974) is an English actor, comedian, musician, and writer. He is best known for his roles in comedy series such as '' The IT Crowd'', ''Garth Marenghi's Darkplace'', ''The Mighty Boosh'', ''Snuff Box'', ''What ...
and stars Berry as Steven Toast, an
eccentric
Eccentricity or eccentric may refer to:
* Eccentricity (behavior), odd behavior on the part of a person, as opposed to being "normal"
Mathematics, science and technology Mathematics
* Off-center, in geometry
* Eccentricity (graph theory) of a v ...
,
middle-age
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
d actor with a chequered past who spends more time dealing with his problems off stage than performing on it.
Production
All episodes are directed by
Michael Cumming
Michael Cumming is a British director and filmmaker. He is best known for directing comedy shows such as: ''Brass Eye'', '' Toast Of London'', '' Toast Of Tinseltown'', ''The Mark Thomas Product'', ''Snuff Box,'' '' The Mark Steel Lectures'' and ...
.
Three series, under the title ''Toast of London'', were broadcast on
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
. Series 2 and 3 were shot at the
West London Film Studios
West London Film Studios ("WLFS") is a British film studio and television studio complex located in Hayes, Middlesex.
The studios cater to small and large productions; for films, television shows, TV adverts and photo shoots.
History
Frank ...
. In the United States, ''Toast of London'' was available on
IFC.
In November 2017, after reports of a fourth series, Berry clarified that it will return "in some form at some point", but nothing was currently being written. Mathews later said that they have an idea for "Toast in America", but that no deadline was set. In December 2017,
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
officially renewed the show for another series.
During the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, a new ''
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
'' channel with new audio skits of ''Toast of London'' was created, whilst in 2021 the "Toast in America" series was confirmed as a six-part television project for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
, under the title ''Toast of Tinseltown''. The series debuted on BBC Two on 4 January 2022 with all episodes of ''Toast of Tinseltown'' uploaded to the BBC iPlayer at the same time, alongside the three series of ''Toast of London''.
Cast and characters
Main
*
Matt Berry
Matthew Charles Berry (born 2 May 1974) is an English actor, comedian, musician, and writer. He is best known for his roles in comedy series such as '' The IT Crowd'', ''Garth Marenghi's Darkplace'', ''The Mighty Boosh'', ''Snuff Box'', ''What ...
as Steven Gonville Toast, the
central character
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
of the series. A bumbling,
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
, self-important actor who unsuccessfully attempts to become a
ladies' man
A ladies' man or lady's man is a man who enjoys spending time socially with women, who strives to please them and that women find attractive.
Ladies' man or lady's man may also refer to:
Literature
* ''Ladies' Man'' (novel), a 1978 novel by R ...
and often the bearer of bad fortune. Toast considers himself a success despite his obviously failing career.
** Berry also portrays a younger version of Steven's father,
Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
Gonville Toast, in the series 3 episode "Beauty Calls".
*
Doon Mackichan
Sarah Doon Mackichan (; born August 1962) is a British actress, comedian and writer. She co-created, wrote and performed in the double Emmy award winning ''Smack the Pony''. She frequently collaborates with Armando Iannucci and Steve Coogan, ha ...
as Jane Plough (which she pronounces "pluff" ) like "Clough", Toast's unhelpful
agent
Agent may refer to:
Espionage, investigation, and law
*, spies or intelligence officers
* Law of agency, laws involving a person authorized to act on behalf of another
** Agent of record, a person with a contractual agreement with an insuranc ...
. Prim and posh, she sees herself as superior to Toast, despite her failure to provide him with decent work. She was played by
Fiona Mollison
Fiona Mollison (born 9 January 1954) is a British television and theatre actress.
Her father managed a rubber company in British Malaya, and sent Fiona to England to a boarding school. She attended Bush Davies School of Theatre Arts to learn ...
in the pilot.
** Mackichan also plays Brooke Hooberman, Toast's US agent in ''Toast of Tinseltown''.
*
Robert Bathurst as Ed Howzer-Black, Toast's landlord and an idle retired actor.
** Bathurst also portrays Ed's father, Rupert Howzer-Black, in the series 3 episode "Beauty Calls".
*
Harry Peacock
Harry Peacock (14 February 1909 – 6 March 1996) was a Welsh international rugby union flanker who played rugby union for Newport. He won six caps for Wales and faced two international touring teams with Newport.
Peacock played with several ...
as Ray "Bloody" Purchase, Toast's fellow actor and rival, and a virulent
homophobe
Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being lesbian, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, hatred or antipathy, m ...
. The two hate each other with a vengeance and are constantly in competition. While Purchase often seems to have the upper hand, Toast is still sometimes able to come out on top.
** Peacock also portrays Ray's
albino twin brother, Bill Purchase, in the series 3 episode "Man of Sex".
*
Tim Downie
Timothy Richard Downie (born 14 July 1977) is an English actor and writer. He is known for the television series ''Toast of London'', '' Outlander'' and ''Upstart Crow'', and the films ''Paddington'' and ''The King's Speech''. Downie was born in ...
as Danny Bear, a studio sound engineer and stereotypical
hipster who regularly hires Toast for voiceover work in a London studio.
*
Shazad Latif
Shazad Latif (born Iqbal Amin; 8 July 1988) is a British actor, who starred as Tariq Masood in the BBC TV series '' Spooks'', Clem Fandango on ''Toast of London'', and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in ''Penny Dreadful''. In 2017, he was cast as Chief ...
as Clem Fandango, another hipster who is doing work experience in the recording studio. Clem routinely says to Toast "Hello, Steven? This is Clem Fandango. Can you hear me?" to which Toast is forced to reply with some variation of "Yes. I can hear you, Clem Fandango."
*
Tracy-Ann Oberman
Tracy-Ann Oberman (born Tracy Anne Oberman; 25 August 1966) is an English actress, playwright and narrator. She is widely known for roles including Chrissie Watts in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (2004–2005) and Valerie Lewis or "Auntie V ...
as Mrs Purchase, the wife of Ray Purchase and a
prostitute
Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-penet ...
who is enjoying an
affair
An affair is a sexual relationship, romantic friendship, or passionate attachment in which at least one of its participants has a formal or informal commitment to a third person who may neither agree to such relationship nor even be aware of i ...
with Toast. Despite being a
prostitute
Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-penet ...
, the only person she ever charges for sex is her husband.
In ''Toast of Tinseltown'', additional main characters include:
*
Fred Armisen
Fereydun Robert Armisen (born December 4, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician. With his comedy partner Carrie Brownstein, Armisen was the co-creator and co-star of the IFC sketch comedy series ''Portlandia''. He ...
as Russ Nightlife/
D. B. Cooper
D. B. Cooper is a media epithet for an unidentified man who hijacked Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305, a Boeing 727 aircraft operated by Northwest Orient Airlines, in United States airspace on November 24, 1971. During the flight from Portla ...
, Toast's eccentric and reclusive
roommate
A roommate is a person with whom one shares a living facility such as a room or dormitory ''except'' when being family or romantically involved. Similar terms include dormmate, suitemate, housemate, or flatmate ("flat": the usual term in Britis ...
in Los Angeles.
*
Rashida Jones as Billy/Milly Tarzana, Nightlife's
housekeeper.
Recurring
*
Adrian Lukis as Colonel Blair Toast, Steven's
eccentric
Eccentricity or eccentric may refer to:
* Eccentricity (behavior), odd behavior on the part of a person, as opposed to being "normal"
Mathematics, science and technology Mathematics
* Off-center, in geometry
* Eccentricity (graph theory) of a v ...
older brother. An
army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
veteran
A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military.
A military veteran that has ...
, he lost his hand in the
Falklands War
The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial de ...
and now uses a stuffed rubber glove as a replacement.
*
Amanda Donohoe as Ellen, Toast's abusive and volatile
ex-wife. Despite her poor treatment of him, Toast continues to have feelings for her.
*
Alan Ford as Alan, who is a
hypnotist
Hypnosis is a human condition involving focused attention (the selective attention/selective inattention hypothesis, SASI), reduced peripheral awareness, and an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion.In 2015, the American Psychologica ...
and a
homeopath. Ford also appears as a taxi driver called "Mick Carriage"
*
Peter Davison
Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett (born 13 April 1951), known professionally as Peter Davison, is an English actor with many credits in television dramas and sitcoms. He made his television acting debut in 1975 and became famous in 1978 as Tristan ...
plays a fictionalised version of himself.
*
Morgana Robinson makes one appearance in each of the four series, each time as a different character. She portrays Jemima Gina in "Addictive Personality", Lorna Wynde in "Fool in Love", Emma in "Beauty Calls" and Wildcat Lil in "Death Valley".
*
Geoffrey McGivern appears as three separate one-off characters, all of whom were temperamental directors working with Toast. He portrays Cliff Promise in "The Unspeakable Play", Acker Herron in "Afternoon Tea", and Norris Flipjack in "Desperate Measures".
Guest
*
Aidan Turner as Barney
*
Anthony Atamanuik
Anthony Atamanuik (; born June 15, 1974) is an American writer, actor, and comedian. He impersonated former U.S. President Donald Trump during the campaign and his presidency, first on the '' Trump vs. Bernie'' debate tour and then on ''The Pres ...
as
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
*
Bob Mortimer
Robert Renwick Mortimer (born 23 May 1959) is an English comedian, podcast presenter and actor. He is known for his work with Vic Reeves as part of their Vic and Bob comedy double act, and more recently the '' Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing ...
as himself
*
Benedict Wong as Rusty Halloween
*
Bill Hader as Dwight Difference
*
Brian Blessed as Col. Gonville Toast
*
Carol Cleveland as First Brooke Hooberman
*Guy Combes as
Daniel Day-Lewis
*
Colin MacFarlane
Colin Andrew Ignatius Peter McFarlane (born 15 September 1961) is a British actor, narrator and voice actor. He is best known for his role as Gillian B. Loeb in two films of Christopher Nolan's ''The Dark Knight Trilogy'', Ulysses in the STA ...
as Weech Beacon
*
Daisy Ridley
Daisy Jazz Isobel Ridley (born 10 April 1992) is an English actress. She rose to prominence for her role as Rey in the ''Star Wars'' sequel trilogy: ''The Force Awakens'' (2015), ''The Last Jedi'' (2017), and ''The Rise of Skywalker'' (2019) ...
as Stagehand
*
David Arnold
David Arnold (born 23 January 1962) is a British film composer whose credits include scoring five James Bond films, as well as ''Stargate'' (1994), '' Independence Day'' (1996), ''Godzilla'' (1998) and the television series '' Little Britain'' ...
as Club Pianist
*
Freddie Fox as Edward Fox
*
James Lance as Martin Aynuss
*
Jamie Demetriou as Troy
*
John Nettles
John Vivian Drummond Nettles, OBE, (born 11 October 1943) is an English actor and author. He is best known for his starring roles as detectives in the crime drama television series '' Bergerac'' (1981–1991) in the title role, and ''Midsomer M ...
as himself
*
John Simm
John Ronald Simm (born 10 July 1970) is an English actor, director, and musician. He is best known for playing Sam Tyler in ''Life on Mars'', the Master in ''Doctor Who,'' and DS Roy Grace in ''Grace.'' His other television credits include '' S ...
as himself
*
Jon Hamm as Hamm
*
Josh Homme
Joshua Michael Homme ( ; born May 17, 1973) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the founder, primary songwriter, and only continuous member of the rock band Queens of the Stone Age, which he form ...
as himself
*
Jude Law
David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is an English actor. He received a British Academy Film Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, two Tony Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2007, he received an Honorary Césa ...
as himself
*
Larry David as Sola Mirronek
*
Lewis MacLeod as
Dr. Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
/Announcer/
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...
/
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
*
Lindsay Duncan as herself
*
Lorraine Kelly
Lorraine Kelly, (born 30 November 1959) is a Scottish journalist and television presenter. She has presented various television shows for ITV, including '' Good Morning Britain'' (1988–1992), ''GMTV'' (1993–2010), ''This Morning'' (2003 ...
as herself
*
Louise Jameson
Louise Jameson (born 20 April 1951) is an English actress with a wide variety of television and theatre credits. Her roles on television have included playing Leela in ''Doctor Who'' (1977–1978), Anne Reynolds in ''The Omega Factor'' (1979), ...
as Wendy Nook
*
Martin Freeman as himself
*
Matthew Holness
Matthew James Holness (born 1975) is an English comedian, writer, director, and actor. He is best known for creating and playing the fictional horror author Garth Marenghi.
Early life and education
Born in Whitstable, Kent, Holness became a f ...
as Max Gland
*
Michael Ball as himself
*
Natasia Demetriou
Natasia Charlotte Demetriou is an English comedian, actress, and screenwriter. She is best known for her roles as Nadja in the FX horror comedy series ''What We Do in the Shadows'' (2019–present) and Sophie in the Channel 4 sitcom '' Stath Le ...
as Carmen
*
Pat Shortt as Larry Muggins
*
Paul Rudd
Paul Stephen Rudd (born April 6, 1969) is an American actor. He studied theater at the University of Kansas and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, before making his acting debut in 1991. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in ...
as himself
*
Paul Whitehouse as Vic Titball
*
Richard Gibson as
Denis Thwaites
Denis Thwaites (14 December 1944 – 26 June 2015) was an English professional footballer who made 86 appearances in the Football League for Birmingham City. He represented England at schoolboy and youth level. He played as an outside left.
L ...
*
Sam Mendes
Sir Samuel Alexander Mendes (born 1 August 1965) is a British film and stage director, producer, and screenwriter. In 2000, Mendes was appointed a CBE for his services to drama, and he was Knight Bachelor, knighted in the 2020 New Year Honour ...
as himself
*Simon Cartwright as
Bob Monkhouse
*
Terry Mynott as
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as F ...
/Axel Jacklin
*
Sheila Hancock
Dame Sheila Cameron Hancock (born 22 February 1933) is an English actress, singer, and author. Hancock trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before starting her career in repertory theatre. Hancock went on to perform in plays and musica ...
as herself
*
Stanley Townsend as Mr. Fusili
*
Steve Pemberton
Steven James Pemberton (born 1 September 1967) is a British actor, comedian, director and writer. He is best known as a member of ''The League of Gentlemen'' with Reece Shearsmith, Mark Gatiss, and Jeremy Dyson. Pemberton and Shearsmith also co- ...
as
Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (; 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626), also known as Lord Verulam, was an English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England. Bacon led the advancement of both ...
*
Susan Wokoma
Susan Indiaba Wokoma (born 31 December 1987 in Peckham, London, England) is a British actress, writer and director. She is best known for her roles as Edith in '' Enola Holmes'' and Raquel in the E4/Netflix show ''Crazyhead''. Wokoma was liste ...
as Nina Armenian
*
Tim Pigott-Smith
Timothy Peter Pigott-Smith, (13 May 1946 – 7 April 2017) was an English film and television actor and author. He was best known for his leading role as Ronald Merrick in the television drama series '' The Jewel in the Crown'', for which he wo ...
as himself
*
Vic Reeves
James Roderick Moir (born 24 January 1959), better known by his stage name Vic Reeves, is an English comedian, artist, surrealist, musician, actor and television presenter, best known for his double act with Bob Mortimer as Reeves & Mortimer. ...
as Compere
Episodes
Series overview
Pilot episode (2012)
Series 1 (2013)
Series 2 (2014)
Series 3 (2015)
Series 4: ''Toast of Tinseltown'' (2022)
Music and songs
The theme music, "Take My Hand" was composed by
Matt Berry
Matthew Charles Berry (born 2 May 1974) is an English actor, comedian, musician, and writer. He is best known for his roles in comedy series such as '' The IT Crowd'', ''Garth Marenghi's Darkplace'', ''The Mighty Boosh'', ''Snuff Box'', ''What ...
and was released on the album ''
Witchazel
''Witchazel'' is an album by English actor, comedian and musician Matt Berry.
Witchazel is Berry's third album and was originally released as a free download from his website on 11 March 2009. It was commercially released through Acid Jazz Rec ...
''. Each episode of ''Toast of London'' also features a
novelty song sung by Berry's character Toast, and others. The songs are sometimes sung partly to the
fourth wall
The fourth wall is a performance convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this ''wall'', the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. From the 16th cen ...
.
''Toast of Tinseltown'' employed a new end theme, a cover version of Swedish pop singer
Doris' "Beatmaker" performed by Matt Berry and Emma Noble.
Reception
Awards
At the 61st
Rose d'Or awards in 2022, ''Toast of Tinseltown'' was named as the best comedy.
Book
In 2015, Matt Berry and Arthur Mathews published ''Toast on Toast: Cautionary tales and candid advice'', a spoof autobiography of Steven Toast.
- It was also released as an audio book read by Matt Berry.
References
External links
*
*
''Toast of London'' (2012)at the
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
{{Matt Berry
2012 British television series debuts
2010s British sitcoms
2010s British workplace comedy television series
2020s British sitcoms
2020s British workplace comedy television series
Adultery in television
BBC television sitcoms
British television series revived after cancellation
Channel 4 sitcoms
English-language television shows
Single-camera television sitcoms
Television series about actors
Television series by All3Media
Television shows set in London
Television shows set in Los Angeles