Christopher Thomas Binns (born 1970) is a British comedian, best known for his character Hospital Radio DJ Ivan Brackenbury.
Career
Binns was nominated at the
Edinburgh Festival
__NOTOC__
This is a list of arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Fe ...
for the
Edinburgh 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. ...
2007 for his
hospital radio DJ character Ivan Brackenbury. He has been twice nominated for the Adelaide Fringe Comedy Award, in 2010 and 2011. He was voted a
Foster's Comedy God in 2010. He also was nominated for a
Chortle Award
The Chortle Awards were set up in 2002 by the comedy website Chortle to honour the best of established stand-up comics currently working in the UK. A panel of reviewers draw up a shortlist, which is presented for public vote at the Chortle websit ...
in 2011 and was also named in a list of their 50 Most Memorable Gigs of the decade. He won the Best International Act at the 2013
New Zealand International Comedy Festival {{Short description, Annual comedy festival in New Zealand
The New Zealand International Comedy Festival is held simultaneously over three weeks during April/May in Auckland and Wellington. From its beginnings as a 2-day event, the Festival has n ...
and was nominated for Best Comedy Show at FringeWorld, Perth in 2015 and 2016.
He appears in the BBC MI5 drama ''
Spooks'' (Episode 6 Series 6), Series 3 of the ''
IT Crowd
''The IT Crowd'' is a British sitcom originally broadcast by Channel 4, written and directed by Graham Linehan, produced by Ash Atalla and starring Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson, and Matt Berry. Set in the offices of the fict ...
'' on Channel 4, and, in character as Ivan Brackenbury, on ''The Jason Byrne Show'' and ''
Knowing Me Knowing Yule with Alan Partridge''.
As Ian D Montfort he had a
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content. ...
series called ''Ian D Montfort is Unbelievable'', broadcast in February 2013. and appeared in the comedy movie
Eaten by Lions
''Eaten by Lions'' is a 2019 British comedy film written and directed by Jason Wingard. The film stars Antonio Aakeel as Omar and Jack Carroll as Pete. The film is the feature-length adaptation of the director's 2013 short film 'Going to Me ...
in 2017.
Besides writing comedy for television and radio, Binns has appeared on other television shows, such as ''
RI:SE'', ''Bullrun'', ''Oblivion'' and as a writer on ''
Trigger Happy TV
''Trigger Happy TV'' is a hidden camera/ practical joke comedy television series. The original British edition of the show, produced by Absolutely Productions, starred Dom Joly and ran for three series on the British television channel Channel 4 ...
'', for which he earned "best comedy moment" and "TV moment of 2001" awards. His first television appearances were ''
Friday Night Armistice
''The Saturday Night Armistice'' (later ''The Friday Night Armistice'', plus the one-off ''The Election Night Armistice'') is a British satirical television comedy programme presented by Armando Iannucci with Peter Baynham and David Schneider t ...
'' (BBC2) and
Lee and Herring
Lee and Herring were a British standup comedy double act consisting of the comedians Stewart Lee and Richard Herring. They were most famous for their work on television, most notably ''Fist of Fun'' and '' This Morning with Richard Not Judy'' ...
's ''
Fist of Fun
''Fist of Fun'' was a British comedy show, initially a BBC Radio 1 series in 1993 and then a BBC2 television series in 1995. It was written by and starred Lee and Herring (the comedians Stewart Lee and Richard Herring).
Each episode of ''Fist o ...
'', and has gone on to further appear in the
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 ...
-based late night sports talk show ''
Under the Moon
''Under the Moon'' was an offbeat, late-night 1990s sports show on the United Kingdom's Channel 4. The show was originally hosted by Danny Kelly and comedian Tim Clark. The pair lasted for 10 episodes before Clark left to be replaced by another ...
'', with
Danny Kelly and stage appearances at the
Bloomsbury Theatre
The Bloomsbury Theatre is a theatre on Gordon Street, Bloomsbury, in the London Borough of Camden, owned by University College London. The Theatre has a seating capacity of 547 and offers a professional programme of innovative music, drama, come ...
and
Garrick Theatre
The Garrick Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, named after the stage actor David Garrick. It opened in 1889 with ''The Profligate'', a play by Arthur Wing Pinero, and another Pinero play ...
.
Binns has worked on
Radio 1 Radio 1 or Radio One most commonly refers to:
*BBC Radio 1, a music radio station from the BBC
** BBC Radio 1Xtra, a digital radio station broadcasting black music
*CBC Radio One, a talk radio station operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporatio ...
,
Virgin
Virginity is the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. The term ''virgin'' originally only referred to sexually inexperienced women, but has evolved to encompass a range of definitions, as found in traditional, modern ...
,
BRMB
Free Radio Birmingham is an Independent Local Radio station based in Birmingham, England, owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Hits Radio network. It broadcasts to Birmingham and the West Midlands.
As of September 2022, the station has a ...
and
GLR,
Talksport UK,
Hallam FM
Hallam FM is an Independent Local Radio station based in Sheffield, England, owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Hits Radio network. It broadcasts to South Yorkshire.
As of September 2022, the station has a weekly audience of 283,000 ...
and
Key 103
''For the Network, see Hits Radio. For the National DAB station, see Hits Radio UK.''
Hits Radio Manchester is an Independent local radio station owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Hits Radio network. It broadcasts to Greater Manchester ...
, appearing either as himself or as hospital radio character Ivan Brackenbury.
Binns is the co-writer of BBC 1's ''
Hospital People
''Hospital People'' is a BBC One Mockumentary series set in the fictional Brimlington Hospital in the fictional town of Brimlington. The main star of the programme is Tom Binns who plays four different characters in the series. He has a supporti ...
'', part of the BBC's
Comedy Playhouse
''Comedy Playhouse'' is a long-running British anthology series of one-off unrelated sitcoms that aired for 120 episodes from 1961 to 1975. Many episodes later graduated to their own series, including ''Steptoe and Son'', '' Meet the Wife'', ...
, in which he plays the five lead characters Ivan Brackenbury, Ian D Montfort, Susan Mitchell, Terry Boyle and Father Kenny.
He has written the book ''How to Get Famous - A Cynical Guide''.
Controversies
In 1999, London-based radio station
Xfm
Radio X is a British National commercial radio station focused on alternative music, primarily indie rock, and owned by Global. Radio X launched in 1989 as a pirate radio station, a licensed London-wide station in 1997 and nationally in 2015 ...
was fined £50,000 by the
Radio Authority
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitt ...
following complaints regarding the use of coarse sexual innuendo when discussing a
bestial pornography video with a listener during ''the Tom Binns Breakfast Show''. Parent company
Capital Radio
Capital London is a radio station owned and operated by the Global media company as part of its national Capital FM Network. As Capital Radio it was launched in the London area in 1973 as one of Britain's first two commercial radio stations. I ...
decided not to sack Binns but in a meeting shortly after the fine was issued, the Radio Authority made it clear to Capital Radio that this would negatively affect the decision to renew the XFM licence.
In December 2009, Binns was fired from
BRMB
Free Radio Birmingham is an Independent Local Radio station based in Birmingham, England, owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Hits Radio network. It broadcasts to Birmingham and the West Midlands.
As of September 2022, the station has a ...
by its owners
Orion Media
Orion Media was a UK commercial radio group, founded in 2009 after a management buy-in, with backing from Lloyds Development Capital. It was created from the enforced sale of several radio stations in the English Midlands previously owned by Gl ...
after he cut short the
Queen's Christmas Message. The Message was played into his show in error instead of the expected two-minute news bulletin. Binns joked, "Two words: bore-ring". He then went on to joke that the British monarchy can't be as good for tourism as some people claim because "the French executed theirs and people still visit France" and played a
George Michael
George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the MTV generation and is one of the best-selling musici ...
record with the link "from one queen to another".
Filmography
Film
* 2017: ''Eaten by Lions''
Television
* ''
Knowing Me, Knowing You... with Alan Partridge''
BBC2
BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream an ...
*
Lee and Herring
Lee and Herring were a British standup comedy double act consisting of the comedians Stewart Lee and Richard Herring. They were most famous for their work on television, most notably ''Fist of Fun'' and '' This Morning with Richard Not Judy'' ...
's ''
Fist of Fun
''Fist of Fun'' was a British comedy show, initially a BBC Radio 1 series in 1993 and then a BBC2 television series in 1995. It was written by and starred Lee and Herring (the comedians Stewart Lee and Richard Herring).
Each episode of ''Fist o ...
'' BBC2
* ''
The IT Crowd
''The IT Crowd'' is a British sitcom originally broadcast by Channel 4, written and directed by Graham Linehan, produced by Ash Atalla and starring Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson, and Matt Berry. Set in the offices of the fict ...
'' Channel 4
* ''
Spooks'' BBC1
* ''
Spicks and Specks'' ABC1
* ''
Crossroads
Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to:
* Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet
Film and television Films
* ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa
* ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...
'' ITV1
* ''
Under the Moon
''Under the Moon'' was an offbeat, late-night 1990s sports show on the United Kingdom's Channel 4. The show was originally hosted by Danny Kelly and comedian Tim Clark. The pair lasted for 10 episodes before Clark left to be replaced by another ...
'' Channel 4
* ''
RI:SE'' Channel 4
* ''Whitbread Race Coverage'' BBC2
* ''
Saturday Night Armistice
''The Saturday Night Armistice'' (later ''The Friday Night Armistice'', plus the one-off ''The Election Night Armistice'') is a British satirical television comedy programme presented by Armando Iannucci with Peter Baynham and David Schneider t ...
'' BBC2
* ''The Bull Run'' Channel 5
* ''Tom Binns Munchies'' Channel 5
* ''
Hospital People
''Hospital People'' is a BBC One Mockumentary series set in the fictional Brimlington Hospital in the fictional town of Brimlington. The main star of the programme is Tom Binns who plays four different characters in the series. He has a supporti ...
'' BBC1
* ''
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
''8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown'' is a British comedy panel show on Channel 4. The show follows the game of ''Countdown'', but presented in a comedic panel show format seen on ''8 Out of 10 Cats'', with the show being a crossover of the two. ...
'' Channel 4
Live shows
* 2007: ''Ivan Brackenbury's Hospital Radio Roadshow''
* 2008: ''Ivan Brackenbury's Christmas Show''
* 2009: ''Ivan Brackenbury's Disease Hour''
* 2010: ''Ivan Brackenbury's Hospital Radio Remix''
* 2010: ''Ian D Montfort: Touching the Dead''
* 2011: ''Ian D Montfort: Spirit Comedium''
* 2012: ''Ian D Montfort: Unbelievable''
* 2012: ''Tom Binns does Ivan Brackenbury and others''
* 2013: ''Ian D Montfort: Psychic Fayre''
*2014: ''Ian D Montfort: Midday Seance''
*2014: ''Tom Binns has not been himself''
*2015: ''Ian D Montfort: Under Sciencey Conditions''
*2015: ''Tom Binns: The Club Sets''
Radio
* ''Fist of Fun'' on BBC Radio 1
* ''Digital Update'' on BBC Radio 1
* ''The Ivan Brackenbury Show'' on BBC Radio 2
* ''The Jason Byrne Show'' on BBC Radio 2
* ''99p Challenge'' on BBC Radio 4
* ''Ian D Montfort is Unbelievable'' on BBC Radio 2
Awards and accolades
Binns has received several accolades:
* ''
Melody Maker
''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...
'' readers voted his show best of the year in 1999.
*
''More'' magazine readers voted him as the 25th sexiest man in the world 2002.
* Nominee for the ''Edinburgh Comedy'' Award at the Edinburgh Festival 2007
* Nominee for ''Best Established Comedian'' at the Adelaide Fringe 2010 and 2011
*Voted Foster Comedy God in 2010 (Top Ten most popular Edinburgh Comedy Award Winners)
*Chortle Award Nominee 2011 Best Character Comic
* Best International Act New Zealand International Comedy Festival 2013
*Best Comedy Show Nomination 2014 and 2015
* ''Best Act'' award winner at the
Midlands Comedy Awards 2015.
References
External links
Official website*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Binns, Tom
Living people
English television writers
British radio DJs
English radio personalities
British radio personalities
British radio comedy
English male radio actors
English male stage actors
English male television actors
1970 births
Male actors from Sheffield
British male television writers
Comedians from Yorkshire