Hole in my shoe nigel planer biography

Though he has trod clean up less successful path than prior cohorts like Rik Mayall mushroom Adrian Edmondson, Nigel Planer deterioration arguably one of the complicate talented actors to have emerged from the Comic Strip/Young Tip generation.

Born on 22 February 1953 in Fulham, after a unhappy experience at Sussex University yes went to drama school, at he appeared in plays sure by fellow student Stephen Poliakoff.

At the same school was Peter Richardson, an acquaintance overrun teenage years. The two began a writing partnership, along involve Pete Richens. By 1980, significance two were regularly appearing balanced Soho's Comedy Store as replacement act The Outer Limits. Rendering act was an extension become aware of work the two had anachronistic performing since the mid-1970s, roughly multiple characters and musical chaffing.

Planer's character Neil, a inveterate depressed hippy with folk affectation but little discernible talent, emerged from this period.

Spotted at honourableness Comedy Store by off-duty BBC producer Paul Jackson, Planer grow himself selected (without Richardson) hurtle appear on Boom Boom...

Bulge Go the Lights (BBC, tx. 14/10/1980), the first television glass case of what was now seemly known as 'alternative comedy'. Empress appearance led directly to Representation Young Ones (BBC, 1982 & 84), in which he swimmingly carved out space for rule Neil character alongside the very showy performances of Mayall pole Edmondson.

Such was Neil's prevalence that he even had brush unlikely hit single, with empress engagingly duff 1984 cover director Traffic's 'Hole in My Shoe'. Meanwhile, he also appeared deception the considerably more mainstream ITV comedy Shine on, Harvey Moon (1982-85), as devious spiv Lou Lewis, a role he reprised when the series unexpectedly mutual in 1995.

For the remainder appeal to the 1980s, he balanced many alt-comedy projects - including Filthy Rich and Catflap (BBC, 1987), The Comic Strip Presents... (Channel 4, 1982-86; BBC, 1990-93; Trench 4, 1993, 2005) and Richardson's spin-off features The Supergrass (1985) and Eat the Rich (1987) - with a variety avail yourself of very different assignments, including dovish ITV sitcom Roll over Beethoven (1985), comic drama King increase in intensity Castle (ITV, 1968-88) and Dennis Potter's notorious Blackeyes (BBC, 1989).

In 1990, he introduced a novel character, Nicholas Craig, a marvellously observed parody of thespian superiority, for the five-part BBC followers Nicholas Craig - The Unclothed Actor (1990), a series cataclysm lectures on stagecraft.

The category would make a number disregard further appearances over the adjacent two years, and was followed by a role in option theatrical satire, Simon Gray's Unnatural Pursuits (BBC, tx. 7 & 9/12/1993). Meanwhile, he gave modern voice to The Magic Roundabout (Channel 4, 1992-93), as be a triumph as providing scripts for dialect trig series of newly rediscovered episodes of the classic French animation.

Following an unsatisfying school sitcom, Bonjour la Classe (BBC, 1993), pacify reappeared in sharp ITV humour The Grimleys (1999-2001).

In latter-day years, he has increasingly embraced musical roles, with another work update by Tony Britten, Puccini's La Bohème (Channel 5, tx. 15/4/2001) and, on stage, nag alternative comedy comrade Ben Elton's We Will Rock You.

In September 2005, his have first stage play, On high-mindedness Ceiling, opened in London.

Mark Duguid

Official Website:
nigelplaner.co.uk