List of British comedians
This is a list of Comedians of British birth or famous mainly in Britain. Many of the comedy panel-game regulars and sitcom actors may not be regarded as comedians by some people but they are included here because this page uses the word "comedian" in its broadest possible sense.
Impersonators
- Terry Alderton (Spitting Image)
- Ronni Ancona, (Alistair McGowan's Big Impression)
- Rory Bremner, (born 1961)
- Phil Cool
- Kevin Connelly, (Dead Ringers)
- Jon Culshaw, (Dead Ringers, 2DTV)
- Bobby Davro
- Dave Lamb, (2DTV)
- Alistair McGowan (Alistair McGowan's Big Impression)
- Mark Perry, (Dead Ringers, 2DTV)
- Jan Ravens, (Dead Ringers, 2DTV)
- Mike Yarwood
Musical Comedians
- Les Barker
- Ivor Biggun, pseudonym of Doc Cox
- Jasper Carrott
- Ivor Cutler
- Bernard Cribbins, (born 1928)
- Angus Deayton (in the HeeBeeGeebees)
- John Hegley also performs as half of the "Popticians"
- Neil Innes, (born 1944)
- Sid Kipper also performed as half of the "Kipper Family"
- Bill Oddie
- Vivian Stanshall, (1943-1995)
- Flanders and Swann
- Jake Thackray
- Victoria Wood, (1953-)
Variety and Music Hall Comedians
- Chesney Allen
- Michael Barrymore
- Max Bygraves, (born 1922)
- Tommy Cooper, (1922-1984)
- Les Dawson, (1934-1993)
- Ken Dodd, (born 1929)
- Bud Flanagan
- Max Miller
- Bob Monkhouse, (born 1928)
- Morecambe and Wise
- Des O'Connor
- Charlie Williams
Radio comedians
- Brian Appleton (Jilted John/Graham Shuttleworth)
- Michael Bentine, (1922-1996), (The Goon Show)
- Joyce Grenfell, (1910-1979)
- Deryck Guyler, (1914-1999)
- Roy Hudd, (born 1936) (News Huddlines)
- Spike Milligan, (1918-2002), (The Goon Show)
- Harry Secombe, (1921-2001), (The Goon Show)
- Peter Sellers, (1925-1980), (The Goon Show)
- Mark Steel, (The Mark Steel Solution, The Mark Steel Revolution, The Mark Steel Lectures)
- Tony Hancock, (1924-1968) (Hancock's Half Hour)
- Kenneth Horne, (died 1969), (Round the Horne, Beyond Our Ken)
- Richard Murdoch (Much Bidding in the Marsh)
- Kenneth Williams, (1926-1988) (Round the Horne)
- Hugh Paddick, (1958-1964)
- Ted Ray, (1905-1977)
- Al Read
- Betty Marsden, (1919-1998)
- Bill Pertwee, (born 1926)
Satirists
- Douglas Adams (1952-2001)
- John Bird
- Eleanor Bron
- Peter Cook, (1937-1995)
- John Fortune
- Chris Morris, (born 1965)
- Ian Hislop, (born 1960), (Private Eye)
- Armando Iannucci
- William Rushton
- Mark Thomas
Comedy panel game regulars
B
C
- Craig Charles, (born 1964), (Space Cadets)
- Alan Coren, (The News Quiz, Call My Bluff)
- Barry Cryer, (I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue)
D
- Alan Davies, (QI)
- Angus Deayton, (born 1956), (former chair of Have I Got News for You)
- Jack Dee, (It's Only TV But I Like It)
F
- Clement Freud, (Just A Minute)
- Rebecca Front
- Stephen Fry, (chair of QI)
G
H
- Andy Hamilton, (The News Quiz)
- Nick Hancock, (born 1962), (They Think It's All Over)
- Jeremy Hardy, (The News Quiz, If I Ruled The World)
- Tony Hawks (I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue)
- Ian Hislop, (born 1960), (The News Quiz, Have I Got News for You)
- Simon Hoggart, (The News Quiz)
I
J
L
M
- Rory McGrath (They Think It's All Over)
- Paul Merton, (born 1957), (Have I Got News for You)
- Arthur Marshall, (Call My Bluff)
- Robert Morley, (Call My Bluff)
- Frank Muir, (Call My Bluff)
N
R
- Jonathan Ross, (born 1960), (They Think It's All Over, It's Only TV But I Like It)
- Willie Rushden, (I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue))
- Robin Ray, (Call My Bluff)
S
T
- Tim Brooke-Taylor, (I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue)
- Sandi Toksvig, (Call My Bluff)
- Barry Took, (The News Quiz)
W
Sketch Show/Alternative comedians
- Charlie Drake, (born 1925)
- Dawn French
- The Goodies
- Arthur Haynes
- Lenny Henry
- Harry Enfield
- Paul Whitehouse
- Benny Hill, (1924-1992)
- Harry Hill
- Hugh Laurie
- John Junkin
- Monty Python
- Graham Chapman, (1941-1989)
- John Cleese, (born 1939)
- Terry Gilliam, (born 1940)
- Eric Idle, (born 1943)
- Terry Jones, (born 1942)
- Michael Palin, (born 1943)
- Not the Nine O'Clock News
- Rowan Atkinson, (born 1955)
- Griff Rhys-Jones
- Pamela Stephenson
- Mel Smith, (born 1952)
- Vic Reeves
- The Two Ronnies
- Jennifer Saunders
- Harry Worth, (1920-1989)
Film
- Bernard Bresslaw, (1934-1993)
- Craig Charles, (born 1964), (Red Dwarf film; Asterix Conquers America)
- Marty Feldman, (1933-1982)
- John Cleese, (born 1939), (Monty Python films)
- Lee Evans, (born 1964)
- Eric Idle, (born 1943), (Monty Python films)
- Sidney James, (1913-1976) (Carry Ons)
- Dudley Moore, (1935-2002) (Arthur, 10)
- Kenneth Williams, (1926-1988), ("Carry Ons")
- Norman Wisdom, (born 1915)
- Peter Sellers, (1925-1980), (Dr Strangelove, Inspector Clouseau films)
- Eric Sykes, (born 1923)
Sitcom comedians
(See also: British sitcoms)
- Jane Horrocks, (born 1964), (Absolutely Fabulous)
- Joanna Lumley, (born 1947), (Absolutely Fabulous)
- Julia Sawalha, (born 1968), (Absolutely Fabulous)
- June Whitfield, (Terry and June, Absolutely Fabulous)
- Ronnie Barker, (born 1929)
- Ronnie Corbett
- John Cleese, (born 1939), (Fawlty Towers)
- Chris Barrie, (born 1960), (Red Dwarf, The Brittas Empire)
- Craig Charles, (born 1964), (Red Dwarf, Captain Butler)
- Danny John-Jules (Red Dwarf)
- Rowan Atkinson, (born 1955), (Blackadder, The Thin Blue Line, Mr. Bean)
- Tony Robinson, (born 1946), (Blackadder)
- Nicholas Lyndhurst, (born 1961), (Only Fools and Horses,Butterflies, Goodnight Sweetheart)
- David Jason, (born 1940), (Do Not Adjust Your Set, Only Fools and Horses, Open All Hours, The Darling Buds Of May)
- Richard Wilson, (born 1936), (One Foot in the Grave)
- Angus Deayton, (born 1956), (One Foot in the Grave)
- Al Murray (Time Gentlemen Please)
Spoof Show comedians
- Sacha Baron Cohen (The 11 O'Clock Show, Da Ali G Show)
- Steve Coogan (Knowing Me, Knowing You)
- Chris Langham (People Like Us)
- Chris Morris, (born 1965), (Brass Eye, Blue Jam)
Stand Up comedians
- Russ Abbott
- Terry Alderton
- Bill Bailey
- Jo Brand
- Phil Cool
- Billy Connolly
- Julian Clary
- Jim Davidson, (born 1954)
- Jack Dee, (born 1962)
- Ben Elton, (born 1959)
- Lee Evans, (born 1964)
- Dave Gorman
- Boothby Graffoe
- Mike Harding
- Jeremy Hardy
- Dominic Holland
- Frankie Howerd, (1917-1992)
- Eddie Izzard, (born 1962)
- Phill Jupitus
- Frank Skinner
- Mark Steel
- Dave Thompson
- Tim Vine
- Mark Webster
Comedy double acts
- Anderson and Webster
- Cannon and Ball
- Baddiel and Skinner
- Flanagan and Allan
- Flanders and Swann
- French and Saunders
- Hale and Pace
- Hinge and Bracket
- Little and Large
- The Two Ronnies
- Morecambe and Wise
- Punt and Dennis
- Rod Hull and Emu
- Smith and Jones
- Reeves and Mortimer
See also: List of comedians