Alexander Armstrong (comedian)

Infobox actor
name = Alexander Armstrong


birthdate = birth date and age|df=yes|1970|8|14
birthplace = Rothbury, Northumberland, England
religion =

Alexander Armstrong (born 14 August 1970 in Rothbury, Northumberland) is an English comedian and actor.

Early career

Armstrong studied at Durham School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was a member of the college choir. In 1992, while at Cambridge, he met Ben Miller, where both were in the Cambridge Footlights, and they formed the comedy duo Armstrong and Miller. Armstrong decided not to pursue a career as a professional bass singer, and developed a career in acting.

Comedy career

Armstrong has performed in several comedy roles. He co-starred in four series of "Armstrong and Miller" from 1997 to 2001. Armstrong renewed his partnership with Ben Miller for "The Armstrong and Miller Show" in 2007.

He starred as a misanthropic, animal-hating vet in the sitcom "Beast". He is also the star of a series of TV commercials for Pimm's.

In 1999 he starred as Prince Charming in ITV's Christmas pantomime alongside his friend Ben Miller, and with Samantha Janus, Paul Merton, Harry Hill, Frank Skinner and Ronnie Corbett.

On BBC Radio 4, he plays the part of John Weak in the office sitcom "Weak at the Top" by Guy Browning.

Television presenting

Armstrong is chairman of the comedy panel show "Best of the Worst" which also features team captains David Mitchell and Johnny Vaughan. The first show aired on 1 September 2006 on Channel 4 in the UK.

He presents the ITV1 comedy quiz series "Don't Call Me Stupid", in which mismatched celebrities teach each other a subject they are passionate about, before facing a studio quiz on their new topic. The series features pairings including Brian Sewell with Phil Tufnell, George Galloway with Lady Victoria Hervey, James Whitaker with Bez, Germaine Greer with Shane Lynch, and Michael Howard with Wayne Sleep.

He is a frequent guest host on the BBC's satirical panel game "Have I Got News For You", having appeared 11 times. His most recent appearance as host was on 30 May 2008.

Dramas and sitcoms

Armstrong co-starred with Caroline Quentin on all three series of ITV1 drama "Life Begins".

He appeared in Steve Coogan's "Saxondale" (Series 1 Episode 2) in 2006, as a famous TV motoring presenter (played like Jeremy Clarkson). Armstrong also appeared as David Cameron in the satirical fictional documentary "The Trial of Tony Blair', "played a middle aged man who leaves his wife during a mid-life crisis in "Maggie Mae" and as a sex-addicted guest in "Hotel Babylon" in 2007. He voiced Mr Smith, an alien computer, in "The Sarah Jane Adventures" and in the "Doctor Who" episode "The Stolen Earth". He also has a role in the 2008 BBC comedy drama Mutual Friends.

In 2006 (repeated in 2007) he was a guest on "Private Passions", the weekly music discussion programme hosted by Michael Berkeley on BBC Radio 3. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/privatepassions/pip/r5463/ BBC - Radio 3 - Private Passions - Alexander Armstrong. ] ] He will be appearing as an advocate on [http://www.visionariesdebate.com Visionaries] for BBC World News broadcast on 30 August 2008.

References

External links

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Persondata
NAME= Armstrong, Alexander
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=English comedian and actor
DATE OF BIRTH= 1970-08-14
PLACE OF BIRTH=Rothbury, Northumberland, England
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=