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60-409: Matthew Keith Hall (born 1 October 1964), known professionally as Harry Hill , is an English comedian, presenter and writer. He pursued a career in stand-up following years working as a medical doctor, developing an offbeat, energetic performance style that fused elements of surrealism , observational comedy , slapstick , satire and music . When performing, he usually wears browline glasses and

120-540: A dress shirt with a distinctive oversized collar and cuffs. He won the Perrier Award for Best Newcomer at the 1992 Edinburgh Festival Fringe , and began his career in radio and television comedy with the radio series Harry Hill's Fruit Corner (1993–1997). He has hosted his own television comedy show Harry Hill's TV Burp (2001–2012), and narrated You've Been Framed! from (2004–2022). His other projects include The Harry Hill Movie , released in 2013. Hill

180-523: A book of children's jokes, released in 2006. The book was also made available as an iPhone application. A second book, Harry Hill's Bumper Book of Bloopers , was released for Christmas 2011. The Harry Hill Movie premiered in the United Kingdom on 20 December 2013. The film also stars Matt Lucas , Julie Walters , Johnny Vegas , Sheridan Smith , Simon Bird , Marc Wootton , Jim Broadbent , and band The Magic Numbers . The film sees Hill embark on

240-525: A box to aid Harry in some way. Guests on the show included George Formby Society , Alison Hammond and Les Dennis . The series has received positive reviews, with many pointing out the similarities to TV Burp . The show moved to Saturday evenings between 7.30 pm and 8.00 pm for a second series, aired in 2018, and a third in 2019. In 2020, Harry Hill started presenting Harry Hill's World of TV . Using archive clips, this TV Burp -style show pokes fun at television, with each episode themed around

300-835: A business trip touring Europe. He was brought up in Shanghai ; his father was a textile tycoon descended from a Tang dynasty general. Between the ages of 12 and 16, he attended the Shanghai Jesuit Mission School , which he described as "the Far East equivalent" of Eton College . He left China in 1947 when his parents returned to Britain, and was sent to the United States to complete his education. In 1953, he graduated from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine . The Kwouk family fortune

360-500: A chicken, followed by a performance of the song "Hey Little Hen". In later series, Hill and Kwouk appeared in sketches as Karl Lagerfeld and Gianni Versace . Hill's screen wife Mai Sung also made several appearances on the show, mainly on the theme of trying to steal his Abbey National bank savings book. Another character that featured on the show was Stouffer the Cat, a glove puppet cat made from blue rubber. Stouffer would normally sit in

420-458: A doll of The Apprentice star Alan Sugar , who would regularly rap before clips of The Apprentice were introduced. The show was piloted in December 2001, before running for fifteen full series between 2002 and 2012, before being cancelled to allow Hill to work on other projects. Hill would occasionally say his catchphrase "Chippy chips!" and the show became known for another catchphrase "You get

480-528: A live audience for the same reason. Jessica Delfino holds the record for most comedy sets performed in one night by a female comedian. Phyllis Diller holds the Guinness World Record for most laughs per minute, with 12. Taylor Goodwin holds the Guinness World Record for most jokes told in an hour with 550. Lee Evans sold £7 million worth of tickets for his 2011 tour in a day,

540-556: A road trip to Blackpool with his Nan ( Julie Walters ) when he discovers that his hamster has only one week to live. The 88-minute film was directed by Steve Bendelack and made $ 3,647,870 at the box office. It was also released on DVD on 14 April 2014. Hill presented a revived version of the ITV talent show Stars in Their Eyes . The series aired for six episodes from 10 January until 14 February 2015. The revival has proved divisive. Fans of

600-458: A ruined romantic encounter or Clouseau's flat being completely destroyed. Amid the chaos, the phone would ring and Cato would calmly answer it before dutifully handing the phone to his employer and being thumped by Clouseau. He was a stalwart of several 1960s ITC television series, such as Danger Man , The Saint and Man of the World , when an oriental character was required. He appeared in

660-406: A similar format to Fruit Corner , Hill performed a series of sketches, with celebrity guests making cameo appearances. The series ran for six episodes on BBC2 between October and December 1994. For Christmas that year, a VHS containing a 100-minute compilation of the best material from the series, as well as unseen sketches, was released by BBC Video. Hill was a regular on Saturday Live , which

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720-556: A specific genre. In 2002, Hill published a novel entitled Flight from Deathrow , based around the unlikely fictional antics of real-life celebrities and politicians, as seen through the eyes of a storyteller who drifts in and out of a coma. His second book, Tim the Tiny Horse , was published in October 2006, and featured the tale of a small horse who has to wear glasses because of poor eyesight. Hill's third book, The Further Adventures of

780-421: A specified number of paying guests with them to receive stage time. As well as being a mainstay of the comedy circuit, festivals often also showcase up-and-coming acts, with promoters and agents using the festivals to seek out new talent. Experienced comics with a following may produce a television special or a comedy album . It may be recorded on tour or at a show advertised and performed specifically for

840-569: A throne, supported by a rubber arm in the style of Rod Hull , and was employed to intimidate guests during Hill's standup routines. Some of Stouffer's catchphrases are "he got a big face" and "sorted – respect due". At the end of each episode, an event called "The Badger Parade" was supposed to take place. The parade featured a number of puppet badgers that included " Gareth Southgate badger" and " Tasmin Archer badger", among others – however, every week, there would be some kind of problem, resulting in

900-553: A weekly online comedy series on the ChannelFlip website, entitled Harry Hill's Little Internet Show . Ten episodes of the show were broadcast online. In 2003, The Observer listed Hill as one of the fifty funniest acts in British comedy. In 2005, in a poll to find The Comedian's Comedian , he was voted amongst the Top 50 comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders. In 2007, Hill

960-641: Is a fan of George Formby and is a member of the George Formby Society . On 8 March 2023, Hill joined math-rock band Black Midi onstage during their residency at the Village Underground in London. He performed a verse of Cardi B 's " I Like It " to applause. Hill is also a fan of former Black Midi front man, Geordie Greep. Hill is a supporter of the Labour Party and canvassed for the party during

1020-511: Is considered America's first stand-up comedian. The first documented use of "stand-up" appeared in The Stage in 1911, describing Nellie Perrier delivering 'stand-up comic ditties in a chic and charming manner'. However, this referred to a performance of comedy songs rather than stand-up comedy in its modern form. The term appeared again in the “Stage Gossip” column of The Yorkshire Evening Post on November 10, 1917. The article discussed

1080-455: Is difficult to successfully sue for joke theft regardless due to the idea–expression distinction . According to Anna Spagnolli, stand-up comedy audiences "are both 'co-constructors of the situation' and 'co-responsible for it ' ". In stand-up comedy, an unspoken contract with the audience allows for the exploration of unexpected, controversial, or scandalous subjects. The reception of a joke, whether met with laughter or disapproval, hinges on

1140-567: Is followed by the opener, the feature, and then the headliner. The host may also act as the opener for smaller shows. Proven comics tend to earn regular bookings at clubs that are part of a chain and comedy venues. Jobbing stand-ups may perform sets at two or more venues on the same day. Clubs and small venues often run open mic events; these slots may be booked in advance or left for walk-ins. Comedians use open mics to work on material or to show off their skills to get an opener slot. "Bringer shows" are shows that require amateur performers to bring

1200-504: Is half boy and half speed camera , and Evelynne Hussey, a one-woman band who played a number of different instruments. While the show featured a game-show element, Help the Aged , it was very similar in structure to Harry Hill . In the show, Hill wore a pale yellow, custard-coloured shirt, with a giant collar, instead of his usual white collar. The series was never released on DVD; however, it did spawn Harry Hill's Whopping Great Joke Book ,

1260-446: The 2015 general election . Stand-up comedy A performer in this genre can be known by the masculine and gender-neutral terms stand-up comedian and stand-up comic , or by the feminine term stand-up comedienne . Performances can take place in various venues, including comedy clubs , comedy festivals , bars, nightclubs , colleges, or theaters . Stand-up comedy originated in various traditions of popular entertainment in

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1320-785: The Queen Mum , was published in October 2007, and was a comic take on the life and times of the Queen Mother. His fourth novel, Tim the Tiny Horse at Large , which is a sequel to Tim the Tiny Horse , was published in October 2009. In 2010, Hill released Livin' the Dreem , a fictional account of a year in his life with frequent references to pop culture. The book was reprinted in May 2011, with additional entries for events occurring between January and April of that year. A Complete History of Tim (the Tiny Horse)

1380-524: The Sky Atlantic sitcom This is Jinsy . Between July and October 2003, Hill presented a Sunday morning comedy and music show on Capital Radio called "Funch". In October 2006, Hill presented his own episode of long running ITV series, An Audience With... , in which he revived several characters from Harry Hill . On 4 October 2004, he also appeared in an episode of Room 101 . In November 2010, Hill released his debut comic album, 'Funny Times'. The album

1440-684: The University of London in 1988. Hill worked as a Proctologist at Doncaster Royal Infirmary , before quitting the medical profession because he "didn't feel in control of what was happening"; he is still registered on the General Medical Council 's list of Registered Medical Practitioners . In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom , Hill nearly returned to work at the temporary NHS Nightingale Hospital London , after filling in

1500-736: The World War II television drama Tenko (1981–1984). Kwouk featured in many British television productions that called for an Oriental actor. As a result, he became a familiar face in the United Kingdom and appeared as himself in the Harry Hill Show as well as several of Hill's live tours. Burt also had a cameo in Super Gran in 1985. In 2000, he appeared in an episode of the syndicated western TV series Queen of Swords as Master Kiyomasa, an aged Japanese warrior-priest. Sung-Hi Lee played his female pupil, Kami. He provided voice-overs on

1560-507: The jester's privilege , which is the right to discuss and mock anything freely without being punished. Social commentators have referred to the concepts of "punching up" and "punching down" in attempting to describe who should be the "butt of the joke". This carries the assumption that, relative to the comedian's own socio-political identity , comedy should "punch up" at the rich and powerful without "punching down" at those who are marginalized and less fortunate. Many comedians have criticized

1620-465: The "fun capsule" of the title) that Earthlings are good fun and therefore worthy of saving from destruction. Harry alludes to the premise of the show as being rather tenuous in a running joke during each show's introduction, before introducing the two teams of guests, usually a mix of comedians and television stars. In a similar style to Harry Hill's TV Burp , the show includes various clips from television and film, often attributed or related somehow to

1680-513: The ITV version included the Hamilton Challenge, featuring Neil and Christine Hamilton , and a butterfly in blue jeans. The Channel 4 series was revisited in August 2012, for a retrospective documentary entitled Whatever Happened to Harry Hill? . In October 2001, Hill moved to ITV in a lucrative deal, in which he created an all-new show, Harry Hill's TV Burp , where he would take a look at

1740-559: The appeal of stand up is in appreciation of the skill of the performer, as studies have shown that many people find the idea of standing on stage daunting; research on the subject has consistently found that the fear of public speaking is more intense than the fear of dying . The audience is integral to live comedy, both as a foil to the comedian and as a contributing factor to the overall experience. The use of canned laughter in television comedy reveals this, with shows often seeming "dry" or dull without it. Shows may be filmed in front of

1800-399: The audience's understanding of the premise and appreciation of the punchline. A seasoned comic is able to instantly react to the audience's reaction and use it to further the narrative. Stand-up comedy, distinct from traditional performing arts, features a lone comedian directly engaging the audience. Success hinges on creating spontaneity, fostering intimacy, and deterring heckling. Part of

1860-534: The badgers being unable to perform. In place of the badger parade, Hill would usually sing a song, with a guest that he had invited onto the show. A tie-in book relating to the series was released in October 1998, entitled Harry Hill's Fun Book . The series was cancelled in April 2000 but was revived by ITV in March 2003, as The All-New Harry Hill Show . It was broadcast along with episodes of TV Burp . Regular features on

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1920-561: The biggest first-day sale of a British comedy tour. Ricky Gervais set a new Guinness World Record for the highest gross from a single stand-up performance with his tour "Armageddon." The performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, on May 6, 2023, garnered £1,410,000 ($ 1,790,206.50). Burt Kwouk Herbert Tsangtse Kwouk , OBE ( Kwouk ; / k w ɒ k / ; Chinese : 郭弼 ; 18 July 1930 – 24 May 2016)

1980-404: The career of a comedian Finlay Dunn, stating that Dunn was "what he calls a stand-up comedian'" during the latter part of the 19th century. However, the term may have been used retrospectively. Stand-up has multiple genres and styles with their formats. Common ones include: In a typical stand-up show, the host, compere, or emcee "warms up" the audience and introduces the other performers. This

2040-510: The cultural rhetoric concerning "punching up" and "punching down", including Colin Quinn , who described the terms as a product of activism and "not created by humorous people." Appropriation and plagiarism are considered "social crimes" by most stand-ups. There have been several high-profile accusations of joke theft, some ending in lawsuits for copyright infringement. Those accused will sometimes claim cryptomnesia or parallel thinking, but it

2100-449: The current guests. The guests also partake in sketches and songs based on or directly spoofing the funny or bizarre items featured. There is a regular slot entitled "Local News Round Up", accompanied by its own theme tune, which involves each of the guests taking turns to read out bizarre headlines from local newspapers. Alan the Alien also appears as a green extra-terrestrial's arm, emerging from

2160-460: The development of routines, which they construct and refine with jokes and interconnected "bits." These bits form an interwoven narrative, leading to the "closer," the final joke that ties the show's themes together for a satisfying conclusion. Most jokes are the juxtaposition of two incongruous things and are made up of the premise, set-up, and punchline , often adding a twist, topper ,or tagline for an intensified or extra laugh. Delivery relies on

2220-560: The episode Assault Force in Return of the Saint. Kwouk featured as one of the leads in the short-lived series The Sentimental Agent (1963) and had minor roles in three James Bond films. In Goldfinger (1964), he played Mr. Ling, a Chinese expert in nuclear fission; in the non-Eon spoof Casino Royale (1967), he played a general and, in You Only Live Twice (also 1967), Kwouk played

2280-575: The form after "A few drinks". He was asked if he could start immediately due to his last medical specialism being in "Respiratory Emergencies". However, he turned down the role due to travel issues. Hill achieved his breakthrough in 1992, when he won the Perrier Award for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Shortly after, a radio show starring Hill was commissioned by BBC Radio 4 entitled Harry Hill's Fruit Corner . Hill hosted

2340-412: The idea with that" and Hill's actual sideways look at a topic. The show won a number of BAFTA awards, and spawned five Best of TV Burp DVD compilations, and a book based on the series, which was released for Christmas 2009. From 2004 to 2022, Hill narrated 15 series of the comical clip show You've Been Framed! , often shortened to YBF! , replacing Jonathan Wilkes on the show. In February 2023, it

2400-575: The late 19th century. These include vaudeville , the stump-speech monologues of minstrel shows, dime museums , concert saloons , freak shows , variety shows , medicine shows , American burlesque , English music halls , circus clown antics , Chautauqua , and humorist monologues, such as those delivered by Mark Twain in his 1866 touring show Our Fellow Savages of the Sandwich Islands . Charles Farrar Browne (April 26, 1834 – March 6, 1867), better known by his nom de plume , Artemus Ward,

2460-591: The new yogurt, Danio by Danone . He also sang in 2001 " This Charming Man " by The Smiths as Morrissey in Stars in their Eyes . In February 2001, and again in April, Hill appeared on Lily Savage's Blankety Blank . Hill has also appeared as a guest on the BBC Radio 4 series I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue , in the ChuckleVision episode "Mind Your Manors", the first episode of the twentieth series, and as Joon Boolay in

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2520-418: The original format were extremely critical of it, saying that Hill had made the show about himself rather than the contestants. In April 2015, it was announced that the show had been axed by ITV, due to extremely poor ratings. Tea Time saw Hill welcome guests to a spoof comedy kitchen and ask them to cook bizarre things. A new entertainment series for Sky 1 , the first series debuted on 16 October 2016, and

2580-545: The part of a Japanese operative of Blofeld , credited as Spectre 3. He appeared with Laurence Olivier and Anthony Quinn in The Shoes of the Fisherman . A reference to Kwouk's appearances in several films with Peter Sellers is found in the opening scene of The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu (1980) where Sellers says to him "your face is familiar." His next major role was as the honourable but misguided Major Yamauchi in

2640-427: The purpose. A TV special originally released on television, video on demand , or in film theatre's may be re-released as an album on audio CD , LP record , or audio streaming . A "half-hour special" is typically between 20 and 35 minutes in runtime excluding commercial breaks and an "hour-long special" is typically between 40 and 65 minutes excluding commercial breaks. Stand-up comedians define their craft through

2700-572: The show as himself, and each week he was joined by various guest performers, as well as regular character actors including Al Murray and Burt Kwouk . The show featured a variety of other celebrity guests during its run including Rolf Harris and Ronnie Corbett . Each episode is interspersed with Hill's stand-up routines. Fruit Corner ran for four series on BBC Radio 4 . Hill made his television breakthrough in 1994, when he starred in BBC2 black-and-white silent comedy series Harry Hill's Fruit Fancies . In

2760-584: The spoof Japanese betting show Banzai (2001–2004) and subsequently appeared in adverts for the betting company, Bet365 . From 2002 to the series's end in 2010, he had a regular role as one of the three main characters in the long-running series Last of the Summer Wine , as 'Electrical' Entwistle . His later work also included voice acting for radio drama , video games, and television commercials. Kwouk married Caroline Tebbs in Wandsworth , London , in

2820-426: The use of intonation, inflection, attitude, and timing as well as other stylistic devices, such as the rule of three , idioms, archetypes, or wordplay. Another popular joke structure is the paraprosdokian , a surprising punchline that changes the context or meaning of the setup. In order to falsely frame their stories as true or to free themselves of responsibility for breaking social conventions, comedians can use

2880-547: The week's television, showing clips from various British television programmes, and framing them with funny commentary or intercutting additional footage. The series would feature a regular stable of all new characters, including the Knitted Character, a small knitted rabbit, Wagbo, a demon love child whose parents are reportedly Wagner Carillho and Mary Byrne of X Factor fame, and an interpretation of Heather Trott from EastEnders , played by Steve Bernham, as well as

2940-560: Was a British actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as Cato in the Pink Panther films. He made appearances in many television programmes, including a portrayal of Imperial Japanese Army Major Yamauchi in the British drama series Tenko and as Entwistle in Last of the Summer Wine . Kwouk was born on 18 July 1930 in Warrington , Lancashire , to Chinese parents; his parents were on

3000-490: Was a victim of identity theft ; a sum of £280,000 was stolen from his bank account. In Autumn 2008, Hill launched Harry's Nuts , a brand of Fairtrade peanuts. On 17 July 2014, Hill was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Arts by the University of Kent , in recognition of his contribution to television and the arts. On 25 August 2016, Hill became a patron of Action Duchenne which funds research for Duchenne muscular dystrophy , and fights for improved standards of care. Hill

3060-480: Was best known for playing Cato Fong, Inspector Clouseau 's manservant, in the Pink Panther film series. The character was first introduced in A Shot in the Dark (1964), the second film in the series, and was a role that Kwouk would reprise on another six occasions until the 2006 series reboot. The running gag was that Cato was ordered to attack Clouseau when he least expected it to keep him alert, usually resulting in

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3120-549: Was born in Woking , Surrey on 1 October 1964 and grew up in Staplehurst , Kent, where he attended the local primary school. At the age of 14, Hill moved with his family to Hong Kong for two years and attended Island School there. He was later educated at Angley School and then Cranbrook School in Kent and St George's Hospital Medical School . He received his MBBS medical degree from

3180-417: Was broadcast in 1996 on ITV for eight episodes. Harry Hill got his own television series on Channel 4 in 1997. Among the regular characters were Harry Hill's big brother, Alan, played by Al Murray, and his adopted son, Alan Jr., played by Matt Bradstock. Burt Kwouk also appeared in many episodes as Harry's "Chicken Catcher" – and each week, he would come up with an excuse as to why he has not yet captured

3240-565: Was preceded by the singles 'I Wanna Baby', 'SuBo', and 'Ken!', which features William Roache , as his Coronation Street character, Ken Barlow , is the feature of the song. Since October 2010, Hill has had his own comic strip in The Dandy , entitled Harry Hill's Real Life Adventures in TV Land , drawn by Nigel Parkinson . Hill was directly involved in its creation and is co-credited with Parkinson. Between October and December 2010, Hill starred in

3300-643: Was published in November 2012 which contains the first two Tim the Tiny Horse novels, with four new stories. Hill has recorded voice-overs on television commercials. Advertisements that Hill has provided a voice over for include the holiday adverts for Boots in 2004, the "Bring on the Branston!" adverts for the Branston Pickle brand during 2006 to 2007, adverts for the Green Flag car breakdown service, and adverts for

3360-536: Was reported that the show had been axed by ITV. In October 2005, Hill wrote and starred in Harry Hill's Shark Infested Custard , a thirteen-part show broadcast in the CITV children's television slot, on ITV . While many of his well-known characters, such as Stouffer and Garry Hill, his fictional layabout son from his first marriage, remained, it also showcased several new characters, including Speed Camera Boy, an outsider who

3420-641: Was stolen in the Chinese communist revolution in the 1940s. In 1954, he returned to Britain, where a girlfriend "nagged [him] into acting". Kwouk made his film debut in Windom's Way (1957). One of his earliest film roles was in The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958) in the role of the leader of a prison revolt who later aids the main character Gladys Aylward ( Ingrid Bergman ) in heroically leading orphans to safety. He

3480-592: Was unable to be there and sent Wagbo to collect it on his behalf. He was also nominated for 3 other awards, including the People's Choice Award, which was won by Miranda Hart. Hill married artist Magda Archer in 1996, in Wandsworth , London. They have three daughters: Kitty Clover, Winifred Millicent and Frederica Aster, all born in Kensington and Chelsea . Hill and his family live in Whitstable , Kent . In February 2006, Hill

3540-733: Was viewed by 400,000 viewers. Ratings slipped the following week, when only 180,000 watched. Guests for the first series included Paul Hollywood , Joey Essex , Gok Wan , Martin Kemp and Jason Donovan . Harry Hill's Tea Time was commissioned for a second series which began airing in January 2018. In March 2017, Hill began presenting six thirty-minute episode of Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule , which aired on ITV on Thursday nights, 8.30 to 9 pm. The panel show sees Harry welcoming two teams of two celebrity guests as they are tasked with saving planet Earth from alien invasion by sending evidence (via

3600-407: Was voted #5 on Channel 4's hundred greatest stand ups. On 13 December 2006, Hill won two Highland Spring British Comedy Awards , over the favourites Ant and Dec , which Hill made light of in his acceptance speeches. In 2008, he won two BAFTAs, and another in 2009 for Best Entertainment Performance. In 2009, he won two British Comedy Awards , making it his sixth award. He also won again in 2011, but

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