Ahead of the release of his Autobiography in September, Johnny Vegas makes a welcome return to the Edinburgh Fringe in conversation with Novelist and Screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce to discuss his upcoming eye-poppingly frank memoir.
From BBC Dickens adaptations to Benidorm and Ideal to the PG Tips ads, Johnny Vegas has become one of Britain’s best-loved comic actors.
But before he’d ever drunk tea with a knitted monkey or made himself the exception that proves the rule in terms of the predictability of TV panel game regulars, Johnny Vegas was perhaps the most fearlessly confessional stand-up comedian this country has ever produced.
So, how did an eleven-year-old Catholic trainee priest from St Helens grow up to become the North West of England’s answer to Lenny Bruce? That’s just one of the many questions that Frank will be asking Johnny.
The show takes place on Sunday 11th August 2013 at The Famous Spiegeltent.
Tickets are priced at £10 and can be purchased here.
In 1973 Ricky Tomilinson was imprisoned for unlawful assembly and conspiracy when picketing for support in Britain’s first National Building Strike a year earlier. During the course of Ricky’s sentence when he refused to conform, wear prison clothing, work and suffered on hunger strike he met a sympathetic and wise prison governor who introduced prisoner Tomlinson to Tressell’s great novel.
Ricky was an immediate devotee recognising conditions and work practices in the book that reflected his own experiences. He credits The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists with changing his life and helping give articulation to his thoughts.
Photo: Andy Hollingworth
‘Ragged’, written by Andrew Lynch, Produced and Directed by Johnny Vegas stars Ricky as he is now with Stephen Walters playing younger Ricky of the 1970’s. Chris Fulford takes on multi-rolls representing many establishment figures Ricky came up against in prison and Philip Jackson plays the understanding, life changing Governor.
The half hour drama for Sky Arts Playhouse is the first independent programme for Johnny Vegas’s company Woolyback Productions and will be broadcast on June 6th 2013 @ 9:30pm.
Johnny Vegas has directed an All-Star video for Billy Bragg’s ‘Handyman Blues’ single.
Featuring Kevin Eldon, Ricky Grover, Phill Jupitus, Stewart Lee, Neil Morrissey, Ross Noble, Johnny Vegas and Samuel West plus a cameo appearance from Billy Bragg and filmed in a wickes D.I.Y store!
Johnny Vegas has directed and appeared in a video for Billy Bragg’s new single ‘Handyman Blues’ (released July 15 on Cooking Vinyl) with an all-star cast of comedians and actors who are Billy Bragg fans. Johnny, a lifelong fan of Billy’s songs, recently sought out the ‘The Bard Of Barking’ for help with some music for a drama he was directing called ‘Ragged’, featuring Ricky Tomlinson. As a thank you, Johnny offered to make a video of the song he loved on Bragg’s new CD ‘Tooth & Nail’. In the song ‘Handyman Blues’, Billy laments that he is useless at DIY, but suggests that he is creative in other ways. The video, produced by Beverley Dixon of Woolyback Productions, was filmed at the Wickes D.I.Y. store in Uxbridge.
Johnny says, “It’s not every day that you get to direct a video for a genuine icon, especially one as respected and admired as Billy is”.
TX Monday 24 December 2013 at 11.30am
& Monday 31 December 2013 at 11.30am
BBC R4
Wisha, wisha, wisha.
Playfulness, soundscape and oddity above the rustling leaves of Blyton’s Magic Faraway Tree.
In the centre of the Enchanted Wood is the Faraway Tree. Home to Moonface, Silky and Saucepan Man; its upper branches stretch into cloud-hosted dimensions of strange and magical lands.
In this two-part abridged adaptation of Enid Blyton’s classic children’s tale, BBC Radio 4 swoops voices from the world of entertainment into the mystical lands above.
Featuring Johnny Vegas, as Moonface, Nigel Planer as Saucepan and Lucy Beaumont (Winner of the BBC’s New Comedy Awards 2012) as Silky.
Narrator: Ronni Ancona
Rick: Billy Kennedy
Joe: Alex Clarke
Frannie: Nell Tiger Free
Beth: Tess Fontaine
Moonface: Johnny Vegas
Silky: Lucy Beaumont
Saucepan: Nigel Planer
Mother: Joanna Hall
Angry Pixie: Wayne Forrester
Written by Enid Blyton
Adapted for Radio by Andrew Lynch
Music composed and arranged by Phase Music
Directed by Johnny Vegas
Produced by Sally Harrison
A stellar cast of Hugh Bonneville, David Walliams, Sheridan Smith, Johnny Vegas and Pudsey the dog, star in this magical, heart-warming and funny tale, adapted from David Walliams’ best-selling children’s book.
Adapted by Walliams himself with Simon Nye, this 60-minute family comedy tells the story of lonely 12-year-old Chloe (Nell Tiger Free), who invites local tramp Mr Stink (Hugh Bonneville) and his dog Duchess (Pudsey) to hide out in her family’s garden shed.
Chloe also has to cope with an over-bearing mum (Sheridan Smith) who is more interested in her own political ambitions and her infatuation with the Prime Minister (David Walliams), than her daughter. ‘Perfect’ younger sister Annabelle (Isabella Blake-Thomas) and nasty girls at school also make Chloe’s life miserable. Chloe’s only allies are her put-upon dad (Johnny Vegas) who is harbouring a secret of his own, and newsagent Raj (Harish Patel).
But Chloe soon discovers she is not the only one harbouring a secret and there is certainly more to Mr Stink than meets the eye… or nose.
In addition to being broadcast in standard definition, Mr Stink will also be shown in 3D on the BBC HD channel; the first time the BBC has filmed a narrative programme in 3D.
Family comedy Mr Stink is being produced by BBC In-house Comedy Productions in association with David Walliams and his production company DEW Productions. It will be directed by Declan Lowney (Little Britain, Alan Partridge, Father Ted). It was adapted for television by David Walliams with Simon Nye (Men Behaving Badly, Just William, Dr Who). The Executive Producer is Mark Freeland, Head of BBC In-house Comedy and the Producer is Jo Sargent (Miranda, Absolutely Fabulous). It was commissioned for BBC One by Danny Cohen, Controller BBC One and Cheryl Taylor, out-going Controller, Comedy Commissioning.
BBC1 – Sunday 23rd December @ 6.30pm Repeated on Wednesday 26 December @ 4.20pm
Adapted by Walliams himself with Simon Nye, this 60-minute family comedy tells the story of lonely 12-year-old Chloe (Nell Tiger Free), who invites local tramp Mr Stink (Hugh Bonneville) and his dog Duchess (Pudsey) to hide out in her family’s garden shed.
