Clive Anderson

Clive Stuart Anderson (born 10 December 1952) is an English television and radio presenter, comedy writer and former barrister. Winner of a British Comedy Award in 1991,[2] Anderson began experimenting with comedy and writing comedic scripts during his 15-year legal career, before starring in Whose Line Is It Anyway? on BBC Radio 4, then later Channel 4. He has also hosted many radio programmes, and made guest appearances on Have I Got News for You, Mock the Week and QI.[3]

Clive Anderson
Anderson at Selwyn May Ball (2008)
Born
Clive Stuart Anderson

(1952-12-10) 10 December 1952[1]
Stanmore, Middlesex, England.
EducationHarrow County School for Boys
Alma materSelwyn College, Cambridge
OccupationComedy author, game show host, barrister, radio presenter, television presenter
Years active1979–present
Known forHosting Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Spouse(s)
Jane Hughes
(
m. 1981)
Children3

Early life

Anderson was educated at Stanburn Primary School and Harrow County School for Boys[4] where his group of friends included Geoffrey Perkins and Michael Portillo. His Scottish father was manager of the Bradford & Bingley's Wembley branch.[5] Anderson attended Selwyn College, Cambridge, where, from 1974 to 1975, he was President of Footlights.[6] He was called to the bar at the Middle Temple in 1976 and became a practising barrister, specialising in criminal law. While still practising law, he continued performing, including taking a show to the Edinburgh Fringe in 1981 with Griff Rhys Jones.[7]

Career

Television

Anderson was involved in the fledgling alternative comedy scene in the early 1980s and was the first act to come on stage at The Comedy Store when it opened in 1979.[8] He made his name as host of the improvised television comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, which ran for 10 series.[9]

Anderson hosted his own chat-show, Clive Anderson Talks Back, on Channel 4, which ran for 10 series. Anderson moved to the BBC in 1996. The show's name was changed to Clive Anderson All Talk and it was aired on BBC One. In one incident in 1997, Anderson interviewed the Bee Gees, and throughout the interview he repeatedly joked about their songs from the Saturday Night Fever era, also referring to their original intended name as 'Les Tosseurs' but his comment, 'you'll always be tossers to me' ultimately prompted the band to walk out of the interview.[10] Anderson once had a glass of water poured over his head by a perturbed Richard Branson, to which Anderson remarked "I'm used to that; I've flown Virgin".[11] He also said to Jeffrey Archer, "Is there no beginning to your talents?" Archer retorted that "The old ones are always the best," for Anderson to reply "Yes, I've read your books." [12] The last series of Clive Anderson All Talk aired in 2001.

He has made ten appearances on Have I Got News for You. He has also frequently appeared on QI. In 2007, he featured as a regular panellist on the ITV comedy show News Knight. One heated exchange on Have I Got News for You occurred when he joked to fellow guest Piers Morgan that the Daily Mirror was now, thanks to Morgan (then its editor), almost as good as The Sun. When asked by Morgan, "What do you know about editing newspapers?", he swiftly replied, "About as much as you do."

In 2005, he presented the short-lived quiz Back in the Day for Channel 4. On 25 February 2008, he started to present Brainbox Challenge, a new game show, for BBC Two. Later that year, he presented a reality TV talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC entitled Maestro, starring eight celebrities. In 2009, Anderson was the television host of the BBC's Last Night of the Proms.

Appearances

Radio

Anderson presents legal show Unreliable Evidence on Radio 4. He also covered the Sunday morning 11 am-1 pm show on BBC Radio 2 through the end of January 2008.[13]

It was announced in April 2008 that Anderson, who had previously filled in for host Ned Sherrin from 2006 until Sherrin's death in 2007, would be taking over as permanent host of Loose Ends.[14] He also hosted six series of Clive Anderson's Chat Room on BBC Radio 2 from 2004–2009. Anderson has appeared on BBC Radio 4's The Unbelievable Truth hosted by David Mitchell.

Anderson also presents the radio show The Guessing Game on BBC Radio Scotland.[15] Anderson has also appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live's Fighting Talk.

Comedy and newspaper writing

Anderson is a comedy sketch writer who has written for Frankie Howerd, Not the Nine O'Clock News, and Griff Rhys Jones and Mel Smith.[8] One of his early comedy writing projects was Black Cinderella Two Goes East with Rory McGrath for BBC Radio 4 in 1978. As well as writing comedy, Anderson is also a frequent contributor to newspapers, and was a regular columnist for The Sunday Correspondent.[9]

Personal life

Anderson lives in Highbury, North London, with his wife, Jane, with whom he has three children. His daughter Flora is a comedian.

He supports Arsenal,[16] Rangers[17] and Albion Rovers and is President of the Woodland Trust[18] and Vice Patron of the Solicitors' Benevolent Association.

He also has a holiday home in Dalmally, Argyll.

Awards

The show Whose Line is it Anyway? won a BAFTA award in 1990.[19] Later, Anderson won both the "Top Entertainment Presenter" and "Top Radio Comedy Personality" at the British Comedy Awards in 1991.[20]

gollark: I don't like that sort of mod, because it removes your choice if you want to keep up with other people's power levels.
gollark: I'm aware.
gollark: I don't really like it. I vaguely remember reading it was a joke mod but then pack makers kept taking it seriously.
gollark: No, I mean fix controls manually.
gollark: I tend to just do them manually.

References
  1. comedygigs.co.uk. "Clive Anderson | Band | Gig Listings - Artist Listed on Comedy Gigs". www.comedygigs.co.uk. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  2. Clive Anderson awards at IMDb Retrieved 27 August 2007
  3. Clive Anderson at BBC Radio 4 Retrieved 27 August 2007
  4. Maynard, Jeff. "Some Gaytonians". Virtual Gaytonian. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  5. What Became of the Bank Manager?, BBC Radio 4, 22 November 2009
  6. "Footlights: Alumni". Cambridge Footlights. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  7. Anderson, Clive (11 August 2017). "Clive Anderson: how much has actually changed in my 40 years at the Fringe?". What's On Stage. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  8. "Clive Anderson's Chat Room". BBC Radio 2. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  9. "UKTV G2 Stars: Profile: Clive Anderson". UKTV Interactive Limited. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  10. "Five stars that walked out of their interviews and never came back - BBC Newsbeat". BBC Newsbeat. 8 February 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  11. "Clive Anderson Profile | Have I Got News for You | Dave Channel". dave.uktv.co.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  12. Cavendish, Dominic (5 August 2014). "Clive Anderson: 'For most people, I have ceased to exist!'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  13. "Unreliable Evidence". BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  14. Dowell, Ben (7 April 2008). "Anderson goes full time on Radio 4's Loose Ends". London: MediaGuardian. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  15. "BBC Radio Scotland – The Guessing Game". BBC.
  16. "Arsenal's A to Z: Famous fans". Arsenal Broadband Limited. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  17. McIver, Brian (4 April 2012). "Funnyman Clive Anderson admits he'd love to buy in to Rangers". Daily Record. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  18. "New advocate for native woodland: Woodland Trust welcomes Clive Anderson as president". The Woodland Trust. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  19. "Television and Television Craft Awards winners and nominees" (Pdf). British Academy of Film and Television Arts. p. 36. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  20. "Past winners: 1991". Michael Hurll Television. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
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