Tom Allen (comedian)

Tom Allen (born 14 June 1983) is an English comedian, actor, and writer, known for his hyperbolic comedy. In 2005, Allen won the So You Think You're Funny contest.[1]

Tom Allen
Born (1983-06-14) 14 June 1983
Bromley, Greater London, England
EducationNational Youth Theatre
OccupationComedian, actor, writer
Known forBake Off: The Professionals
The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice
So You Think You're Funny
Websitehttps://www.tomindeed.com

Early life and education

Allen attended Coopers School in Chislehurst, south east London. He trained with the National Youth Theatre, performing with the company in London and Manchester, in addition to working on outreach projects, films and also forming part of their Company Management Team.

Career

Comedian

In 2005, at the age of 22, Allen won the UK comedy newcomer award, So You Think You're Funny. The same year, he won the BBC New Comedy Award. In 2016, he supported Sarah Millican on her sold-out tour of Australia, New Zealand and the UK. He has also supported Josh Widdicombe, Romesh Ranganathan and Michael McIntyre.

After a sell-out run of his show Indeed at the Edinburgh Festival in 2016, he returned to The Pleasance in Edinburgh the following year with his show Absolutely. Allen subsequently embarked on his first solo tour around the UK in September 2017, and extended the tour into 2018, including two London runs at the Soho Theatre.

Film

Allen's film work includes Colour Me Kubrick with John Malkovich, Starter for Ten with James McAvoy and Mark Gatiss and Tamara Drewe.

Television

In 1990, Tom and his on-screen wife Suzi Ruffell landed the starring roles of Rosie & Jim in the British children's show of that name. Tom and Suzi spent 10 years trapped on the Old Rag Doll canal boat, before Suzi staged a daring escape.

In 2009, Allen appeared on Channel 4's weekly TNT Show, writing and presenting Dictionary Corner. He also appeared on Law of the Playground for the same broadcaster.

For the BBC, he has appeared in the series Sensitive Skin and The Cut, as well as biopics of Fanny Cradock (Fear of Fanny) and Frankie Howerd (Rather You Than Me). In 2008, Allen made his own documentary about identity for E4, titled Who Is Tom Allen?.[2]

In August 2015 and March 2016, Allen appeared on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown as a Dictionary Corner guest. In October 2016, he appeared as a guest on BBC2's The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice, and in January 2017, he made his debut on Live at the Apollo in an episode hosted by Sarah Millican. The following month, he appeared as a panellist on The Dog Ate My Homework. In July 2017, he appeared on a celebrity special version of gameshow The Crystal Maze[3] and – an hour later the same night – on Mock the Week.[4]

He has also appeared on Big Brother’s Big Mouth and Big Brother’s Little Brother.

In 2018, Allen appeared on the BBC One comedy quiz show Ready or Not. He currently co-hosts Bake Off: The Professionals with former contestant from The Great British Bake Off Liam Charles, and joined the 2018 series of The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice as a regular contributor.

In 2019 it was announced that he would become the new host of The Apprentice: You're Fired!, taking over from Rhod Gilbert.[5]

2020 saw Allen compete on Richard Osman's House of Games[6], alongside Chizzy Akudolu, Charlie Higson, and Kate Williams [7]. He also made two appearances on QI in the same year.

Radio

Allen has co-written and recorded two series of The Correspondent for BBC Radio 4. In 2009, he made guest appearances on Loose Ends and The Richard Bacon Show.

He took the lead role of young Pip Bin in the BBC Radio 4 comedy Bleak Expectations, which has so far run to five series (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012), co-starring with Anthony Head and Richard Johnson.

In 2008, he recorded a radio adaptation of The Wooden Overcoat with Julia Davis and David Tennant, written by Mark Gatiss.

Allen has also guested as a panellist on BBC Radio 4's Just a Minute, in August 2015 and February 2017.[8]

Doctor Who audio

Allen portrayed Oliver Harper, the travelling companion of the First Doctor and Steven Taylor during a limited three-story arc in the Big Finish Productions audio dramas based on the Doctor Who series. His character is a city trader from 1966, who joined the First Doctor and Taylor in the audio plays The Perpetual Bond, The Cold Equations and The First Wave. Harper was the first ongoing companion created for the Companion Chronicles range.

Podcast

Since October 2015, Allen has co-hosted the podcast Like Minded Friends with comedian Suzi Ruffell.[9] He also guested on Ruffell's other podcast, Out with Suzi Ruffell[10]

Awards and nominations for stand-up comedy
gollark: The quality is a problem for you however.
gollark: On fixed 40-hour-a-week contracts mostly.
gollark: Besides: you can mostly just ignore it and do other things while it boils.
gollark: Can most people take on arbitrary short term work like that?
gollark: … a quarter of an hour or so?

References
  1. Trickett, Amanda (20 August 2008). "Tom Allen: A Voyage Round My Mother". Metro. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  2. Guide, British Comedy. "Who Is Tom Allen? - E4 Comedy - British Comedy Guide". British Comedy Guide.
  3. The Crystal Maze: Celebrity Specials via 26 july 2017 snapshot at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Mock the Week - Series 16: Episode 6" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  5. "The Apprentice: You're Fired replaces Rhod Gilbert as host". Digital Spy. 12 August 2019.
  6. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b094mjv0
  7. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8581952/
  8. "Just a Minute - Available now - BBC Radio 4". BBC.
  9. "Like Minded Friends with Tom Allen & Suzi Ruffell on acast". acast. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
  10. "Out with Suzi Ruffell: S1 EP4: Tom Allen on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
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