These two comics may be from different generations, but they know a funny thing when they see it: they scratch the surface of the hidden life of the eccentric British village, and find a wealth of sports that never feature on Saturday afternoon TV, including cheese rolling, toe wrestling and swamp soccer.
Rory McGrath
Comedy rootsPatrick Rory McGrath was born in Redruth, Cornwall on 17 March 1956. He began writing comedy scripts at the age of 14, and only attended Emmanuel College, Cambridge because he was determined to join the Cambridge Footlights, the comedy society whose past alumni have included John Cleese, Clive Anderson, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Griff Rhys Jones and Alexander Armstrong, amongst others. It was here that he met fellow comedian Jimmy Mulville.
Writing credits
After university, Rory and Jimmy Mulville moved to London, where Griff Rhys-Jones helped to secure them script writing work on BBC radio, for comedians Frankie Howerd and Windsor Davies. This led to writing for popular BBC satire series, Not the Nine O'clock News, as well as work with Rhys Jones, on Alas Smith and Jones. They also wrote the Channel 4 satirical show Who Dares Wins, as well as the successful sit-com Chelmsford 123, which was set in Roman Britain.
Hat Trick
In 1986, Rory, Jimmy Mulville and Denise O’Donohue founded Hat Trick Productions, a British independent television production company which makes comedy programmes like Outnumbered, Father Ted, Room 101, Have I Got News For You and The Armstrong and Miller Show. The company has won more awards for its comedy and entertainment output than any other producer in the history of British broadcasting, except for the BBC. In 1992 Rory was sacked by Jimmy Mulville for allegedly not pulling his weight, and he and Jimmy have not spoken since.
All aboard
In 2005 Rory starred in the BBC’s travelogue series Three Men In a Boat, alongside fellow rowers Griff Rhys Jones and Dara O’Briain, and a very nervous dog called Loli. The series proved very successful, and spawned numerous sequels: Three Men in Another Boat, in January 2008, Three Men in More Than One Boat, in January 2009 and Three Men Go to Ireland, which was first broadcast at Christmas 2009.
Autobiography
Rory published his autobiography, Bearded Tit – A Love Story with Feathers, in May 2008, which details his adolescent love of birds, which developed into a life-long hobby. The book was also serialised by BBC Radio 4.
Paddy McGuinness
Early lifePatrick Joseph McGuinness was born in Farnworth, Bolton on 14 August 1973. Following school he had intended to become a lab technician, but after a Science course he quickly ditched this idea and he tried a number of other jobs, before deciding on a comedy career, including silver-service waiter, supermarket warehouse worker, 18-30 holiday rep and lifeguard.
Paddy and Peter
Whilst still working as a lifeguard in 2000, he was cast as Paddy the bouncer, opposite Peter Kay , in the six-part Channel 4 spoof-documentary, That Peter Kay Thing, and his character went on to feature in both series of the follow-up programme, Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights. He kept the lifeguard job until the second series of Phoenix Nights began filming. Following the huge success of Phoenix Nights, a spin-off show was developed, Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere, featuring Paddy & Peter Kay again as the two bouncers, but this proved less successful and was axed after one series.
Dancing
In 2009, Paddy took part in the charity programme Let’s Dance For Comic Relief, appearing alongside Keith Lemmon in a re-enactment of the Dirty Dancing classic, I've Had The Time Of My Life. Paddy played the Patrick Swayze role, with Keith Lemmon particularly convincing as Jennifer Grey, despite his moustache. Their routine was entirely faithful to the original, and included the famous Dirty Dancing Lift. Paddy & Keith won the public vote in their heat, and went on to place second in the final, losing out to Robert Webb’s impersonation of Jennifer Beals, in Flashdance.
Ladies Man
In April 2008 Paddy was asked by Graham Norton, on BBC3 show, The Wall, whether it was true that he had had more than 1,000 lovers. He denied this, claiming it couldn’t be more than 980. Paddy became engaged to former Miss Liverpool, Christine Martin in December 2009.
Dating
In 2010 Paddy fronted a new dating show on ITV, called Take Me Out, in which Paddy plays cupid to 30 women all looking for Mr Right. In a 21st century twist on the original Blind Date format, an eligible bachelor is lowered onto the stage in front of the women, and they have to make a judgement about his suitability for each of them, based on a series of questions and tasks.
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