Clive Anderson

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Clive Anderson bigraphy, stories - Television Presenter, Lawyer

Clive Anderson : biography

10 December 1952 –

Clive Anderson (born 10 December 1952) is a British radio and television presenter and comedy writer who was formerly a barrister. Winner of a British Comedy Award in 1991,Clive Anderson at IMDB Retrieved 27 August 2007 Anderson began experimenting with comedy and writing comedic scripts during his 15-year law career, before starring in Whose Line Is It Anyway? on BBC Radio 4, then later Channel 4. He has also been successful with a number of radio programmes, television interviews and guest appearances on Have I Got News for You, Mock the Week and QI. at BBC Radio 4 Retrieved 27 August 2007 He has also recently appeared on Alexander Armstrong’s TV panel show ‘Alexander Armstrong’s Big Ask’

Personal life

Anderson lives in Highbury, north London, with his wife and three children; Isabella, Flora and Edmund. He supports Arsenal, and Rangers FC and is President of the Woodland Trust and Vice Patron of the Solicitors’ Benevolent Association.http://www.sba.org.uk He also has a holiday home in Dalmally, Argyll.

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. He made his name as host of the improvised television comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, which ran for 10 series.

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 and the show’s name changed to Clive Anderson All Talk and was aired on BBC One. In one famous incident in 1997, Anderson interviewed the Bee Gees, and throughout the interview he repeatedly joked about their life and career, ultimately prompting them to walk out. Anderson once had a glass of water poured over his head by a perturbed Richard Branson. He also famously asked Jeffrey Archer, "Is there no beginning to your talents?" Archer retorted that "The old jokes are always the best," for Anderson to reply "Yes, I’ve read your books!" The last series of Clive Anderson All Talk aired in 2001.

He has been a frequent participant on Have I Got News for You, making ten appearances in total. He has also frequently appeared on QI. In 2007, he featured as a regular panellist on the ITV comedy show News Knight. One of his most memorable exchanges on HIGNFY occurred when he scathingly 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."

As a journalist for the BBC, he travelled around the world looking at problems "in out-of-the-way places," though mostly arguing about whether they could film there. Our Man in… featured episodes on monkeywrenching in American logging and 419 scams in Nigeria.

In 2005 he presented the short-lived Celador panel game, Back in the Day for Channel 4.

In January 2008, he appeared on the second episode of Thank God You’re Here and won.

On 25 February 2008, he started presenting Brainbox Challenge, a new game show, for BBC Two.

In 2008, he presented a reality TV talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC entitled Maestro, starring eight celebrities who are "famous amateurs with a passion for classical music."

In 2009, Anderson was the television host of the BBC’s Last Night of the Proms.

TV presenting

Shows he has presented include:

  • Clive Anderson Talks Back
  • Our Man in…
  • Whose Line Is It Anyway?
  • Discovery Mastermind
  • Back in the Day
  • Clive Anderson All Talk
  • Brainbox Challenge
  • Maestro
  • The Funny Side of…

Radio