Alan Davies

Profession: Comedian and Actor

Biography: Alan Davies is an English stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television presenter known for his role in the mystery crime series Jonathan Creek (1997–2016) and as a regular panelist on the quiz show QI since 2003.

Born in Essex, Davies faced a tough childhood marked by the early loss of his mother at the age of six and enduring abuse from his father. Despite these challenges, he pursued his education, graduating from Bancroft's School to Loughton College of Further Education, where he excelled in O-Levels and A-Levels.

Davies later attended the University of Kent, earning a degree in Drama & Theatre Studies in 1988. He would eventually return to continue his education, achieving a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from Goldsmiths College in 2018.

Launching his stand-up career in 1988, Davies quickly rose to prominence, being named Time Out's Best Young Comic by 1991. His performance at the Edinburgh Festival in 1994 earned him the Critics Award for Comedy, further solidifying his place in the stand-up scene.

His show Urban Trauma went on to be broadcast on BBC One in 1998. After a hiatus, Davies returned to performing stand-up with his 2012 tour titled Life is Pain, which was later televised on Dave.

Davies also built a successful radio and television career that began with hosting duties on Alan's Big One for Radio 1 and various television appearances. His breakout television role came with Jonathan Creek, a part that garnered him a BAFTA and solidified his status in mainstream entertainment as he portrayed the eponymous character from 1997 to 2016.

In radio, he had an eponymous sitcom, The Alan Davies Show, and took on roles in diverse TV dramas like Bob and Rose, The Brief, and Lewis. He also presented television programs such as Alan Davies Après-Ski during the 2014 Winter Olympics, The Dog Rescuers, and the panel show Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled.

In QI, Davies has become a fixture with his natural rapport with hosts Stephen Fry and Sandi Toksvig, achieving a record for the most appearances on the program. He also set another record, this time a Guinness World Record, in 2020 when he pulled the most Christmas crackers in 30 seconds.

As a writer, Davies has authored two books: My Favourite People and Me, 1978–88 in 2009 and Just Ignore Him in 2020, with the latter being a candid recounting of the abuse he faced in his childhood.

On a personal note, Davies married Katie Maskell in 2007, and they have three children together. His passion as an Arsenal F.C. supporter extends to his participation in Arsenal-themed podcasts like It's Up For Grabs Now and The Tuesday Club. Davies is a member of the Labour Party.

Born: March 6, 1966
Birthplace: Loughton, Essex, United Kingdom
Age: 58 years old

Generation: Generation X
Chinese Zodiac: Horse
Star Sign: Pisces