Lee Hurst (comedian)

Infobox Comedian


name = Lee Hurst
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birth_place = Tower Hamlets, United Kingdom
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nationality = British
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notable_work = "They Think It's All Over"
website =
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Lee Hurst, born in Tower Hamlets,cite web
title =Comedian's mayoral ambition | work = | publisher =BBC News | date =3 October 2003 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3160102.stm | accessdate = 2007-09-06 ] London in 1962, is a stand-up comedian who ran his own club, "Lee Hurst's Backyard Comedy Club", in Bethnal Green in London's East End until it closed on 17 November 2007. The club since reopened under the name "The FymFigBar", with Lee Hurst compèring most Saturday evenings.

They Think It's All Over

Lee first became known to television viewers as a regular team member on the BBC comedy sports quiz "They Think It's All Over". He appeared alongside David Gower from the first episode on September 14, 1995 for the first six series until 1998. He returned for one appearance a guest towards the end of its run for series 17 in 2004.

Other television credits

Lee’s other TV credits include presenting "Shark Tank", "Salvage Squad" and "The Warehouse", and guest appearances on "That’s Showbusiness", "The Stand Up Show" and "Have I Got News For You". He has also popped up as a regular panellist on "Don’t Give Up Your Day Job". Lee also fronted ITV's short-lived revival of the entertainment show "Saturday Live", which included comedians such as Alan Parker, Urban Warrior and a then just starting out Harry Hill.

Writing credits

Lee has also written for other comedians. He was one of a number of writers for a one-off programme, in 1984, featuring David Copperfield, "The Copperfield Comedy Company". [cite web
title ="The Copperfield Comedy Company"
work =
publisher =BBC - Comedy Guide
date =2003
url =http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/c/copperfieldcomed_1299000749.shtml
accessdate = 2007-09-06 ]

Radio credits

On radio, Lee has guested on "The Steve Wright Show", "Euromix", "Two Men and a Transmitter" and "The Robert Elms Show". He was team captain on "Hold The Front Page". He also presented "Wriggling with Eels", a study of Cockney comedians for BBC Radio 4. [cite web
title ="Wriggling with Eels"
work =
publisher =BBC - Radio 4
date =2006
url =http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/archivehour/pip/rr3kg/
accessdate = 2007-09-06 ]

Recent years

In recent years he reduced his TV appearances to allow more time for running his comedy club before its closure. The club since reopened under the name "The FymFigBar", with Lee Hurst compèring most Saturday evenings.

Outside comedy

In 1999, Lee was voted no.48 in "Company" magazine's "100 Millennium Men" – tagged as a list of 'The Sexiest Men of the Century'. [cite web
title =Company's Top 100 Men
work =('The Sexiest Men of the Century')
publisher =BBC News - Entertainment
date =1999
url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/355118.stm
accessdate = 2007-09-06 ]

In 2003, he was considering standing as a candidate in the 2004 election for the Mayor of London. A proposed redevelopment which would have seen his club demolished was one of the factors behind his decision.

Ironically Lee, along with Antler Homes, is the subject of protests in the Kent village of Loose over a planning application to demolish a house with ' A mystery owner' in the Loose Conservation Area and replace it with a number of Executive homes. The argument is that, having been left to deteriorate for some years, the site is now Brownfields, thus sidestepping the conservation regulations. Although rejected twice the application goes to appeal during June 2008.

He is a supporter of East London football club West Ham United, although in his 1997 standup tour, he openly admitted to not knowing anything about football, despite having appeared on They Think It's All Over

Hurst suffers from a severe form of arthritis called ankylosing spondylitis, a hereditary condition which causes acute back and joint pain. [cite web
title =Probe into arthritis pain
work =(Specifically: ankylosing spondylitis)
publisher =BBC News
date =24 August 2002
url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2166812.stm
accessdate = 2007-09-06 ] However, this was not the reason for his departure from "They Think it's all over."Fact|date=August 2007

List of credits

Television

*1995-1998 They Think It's All Over, (BBC), 42 episodes, 6 series
*1996 Saturday Live (ITV), 6 episodes [ [http://www.speakers-uk.com/profile.phtml?id=320&act_id=4&sid=82 Lee Hurst> Speakers UK]
*2002 Salvage Squad, Channel 4, (series 1)
*Have I Got News For You, (BBC), 2 appearances (1994, 1995), on Ian Hislop's team

Writing

*1997-2000 Bring Me the Head of Light Entertainment (creator), Five, five series

References

External links

* [http://www.leehurst.com Lee Hurst's 'Backyard Comedy Club' website]