Jump to content

David Mitchell (comedian)

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 195.34.146.3 (talk) at 18:46, 21 November 2022. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

David Mitchell
Mitchell in 2009
Born
David James Stuart Mitchell

(1974-07-14) 14 July 1974 (age 50)
NationalityBritish
EducationAbingdon School
Alma materPeterhouse, Cambridge
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • actor
  • writer
  • television personality
Years active1995–present
Spouse
(m. 2012)
Children1

David James Stuart Mitchell (born 14 July 1974)[2][3] is a British comedian, actor, writer and television personality. He is part of the comedy duo Mitchell and Webb, alongside Robert Webb.

Mitchell and Webb starred in the Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show, in which Mitchell plays Mark Corrigan. Mitchell won the British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy Performance in 2009 for his performance. The duo have written and starred in several sketch shows including Bruiser, The Mitchell and Webb Situation, That Mitchell and Webb Sound and also That Mitchell and Webb Look. The pair also starred in the UK version of Apple's "Get a Mac" advertising campaign. Their first film, Magicians, was released in 2007. In 2013, the duo starred in the short-lived TV series Ambassadors. Since 2017, Mitchell has starred in the Channel 4 comedy-drama Back, alongside Webb.

Mitchell starred as Owen in Think the Unthinkable, and in the Ben Elton-penned BBC Two historical comedy Upstart Crow (2016–), playing the central character William Shakespeare.

Mitchell is a frequent participant on British panel shows, being a team captain on Would I Lie to You?, the host of The Unbelievable Truth on BBC Radio 4, and the former host of The Bubble and Was It Something I Said?, as well as guesting on other panel shows including QI, The Big Fat Quiz of the Year, Mock the Week, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Have I Got News for You. He was also a co-host of the comedy news programme 10 O'Clock Live. As a writer, Mitchell contributes comment articles to the British newspapers The Observer and The Guardian.

Early life

Mitchell was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, to Ian Douglas Mitchell and Kathryn Grey Mitchell (née Hughes),[2] who were, at that time, hotel managers. In 1977, when Mitchell was two years old, his parents gave up their jobs to lecture in hotel management, which gave them more time to look after him.[3] He attended Napier House Primary School.[citation needed] He is the older of two boys, his brother Daniel being born when David was seven.[1][4] The family moved to Oxford, where Mitchell's parents became lecturers at Oxford Polytechnic, now Oxford Brookes University.[3][4] Mitchell attended New College School, which is an independent preparatory school in the city. In a 2006 interview with The Independent, Mitchell stated his childhood dreams:

When I was at school I either wanted to be a comedian-stroke-actor or prime minister. But I didn't admit that to other people, I said I wanted to be a barrister and that made my parents very happy. I didn't admit I wanted to be a comedian until I came to university, met a lot of other people who wanted to be comedians, and realised it was an okay thing to say.[5]

Abingdon School, Oxfordshire

From the age of thirteen, Mitchell was educated at Abingdon School, a public school in Oxfordshire. Having always been top of the class at primary school and prep school, once he moved to Abingdon, he realised that there were plenty of people more intelligent than he was, so he turned his attention to debating and drama, "where [he] had a chance of being the best".[4] There, Mitchell often took part in plays, "largely because you got to play cards backstage."[5] His roles mainly consisted of small minute-long parts, until he won the role of Rabbit in Winnie-the-Pooh. This was the first time that he was "consciously aware I was doing a performance" and that that "was better, even, than playing cards."[5] Mitchell had been "obsessed" with comedy writing since his school days, as he "always felt that doing a joke was the cleverest thing", and "would intrinsically prefer a parody of something to the actual thing itself".[6]

Education

Rejected by Merton College, Oxford,[7] in 1993, Mitchell went to Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he studied history.[3] There, he began performing with the Cambridge Footlights, of which he became President[8] for the 1995–96 academic year.[9]

Mitchell was in his first year at university when he met Robert Webb during rehearsals for a Footlights production of Cinderella, in 1993, and the two men soon established a comedy partnership.[10] According to Mitchell, these factors had a detrimental effect on his academic performance at university and he attained a 2:2 in his final exams.[6]

Career

Early work and Peep Show

Before his break into comedy, Mitchell worked as an usher at the Lyric Hammersmith theatre,[citation needed] and in the cloakroom of TFI Friday among other jobs.[11]

"We have superficial differences and underlying similarities. We pretty much agree about what we think is funny. But we come across differently. We get on really. And together we're greater than the sum of our parts."
— Mitchell describing his partnership with Webb[4]

Mitchell's first project with Webb was in January 1995, a show about a nuclear apocalypse[12] entitled Innocent Millions Dead or Dying: A Wry Look at the Post-Apocalyptic Age.[13] Webb later described it as being "fucking terrible".[10] After leaving university he and Webb began performing a number of two-man shows at the Edinburgh Fringe.[6]

As a result of their performances at the Edinburgh Fringe, the duo were given the chance to write for Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller and for series two of Big Train.[8] After minor work on The Jack Docherty Show and Comedy Nation,[14] their first break into television acting was in 2000, on the short-lived BBC sketch show Bruiser, which they primarily wrote, and starred in. The show also featured future Academy Award and BAFTA winner Olivia Colman, who would become a regular cast member of Mitchell and Webb projects, and Martin Freeman, later of The Office fame. Other cast members included Matthew Holness and Charlotte Hudson. Additional material for the show was provided by various people, including Ricky Gervais and James Bachman.[15]

In 2001 the two men were commissioned for a sketch show of their own, entitled The Mitchell and Webb Situation, which ran for six episodes on the now defunct channel Play UK.[8] The show was reasonably well received. Wessex Scene's Darren Richman said "what the series lacked in budget, it made up for in magnificent material" and went on to call it "far superior to the vastly overrated Little Britain" and "perhaps the greatest forgotten sketch show of modern times."[6] Eureka! TV, which released The Mitchell and Webb Situation on DVD in 2005, said that the show "gushes forth an hilarious stream of surreal and quirkily inventive sketches", as well as calling it a "cult success".[16] In the interview with Wessex Scene, Mitchell stated that he was "more proud of the way it turned out than annoyed that it was only aired on a small channel."[6]

Mitchell and Webb's next project came in 2003, with starring roles in the Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show, as flatmates Mark Corrigan and Jeremy Usbourne respectively.[17] The show originated from writers Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain's failed attempt to complete a team-written sitcom for the BBC; they had an old script that they wanted to revive and Mitchell and Webb helped out, with it eventually evolving into Peep Show.[5] Despite low viewing figures (which almost got the show cancelled after series three)[18] the show was received to wide critical acclaim.[14] The British Sitcom Guide called it "without a doubt one of the best sitcoms of the decade."[17] Ricky Gervais has been cited as saying "the last thing I got genuinely excited about on British TV was Peep Show, which I thought was the best sitcom since Father Ted".[19] The BBC hailed Mitchell's performance in the series, citing that "As Mark Corrigan, David reached out to all those middle-aged men in a twentysomething's body, who believe drugs are boring and systems are necessary if society is to function at all."[8] Mitchell has stated that he empathises with Mark and enjoys playing him and that he "agrees with many of [Mark's] opinions."[6] Peep Show aired for nine series, which makes it the longest-running sitcom in Channel 4 history.[20]

In 2009, Mitchell won the British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy Performance for his work on Peep Show, after having lost in the same category the year before.[21][22] He was nominated again in 2010.[23] He won the award "Best Television Comedy Actor" at the 2007 British Comedy Awards,[24] and the pair shared the 2007 Royal Television Society Award for "Comedy Performance".[25] They were also jointly nominated for "Best Television Comedy Actor" at the 2006 British Comedy Awards.[26] Peep Show itself has also won the BAFTA for "Best situation comedy" in 2008,[27] and the British Comedy Award for "Best TV comedy" in 2006,[28] and retained it the following year.[24] It also won "Best TV Comedy" at the South Bank Show Awards,[19] and claimed a Golden Rose in 2004.[29]

Other Mitchell and Webb projects

Two men in torn clothes stand on a stage: the man on the left is wearing a long coat and has a hat on, the man on the right wears a chequered hat, a string vest, jacket and orange trousers
Mitchell (right) as "Ginger" on stage with Robert Webb during a performance of their The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb stage tour

After the success of Peep Show, Mitchell and Webb returned to sketch comedy with their BBC Radio 4 sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Sound, which ran for five series. The show was adapted for television and became That Mitchell and Webb Look. Producer Gareth Edwards described it as "the shortest pitch [he had] ever written".[10][30] The show ran for four series.[31] Towards the end of 2006 the pair made their first tour, with a show called The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb.[32] The tour was criticised as just "a succession of largely unrelated scenes" by The Guardian's Brian Logan, who gave it a rating of two stars.[33]

That Mitchell and Webb Look won them the BAFTA for Best Comedy Programme or Series at the 2007 awards,[34] and they earned a further nomination for it in 2009.[35] It was nominated for two British Comedy Awards in 2006: Britain's Best New TV Comedy and the Highland Spring People's Choice.[26] Their stage tour The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb was nominated for the British Comedy Award for Best Stage Comedy,[26] and That Mitchell and Webb Sound won a Sony Silver Award.[36]

Their first film, Magicians, was released on 18 May 2007. It was directed by Andrew O'Connor and written by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain.[37] Mitchell played the role of a magician named Harry.[29] Later in 2007, the pair recorded a pilot BBC Radio 2 sitcom entitled Daydream Believers, in which Mitchell played Ray, a science-fiction writer.[38] The show was previously a one-off television pilot from Channel 4's Comedy Lab, and also starred Mitchell and Webb.[39]

Mitchell and Webb's first comedy book, This Mitchell and Webb Book, was published in 2009.[40] A second book is in preparation.[41] They also wrote and filmed Playing Shop, a comedy television pilot for BBC2 about two men who operate a business out of their shed.[42] Although the BBC commissioners were happy with it, Mitchell and Webb scrapped it themselves, as they felt it was too similar to Peep Show. A new pilot had been commissioned,[43] but the plan was later shelved.[44] Mitchell and Webb voiced a robotic duo in the Doctor Who episode "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship" in 2012.[45]

In 2007 the duo fronted the UK version of Apple Inc.'s "Get a Mac" adverts, with Mitchell playing PC.[46] The adverts received much criticism. Writing in The Guardian, Charlie Brooker claimed that the use of Mitchell and Webb in the adverts was a curious choice. He compared the characters of PC and Mac in the adverts to those of Mark and Jeremy in Peep Show, stating that "when you see the ads, you think, 'PCs are a bit rubbish yet ultimately lovable, whereas Macs are just smug, preening tossers.'"[47] The British Sitcom Guide also criticised the pair for "selling their souls".[30] One journalist called the adverts "worse than not funny", and accused Mitchell and Webb of "an act of grave betrayal" for taking corporate work.[48] In an interview with The Telegraph, Robert Webb responded to the duo's critics, stating that "when someone asks, 'Do you want to do some funny ads for not many days in the year and be paid more than you would be for an entire series of Peep Show?' the answer, obviously, is, 'Yeah, that's fine.'"[48] In the same interview, Mitchell also said: "I don't see what is morally inconsistent with a comedian doing an advert. It's all right to sell computers, isn't it? Unless you think that capitalism is evil – which I don't. It's not like we're helping to flog a baby-killing machine."[48]

In 2005, the duo were placed ninth on a list of the United Kingdom's best television talent,[49] and were named twelfth in a Radio Times list of the most powerful people in television comedy.[50]

Solo acting, presenting and writing

As well as his work alongside Webb, Mitchell has appeared on his own in several shows. He played technical expert Owen in the Radio 4 sitcom Think the Unthinkable in 2001.[8] He played the surgeon Dr Toby Stephens in the BBC2 sitcom Doctors and Nurses.[8] In 2005 he played Kate's hapless secretary Tim in the BBC's updating of The Taming of The Shrew in its ShakespeaRe-Told series.[51] Mitchell appeared as various roles on the Channel 4 sketch programme Blunder. The show was not well received, with the British Sitcom Guide naming it as the worst thing that Mitchell did in all of 2006 in their "British Sitcom Awards" of that year.[30] He portrayed the recurring character of Dr. James Vine in the BBC sitcom Jam and Jerusalem.[52] Mitchell had a small part in the film I Could Never Be Your Woman, playing an English writer, also named David.[19] While in Los Angeles to record the part he decided that he did not like the area much, and preferred filming in Britain.[4]

He wrote series five of the BBC2 impressionist sketch show Dead Ringers,[53] and voiced Mitch in the Disney animated series Phineas and Ferb.[54] He also narrated the reality show Beauty and the Geek.[8] Following the success of Channel 4's Alternative Election Night in 2010, which Mitchell hosted with Jimmy Carr, Charlie Brooker and Lauren Laverne, the four presented 10 O'Clock Live, a series of live shows looking at the week's affairs. Mitchell has a solo segment entitled Listen to Mitchell. The show ran for three series.[55]

Mitchell has presented four series of the online video show David Mitchell's Soapbox, a series of short monologues co-written with John Finnemore for ChannelFlip. In these monologues Mitchell has criticised a variety of subjects, including the BBC show Doctor Who[56] and 3D television.[57] Matt Warman of The Daily Telegraph suggested that the series could be a sign that new comedy will increasingly become available online, rather than on television.[58] The series has been released on DVD.[59]

He provided the voiceover for a £1 million government advert for FRANK, warning of the dangers of cocaine, as "Pablo the Drug Mule Dog";[60] and also for the Driving Standards Agency's "The Highway Code".[61] He writes columns for The Observer and The Guardian.[62] He also took part in Channel 4's Comedy Gala, a benefit show held in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital at the O2 Arena.[63] In October 2009, Mitchell signed a deal with HarperCollins and its imprint Fourth Estate to write a volume of memoirs and a novel. The memoirs, Back Story: A Memoir, was published in October 2012 with the novel scheduled for 2013.[64][65][66]

Mitchell plays William Shakespeare in all three series of the sitcom Upstart Crow, the first series of which was broadcast in 2016 as part of the celebrations of the 400th anniversary of the playwright's death.[67]

Stage

Mitchell made his stage debut in Ben Elton's The Upstart Crow which premiered in London in February 2020 at the Gielgud Theatre. He played the part of Shakespeare as in the television series Upstart Crow which inspired the play.[68]

Panel shows

Mitchell has become a regular participant on many panel shows, leading The Independent's James Rampton to christen him "if not king, then certainly prince regent of the panel games."[19] Mitchell is a team captain on the BBC panel show Would I Lie To You?, opposite Lee Mack. The show has run since 2007, now airing in its fifteenth series.[69] Since 2006, he has hosted 20 series of The Unbelievable Truth, a panel game on BBC Radio 4.[70] The inaugural episode of Was It Something I Said?, a panel comedy show that Mitchell hosts, was broadcast on Channel 4 in October 2013.[71]

He was a team captain on the Channel 4 comedy quiz show Best of the Worst, opposite Johnny Vaughan.[72] Mitchell has also hosted ten episodes of Have I Got News For You.[73] Mitchell hosted the panel show The Bubble.[74][75] He hosted the second week of Channel 4's FAQ U, and appeared as himself in an episode of Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive, a panel show parody.[8] He also appeared as one of the participants on the Channel 4 show TV Heaven, Telly Hell,[76] and has appeared on several episodes of Question Time.[77] Other appearances include QI, Have I Got News for You, Mock the Week, Just a Minute, Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive and 8 Out of 10 Cats,[8] as well as appearances on The Big Fat Quiz of the Year in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016,[78] 2017,[79] 2018 and 2020. In a 2007 interview with Digital Spy, Mitchell stated that he enjoyed panel shows, as they are "a game worth playing".[3] He then further explained his appreciation of the panel format by challenging criticism from Fast Show co-creator Charlie Higson, who stated in September 2013 that panel comedies were overtaking television programming at the expense of sketch shows and sitcoms:

There was a quote from Catherine Zeta-Jones about playing golf with her husband Michael Douglas. We essentially all started to imagine the scene of the two of them playing golf and that was very enjoyable and turned into a really fun bit of TV. It is moments like that which, for me, justify the existence of panel shows because no-one would ever have written those words. It purely came out of that combination of people which proves panel shows can produce funny TV in a way you could never write into a sitcom or a sketch show and thereby justifies its place on screen. I think it is a great form of entertainment and we shouldn't lose sight of that.[71]

The Radio Times named him "The Best Comedy Panel Show Guest" in the world, stating that "he's incredibly, disgustingly witty" and "even starting to make Paul Merton look slow on the uptake".[80]

Following his BAFTA win, Mitchell was ranked at No. 53 in the 2009 MediaGuardian 100, an annual ranking of media people in The Guardian. In reference to his ubiquitous presence in broadcast and print media, The Guardian's writer called him "the go-to funnyman of the moment".[14] In their entry for Peep Show on their list of "The top 50 TV shows of the Noughties", The Times labelled Mitchell "a national institution".[81]

Influences

Mitchell's favourite actor is Sir Alec Guinness,[82] and he lists Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers and Peter Cook as his comedy idols.[6] Additionally, following the death of British actor Richard Briers in February 2013, Mitchell revealed that whenever he has acted he "always hoped to be something like him".[83] Mitchell has also identified Morecambe and Wise, Monty Python and The Two Ronnies as highly influential on his career.[10]

Personal life

Because Mitchell's Merseyside-born father's family were from Scotland[84] and his mother is Welsh, Mitchell considers himself British rather than English.[85] He explored his ancestry in an episode of the television programme Who Do You Think You Are?, discovering his connection to the Gaelic scholars John Forbes and Alexander Robert Forbes.[86] On 7 August 2014, Mitchell was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian expressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom in September's referendum on that issue.[87] Mitchell's participation in the open letter follows a May 2011 column in The Observer, in which he concludes that "If Scotland ever goes it alone ... the British will have lost their country".[88]

Mitchell has often joked about his personal life in interviews. In 2005, he stated that he had "been in so many situations when I've just said nothing to someone I've fancied".[6] He later added that "I'm sort of all right on my own. I don't want it to be forever, but the fundamental thing is I'm all right alone."[4] For many years he lived in Kilburn, London, as the flatmate of novelist Robert Hudson.[89] In 2006, he was best man at Robert Webb's wedding to Abigail Burdess.[90][4]

He first met broadcaster Victoria Coren at Jonathan Ross's annual Halloween party in 2007 and was "completely smitten". She decided to pursue someone else and he pined for her but in December 2010 they began dating.[91][92] In March 2012, their engagement was announced in The Times,[93] and they married on 17 November 2012 with Robert Webb as his best man.[94] In May 2015, Coren announced the birth of their daughter.[95]

He remains interested in history and said in an interview with The Observer that "I can see myself in a few years' time joining the National Trust and going round the odd castle. I think I might find that restful as the anger of middle age sets in".[96] In his interview on Parkinson he said that if he could go back in time to do one thing, it would be to go to the building of Stonehenge, to ask them "why they were bothering".[97]

He is a cricket and snooker fan,[98][99][100] and also plays squash and tennis.[10] He does not drive.[101][102] He is an agnostic.[103]

Mitchell walks for an hour daily to help a bad back and has lost weight as a result, but he "probably [has] quite a bad diet" and "probably drinks too much".[104] He describes himself as a worrier.[105][106]

Beyond the realm of film and television, Mitchell cites Evelyn Waugh among his favourite authors.[65] He appeared on the radio programme Desert Island Discs.[107] Mitchell has revealed that he once attended a Shirley Bassey concert and that he owns just two CDs: Phil Collins's ... But Seriously and Susan Boyle's I Dreamed a Dream.[108]

Credits

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2007 Magicians Harry First starring role
I Could Never Be Your Woman David
2015 Up All Night Policeman
2017 Gun Shy John Hardigger
2019 Greed Nick Morris

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1997 The Jack Docherty Show Various characters Also writer
1998 Comedy Nation
2000 Bruiser Also writer; appeared in all six episodes
2001 Fun at the Funeral Parlour Strachan Episode 1.4: "The Mountains of Doom"
The Mitchell and Webb Situation Various characters Also writer; appeared in all six episodes
Comedy Lab Ray Daydream Believers: "Brand New Beamer"; later adapted into a radio one-off
2002 TLC 1950s patient Episode 1.6: "Agency Nurse"
2003 The Strategic Humor Initiative Various characters
2003–2015 Peep Show Mark Corrigan Longest running role;
Won – British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actor in 2007
Nominated – BAFTA for Best Comedy Performance in 2008
Won – BAFTA for Best Comedy Performance in 2009[109]
Nominated – BAFTA for Male Performance in a Comedy Role in 2010, 2011
2004 Doctors and Nurses Dr Toby Stephens
2005 Twisted Tales Ray Episode 1.9: "Nothing to Fear"; also writer
All About George Jed Episode 1.3
Dirty tricks Penguin Episode 1.5
Look Around You Pat Taylor Episode 2.6: "Live Final"
ShakespeaRe-Told Tim Agnew Episode 1.3: The Taming of the Shrew
2006 Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive 'Himself' Episode 1.1
2006–2009 Jam & Jerusalem Dr James Vine Appeared in 12 episodes
2006–2010 That Mitchell and Webb Look Various characters Also writer;
Won – BAFTA for Best Comedy Programme or Series in 2007; nominated 2009
Two British Comedy Award nominations
2006 Blunder Also writer
2009–2012 Phineas and Ferb Mitch Two episodes
2010 Playing Shop Also writer, unaired pilot.
2011 How TV Ruined Your Life 'Himself' Episode 1.6
2011–2012 The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff Jolliforth Jollington Two episodes
2012 Doctor Who Robot (voice) Episode 7.2: "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship"
2013 Ambassadors Keith Davis[110]
2014 The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm Harold Haggerstone TV film
2015 Harry Hill in Professor Branestawm Returns
2016– Upstart Crow William Shakespeare Sitcom
2016– Peppa Pig Police Officer Panda Animated series
2017–2021 Back Stephen Also executive producer
2021 Hey Duggee Spaceship Computer (voice) Animated series. In the episode The Action Hero Badge.
2021 The Cleaner Terence Redford Episode 1.2

Non-fictional appearances

Radio

Year Title Role Notes
2001 Until Morning BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play
2001–2005 Think the Unthinkable Owen 4 series
2003–2013 That Mitchell and Webb Sound Various 5 series; also writer
2006 Vent John Dee
2007 Daydream Believers Ray BBC Radio 2 pilot
2008 Bleak Expectations Reverend Fecund BBC Radio 4, 3 appearances
2009 The Death of Grass Narrator BBC Radio 4 serial
2014 Blocked Felix
2017 Time Spanner Daniel Kraken BBC Radio 4 pilot
2022 Severus Sammonicus BBC Studio Drama

Non-fictional appearances

Year Title Role Channel Notes
2006- The Unbelievable Truth Host BBC Radio 4 28 series
2008–2022 Heresy Panellist BBC Radio 4 12 appearances
2009-2010 Just a Minute Guest BBC Radio 4 4 appearances
2009 Desert Island Discs Guest BBC Radio 4 1 appearance
2009 The News Quiz Guest BBC Radio 4 1 appearance
2009-2011 I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue Panellist BBC Radio 4 6 appearances
2013 Radio 2's History of British Comedy Narrator
2016 Behaving Ourselves: Mitchell on Manners Narrator BBC Radio 4 4 episodes
2021 Mitchell on Meetings Narrator BBC Radio 4 3 episodes

Publications

  • This Mitchell and Webb Book (2009), with Robert Webb
  • Back Story: A Memoir (2012)
  • Thinking About It Only Makes It Worse (2014)[111]
  • Dishonesty is the Second-Best Policy: And Other Rules to Live By (2019)[112]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "David Mitchell". Desert Island Discs. 19 July 2009. BBC Radio 4. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  2. ^ a b A & C Black (2010). David Mitchell (online ed.). Oxford University Press. Retrieved 10 April 2011. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  3. ^ a b c d e Oatts, Joanne (11 April 2007). "Mitchell & Webb". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 13 April 2007.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Turner, Janice (9 February 2008). "Mitchell and Webb are back on TV". The Times. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
  5. ^ a b c d Ross, Deborah (18 November 2006). "Peep Show's David Mitchell and Robert Webb". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2007.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Richman, Darren (7 March 2005). "David 'peep show' Mitchell Interview". Wessex Scene. Archived from the original on 4 October 2006. Retrieved 17 March 2007.
  7. ^ Mitchell 2012, p. 131.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i "David Mitchell". BBC. Archived from the original on 10 February 2007. Retrieved 17 March 2007.
  9. ^ "Footlight alumni 1990–1999". Archived from the original on 15 October 2012.
  10. ^ a b c d e Mitchell, Ben (27 August 2006). "Masters of comedy". The Observer. Archived from the original on 13 March 2007. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
  11. ^ Mitchell, David (2 November 2007). The Big Fat Anniversary Quiz (Television production). Channel 4.
  12. ^ Ken Plume (26 June 2012). "A Bit of a Chat With Ken Plume & David Mitchell 3". FRED Entertainment (Podcast). Event occurs at 1:23:23. Archived from the original on 30 April 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2013. 'Innocent Millions Dead or Dying' ... which wasn't actually about the first world war, that's what they put on Wikipedia ... it was about a nuclear apocalypse.
  13. ^ Kingsley, Patrick (22 February 2008). "That Mitchell and Webb interview". Varsity. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  14. ^ a b c Staff (13 July 2009). "53: David Mitchell". London: MediaGuardian.co.uk (Guardian News & Media). Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2009.
  15. ^ Lewisohn, Mark. "Bruiser". BBC. Archived from the original on 14 February 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2007.
  16. ^ "The Mitchell & Webb Situation". Eureka! TV. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2007.
  17. ^ a b "Peep Show". British Sitcom Guide. Archived from the original on 10 March 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2007.
  18. ^ "That's all, Peeps". BBC. 20 May 2007. Archived from the original on 6 February 2006. Retrieved 21 June 2007.
  19. ^ a b c d Rampton, James (13 September 2006). "Robert Webb and David Mitchell: The Peep Show duo's new pain game". The Independent. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2007.
  20. ^ "Frankie Boyle heads new Channel 4 season". BBC News. 26 August 2010. Archived from the original on 29 August 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  21. ^ "Branagh picks up best drama Bafta". BBC News. 26 April 2009. Archived from the original on 27 April 2009. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
  22. ^ "Bafta TV Awards 2008: The nominations". BBC News. 18 March 2008. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  23. ^ "Bafta TV Awards 2010: Full list of nominations". Metro. Archived from the original on 20 October 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  24. ^ a b "British Comedy Awards: winners' list". BBC News. 6 December 2007. Archived from the original on 4 February 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2007.
  25. ^ "Programme Awards 2007: Winners". Royal Television Society. 19 March 2008. Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
  26. ^ a b c "British Comedy Awards: Nominations". BBC News. 14 November 2006. Retrieved 7 December 2007.
  27. ^ "Bafta TV Awards 2008: The winners". BBC. 20 April 2008. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 11 May 2008.
  28. ^ "Merchant takes top comedy honour". BBC. 14 December 2006. Archived from the original on 15 December 2006. Retrieved 14 December 2006.
  29. ^ a b "Magicians". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 23 April 2007. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
  30. ^ a b c "The British Sitcom Guide Awards 2006". British Sitcom Guide. Archived from the original on 12 March 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2007.
  31. ^ "Mitchell And Webb Look again". Chortle. 2 February 2010. Archived from the original on 6 July 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  32. ^ Perry, Kevin (5 December 2006). "David Mitchell interviewed about The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb". The Beaver. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
  33. ^ Logan, Brian (24 October 2006). "The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 February 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2007.
  34. ^ "Victoria Wood scoops Bafta double". BBC News. 20 May 2007. Archived from the original on 15 January 2009. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
  35. ^ "Bafta TV Awards 2009: nominations". The Guardian. 24 March 2009. Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  36. ^ "That Mitchell and Webb Sound". BBC. Archived from the original on 7 July 2007. Retrieved 14 April 2007.
  37. ^ "That Mitchell and Webb movie". chortle.co.uk. 25 May 2006. Archived from the original on 27 April 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2007.
  38. ^ "Wireless Webb". Chortle.co.uk. 21 April 2007. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2007.
  39. ^ "Daydream Believers". BBC. Archived from the original on 18 February 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2007.
  40. ^ Bremner, Charles; Robertson, David (12 October 2009). "Mitchell and Webb: 'Alan Bennett – tabloid columnist'". The Times. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
  41. ^ Button, Katie (24 January 2008). "Mitchell and Webb to write comedy books". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 28 April 2008. Retrieved 12 June 2008.
  42. ^ Thornton, Michael (9 December 2008). "Mitchell and Webb reveal new sitcom". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 9 December 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  43. ^ Pettie, Andrew (10 June 2009). "Interview: David Mitchell and Robert Webb". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 28 May 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
  44. ^ Harrison, Phil (12 February 2010). "David Mitchell: interview". Time Out. Archived from the original on 31 May 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
  45. ^ Jefferey, Morgan; Sperling, Daniel (6 September 2012). "'Doctor Who', 'Game of Thrones', 'Homeland': Tube Talk Q&A". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  46. ^ Gamet, Jeff (29 January 2007). "Apple UK Get a Mac Ads Debut". Mac Observer.com. Archived from the original on 31 October 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2007.
  47. ^ Brooker, Charlie (5 February 2007). "I hate Macs". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
  48. ^ a b c Pettie, Andrew (7 April 2007). "Who are those guys?". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2007.
  49. ^ "New Doctor Who tops talent list". BBC News. 24 November 2005. Archived from the original on 9 November 2006. Retrieved 17 June 2007.
  50. ^ "Comedy power list: The top 50". BBC News. 10 January 2005. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
  51. ^ "Characters & Actors". BBC. Archived from the original on 29 August 2006. Retrieved 6 January 2007.
  52. ^ "Jam and Jerusalem". BBC. Archived from the original on 7 January 2007. Retrieved 6 January 2007.
  53. ^ "Dead Ringers". BBC. Archived from the original on 6 January 2007. Retrieved 6 January 2007.
  54. ^ "The 28 Best Cartoon Movie Parodies". Total Film. 23 August 2010. Archived from the original on 27 August 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  55. ^ Conlan, Tara (7 September 2010). "Jimmy Carr commissioned for Channel 4 show". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
  56. ^ "Dr Who too grown-up, says comic David Mitchell". The Mirror. 9 September 2010. Archived from the original on 1 January 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
  57. ^ Goss, Patrick (20 August 2010). "David Mitchell rails against bad 3D, in bad 3D". Techradar. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  58. ^ Warman, Matt (5 February 2009). "Log on, watch this: David Mitchell". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 18 February 2009.
  59. ^ "David Mitchell's Soap Box [DVD]". Amazon UK. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  60. ^ Sweney, Mark (14 December 2008). "Government lines up anti-cocaine ad featuring Peep Show's David Mitchell". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 September 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  61. ^ "The Highway Code is for life – not just for learners". Direct.gov. 15 December 2009. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011.
  62. ^ "David Mitchell". The Guardian. 1 July 2008. Archived from the original on 4 August 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
  63. ^ Cavendish, Dominic (31 March 2010). "Channel 4 Comedy Gala at the O2 Arena, review". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2 April 2010.
  64. ^ Allen, Kate (14 October 2009). "HC acquires David Mitchell memoir and novel". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
  65. ^ a b Turner, Dom (19 May 2012). "An interview with David Mitchell". The Rabbitm. Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  66. ^ David Mitchell: Back Story. ASIN 0007351720.
  67. ^ "David Mitchell to play Shakespeare in new BBC sitcom". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  68. ^ Gielgud Theatre website. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  69. ^ "Would I Lie To You? Brand New Primetime Comedy Series For BBC One". Endemol. 26 April 2007. Archived from the original on 22 June 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
  70. ^ "The Unbelievable Truth". BBC Radio 4. Archived from the original on 20 February 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  71. ^ a b Sherwin, Adam (25 September 2013). "Peep Show star David Mitchell defends panel shows after attack by Fast Show co-creator Charlie Higson". The Independent. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  72. ^ "Best of the Worst". UK Gameshows.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2007.
  73. ^ Mitchell, David; Merton, Paul; Hislop, Ian; Hamilton, Andy; Millican, Sarah. (5 December 2008). "Episode 7". Have I Got News for You. Season 36. Episode 7. BBC 1.
  74. ^ Parker, Parker (6 October 2009). "Hat Trick brings Israeli panel format to BBC2". Broadcast Now. Archived from the original on 9 October 2009. Retrieved 16 October 2009.
  75. ^ Burrell, Ian (17 February 2010). "Sense of humour failure as BBC boycotts its own comedy show". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 February 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2010.
  76. ^ "TV Heaven, Telly Hell". IMDb. Archived from the original on 9 June 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2007.
  77. ^ "Tax flights, not chocolate". BBC News. 13 March 2009. Archived from the original on 16 March 2009. Retrieved 13 March 2009.
  78. ^ "The Big Fat Quiz of the Year". UK Gameshows.com. Archived from the original on 3 January 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2007.
  79. ^ "Big Fat Quiz". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  80. ^ "The Best…Comedy Panel Show Guest". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 27 May 2007. Retrieved 5 May 2007.
  81. ^ Andrew Billen; David Chater; Tim Teeman; Caitlin Moran (19 December 2009). "The top 50 TV shows of the Noughties". The Times. London.
  82. ^ "David Mitchell's TV favourites". Radio Times. April 2007. Archived from the original on 15 January 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2007.
  83. ^ "Penelope Keith leads tributes to Richard Briers". 19 February 2013. Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  84. ^ "Scotland". Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine. David Mitchell. Archived from the original on 29 March 2012.
  85. ^ Mitchell, David (15 May 2011). "If Scotland does secede, I won't be alone in mourning for my country". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  86. ^ Banks-Smith, Nancy (5 August 2009). "Spanish Flu: The Forgotten Fallen". The Guardian (TV review). Who Do You Think You Are?. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  87. ^ "Celebrities' open letter to Scotland – full text and list of signatories". The Guardian. London, UK. 7 August 2014. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 17 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  88. ^ Mitchell, David (15 May 2011). "If Scotland does secede, I won't be alone in mourning for my country". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  89. ^ Mitchell 2012, p. 263.
  90. ^ Petridis, Alexis (31 May 2013). "Robert Webb: a peep into the future". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  91. ^ Mitchell, David (19 December 2010). "David Mitchell under the spotlight". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2009.
  92. ^ Walker, Tim (6 March 2011). "David Mitchell's double act with Victoria Coren". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 8 March 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  93. ^ Seale, Jack (20 March 2012). "David Mitchell and Victoria Coren announce engagement". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  94. ^ "That Mitchell and Coren wedding". www.standard.co.uk. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  95. ^ "Victoria Coren M. on Twitter". Twitter. Archived from the original on 28 October 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  96. ^ Mitchell, Ben (25 August 2006). "A pair of jokers". The Observer. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  97. ^ Mitchell, David (5 May 2007). "Parkinson" (Interview). Interviewed by Parkinson, M. London, UK: ITV1.
  98. ^ Catt, Lizzie; Higgins, Lisa; Teague, Jack (14 February 2012). "Robert Webb swots up on cricket for benefit of David Mitchell". Daily Express. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  99. ^ Mountford, Adam (20 July 2009). "BBC – Test Match special: 75 years of hurt are ended". Archived from the original on 1 April 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  100. ^ Mitchell, David (18 December 2010). "David Mitchell under the spotlight". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  101. ^ Deacon, Michael (20 January 2011). "David Mitchell: 'Jokes should come from what makes us angry'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  102. ^ Mitchell, David (11 September 2011). "Is your high street boarded up? Blame yourself for shopping online". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2011. [...] I'm even worse off for cars than I am for doorbells. I have none [...] and neither do I have a driving licence [...]
  103. ^ Mitchell 2012, pp. 157–158.
  104. ^ Potter, Laura (14 February 2010). "My body & soul: David Mitchell". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  105. ^ Higgins, Ria (6 July 2008). "David Mitchell". A Life in the Day. The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2008.
  106. ^ Naughton, John (16–22 February 2008). "Just Joking". Radio Times. p. 24.
  107. ^ "David Mitchell". Programmes. BBC. Archived from the original on 21 July 2009. Retrieved 19 July 2009.
  108. ^ Mitchell, David (6 December 2009). "Boyle's in the bag, now time for Marmite". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 September 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2009.
  109. ^ "BAFTA TV Awards 2009: The winners". BBC. 26 April 2009. Archived from the original on 27 March 2009.
  110. ^ Fletcher, Alex (23 August 2012). "'Bottom' reunion, Mitchell and Webb, Sue Perkins comedies for BBC Two". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  111. ^ "David Mitchell New Book". Faber. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  112. ^ "Faber announces new book by comedian David Mitchell".

Bibliography