Noel Fielding

Noel Fielding
Noel Fielding performing at The Mighty Boosh Live
Born	21 May 1973 (1973-05-21) Westminster, London, England
Medium	Stand-up, television, film, radio
Nationality	British
Years active	1996–present
Genres	Sitcom
Notable works and roles	Vince Noir in The Mighty Boosh Richmond in The IT Crowd Himself in Never Mind the Buzzcocks Multi-characters In Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy

Noel Fielding (born 21 May 1973 in Westminster, London) is a British comedian, actor, and artist. He is known for his roles as Vince Noir in The Mighty Boosh, which he co-wrote with comedy partner Julian Barratt, and Richmond in the The IT Crowd; as well as a team captain on the music panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks. His solo comedy sketch show Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy began broadcasting in January 2012 on the UK's E4.

Career

Stand-up comedy

Noel Fielding performed regularly as a stand-up comedian during the late 1990s, and appeared repeatedly on the television stand-up showcase Lee Mack's Gas. His highly animated stand-up routine included surreal stories, physical comedy, characters, and songs, much like his later work in The Mighty Boosh.

In 2010, Fielding was to perform a solo tour across the country. It was cancelled, however, so he could concentrate on writing The Mighty Boosh film and album with Barratt. Fielding announced via Twitter that he was too busy to do the tour.

In 2010, Fielding took part in Channel 4's Comedy Gala, a benefit show held in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital and filmed live at the O2 Arena in London on 30 March.

The Mighty Boosh

Main article: The Mighty Boosh

Fielding is best known for playing the role of Vince Noir, a childlike eccentric, opposite Julian Barratt (Howard Moon) in the cult comedy series The Mighty Boosh.

Fielding met Barratt when he was performing a gig. Impressed by Fielding's skill, Barratt offered him a place to perform, and the two went on to form a partnership. Barratt and Fielding are said to have compared their relationship to a marriage; the character of Vince Noir is a kind, somewhat naive and loyal friend to Howard Moon. Vince can talk to animals, earning him the nickname "Mowgli in Flares". Vince is vibrant and flamboyant, contrasting with his friend Howard, who is more like a "geography teacher from Leeds".

Fielding plays various supporting characters in the Mighty Boosh, including: Tony Harrison, a small pink head with tentacles and member of the shaman council; The Hitcher, a cockney hitch-hiker with a polo mint for an eye, who enjoys "cutting people up"; The Moon, talks about himself, the stars and other planets, as well as strange and often borderline incoherent things; Spider Dijon, a bongoist in Rudi's band; and Old Gregg, a hermaphroditic merman obsessed with Baileys Irish Cream and watercolors, who is infatuated with Howard and possesses 'The Funk' (a living creature about the size of a medicine ball, but covered in purple teats, which leak funky goodness to help music careers).

The Mighty Boosh won the Shockwaves NME Best TV Award for 3 consecutive years (2007, 2008, and 2009).

Television

Outside his work on The Mighty Boosh, Fielding has also had bit parts in many of Channel 4's somewhat off-beat comedy programmes, including Nathan Barley, The IT Crowd, AD/BC: A Rock Opera and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, more often than not appearing alongside Julian Barratt. He also appeared in 1998 sketch show Unnatural Acts. In February 2007, Fielding appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks as a panelist, before going on to become a permanent team captain. Fielding also made a short appearance in the film Plunkett & Macleane as a bystander to Robert Carlyle's scuffle in a brothel. Fielding appeared on The Charlotte Church Show as a special guest.

At Bill Bailey's request, Fielding stood in as a team captain for three episodes during Season 21 of Never Mind the Buzzcocks. He also achieved a record for the highest team score ever on the show. When Bailey returned, presenter Simon Amstell made various jokes about Fielding's departure. In 2009, Bailey left the show and Fielding became one of the regular team captains. According to Neil Gaiman's blog, Fielding was scheduled to appear in the film Stardust, but had to drop out due to ill health. He won an award for the sexiest man in 2008.^{[citation needed]} He also participated twice with Russell Brand in 2006 and 2007 on the annual quiz show The Big Fat Quiz of the Year. He participated again in 2010 with Richard Ayoade, Alan Carr, Jonathan Ross, Michael McIntyre, and Ruth Jones. (Charlotte Church was scheduled to participate but she was unable to do so).

In 2008, Fielding appeared with comic partner Julian Barratt on Transmission. As usual, he wore a somewhat flamboyant attire, this time featuring Cuban heels and polka dot trousers. He won Best Dressed Male at the Shockwaves NME Awards.^{[citation needed]}

In 2009, he helped host Comic Relief Does Top of the Pops with Reggie Yates and Fearne Cotton.

Fielding played the role of "Marcus" in the series 3 of How Not to Live Your Life, which was broadcast in November 2010.

Fielding produced his first solo series for the Channel 4 network's E4 channel in 2011, as the broadcaster invests an additional £5 million in its comedy budget following the cancellation of reality show Big Brother. Provisionally titled Noel Fielding: Boopus, Fielding said of the project: "I want to make something in the spirit of Spike Milligan or the Kenny Everett Show but using modern techniques. Blending filmed comedy with animation. Television needs a madman! I want the show to be psychedelic and beautiful but have charm and personality. If Dali (Salvador Dali) made a show hopefully it would look like this." The show has since been renamed Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy and began broadcasting on Channel 4's E4 channel on 26 January 2012. A video shown to a select audience of C4 staff, producers, writers, performers and journalists showed the Boosh star as a stingray, discussing the recording of albums.^{[citation needed]}

Fielding performed a dance to "Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush for Let's Dance for Comic Relief reaching the finale. He has also appeared in a Kate Bush video for the remix version of "Deeper Understanding".

Radio

Fielding starred in the 2001 Mighty Boosh radio series as Vince Noir and other characters. It was broadcast on BBC London Live. He also appeared on The Russell Brand Show on BBC Radio 2 on 26 May 2007 and 13 October 2007, and Team Disgusting's show on Life fm as a co-host for one episode, along with fellow Team Disgusting members Melvis and Birdy.

In November 2007 Fielding starred in five episodes of BBC Radio 2 show Vic Reeves' House Arrest as a local vagrant who knocks on Reeves' door once a week to ask for work. His character is often given seemingly pointless tasks, such as building a galleon out of sausages, and is paid in small change.

Music

Fielding has appeared in several music videos, including Mint Royale's "Blue Song", alongside Julian Barratt, Nick Frost and Michael Smiley. He also made a brief appearance in the video for Razorlight's "In the Morning". He appeared in music videos for the Robots in Disguise songs "Girl" (alongside Chris Corner who was, at the time, boyfriend to Sue Denim), "The Tears", and "Turn It Up". Recently, Noel has been involved in the Kasabian video "Vlad the Impaler", in which he plays the titular character, and he's referenced in "La Fée Verte" (his friend Sergio Pizzorno said "The line, 'I met Dali in the street.' Dali is Noel Fielding. And he is the modern-day Dali"). He has also appeared in Kate Bush's music video "Deeper Understanding" as a means of thanks for the Let's Dance for Comic Relief performance.

Fielding is friends with the members of Razorlight, and involved them in the "Priest and the Beast" episode of The Mighty Boosh. Fielding lent his voice to the Midfield General song "Midfielding". Fielding also sometimes plays bass live for Robots in Disguise. Furthermore, he has been known to DJ, often playing at The Barfly in London with the rest of The Mighty Boosh or with his DJ collective known as Team Disgusting, made up of six women and the Rev (formerly of Towers of London). Lately, he has being DJing with Dave Brown, who plays Bollo in The Mighty Boosh, under the DJing phenomenon, the Doctor and the Pencil, who first appeared in the Boosh episode "The Chokes".

To coincide with his television show Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy, he and Sergio Pizzorno formed the band The Loose Tapestries, with the possibility of touring the forests of Britain playing the music from the show.

Art

He held his first exhibition, entitled Psychedelic Dreams of the Jelly Fox at Maison Bertaux, a patisserie in Greek Street, Soho in early 2008. He claimed that he was inspired by Henri Rousseau, René Magritte, Willem de Kooning, Roy Lichtenstein, and Dexter Dalwood.^{[citation needed]} He has also revealed that he feels inspired by Salvador Dalí. A second exhibition entitled "Bryan Ferry vs the Jelly Fox" took place at Maison Bertaux, from 5 July 2010 through to 5 January 2011.^{[citation needed]}

On 6 September 2011, Fielding received Honorary Masters Degrees from Buckinghamshire New University for his ongoing interest in the graphics area and support for many art organisations. In October 2011, Fielding had released an art book called 'Scribblings of a Madcap Shambleton', which he produced alongside with The Mighty Boosh cast member, Dave Brown (comedian). It features many of his old and new paintings, drawings and photography.

Personal life

Fielding resides in Highgate, North London. His parents are Diane and Ray Fielding, both of whom have appeared in Mighty Boosh episodes. His brother is Michael Fielding, who appears as Naboo the Enigma on the show. He also revealed on Russell Brand's radio show that his grandmother is French. According to an article in The Sunday Times he has said that his "parents had lots of parties" during his childhood. He has also stated that his parents "were just 18" when they had him.

Fielding was educated at Croydon Art College and studied for a BA in Graphic Design and Advertising at Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College (now Buckinghamshire New University), where he lived with friends and future collaborators Dave Brown and Nigel Coan.

Fielding has stated that he has no middle name, was never baptised, and does not follow a religion. He has a penchant for celebrity clothing, claiming to have worn Johnny Depp's hat and Freddie Mercury's coat during the filming of The Mighty Boosh.^{[citation needed]}

Fielding has the benign liver condition Gilbert's Syndrome, and has commented that if he drinks too much alcohol, it gives him slight jaundice. It has been said by The Sunday Times that Fielding had hepatitis during his art college years. This forced him not to drink for six months which got him into the habit of not drinking for a couple of years. "I used to be able to enjoy myself with just nothing. I'd stay up till four in the morning, with everyone else being drunk. Just make a bit of effort and you can get used to it."

On 15 August 2009, Fielding revealed in an interview with News of the World that he had been taking drugs such as cocaine, ketamine, and MDMA over the past few years, caused by stress due to his increasing fame. He has since overcome these habits.

Filmography

Acting roles

• Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy (2012)
• Horrid Henry: The Movie (2011)
• Deeper Understanding (2011) - music video
• How Not to Live Your Life (2010)
• Bunny and The Bull (2009)
• The Mighty Boosh Live Future Sailors Tour (2009)
• I Spit on Your Rave (2010)
• Boosh Live (2008–2009) – Vince Noir
• The Mighty Boosh Live (2006) – Vince Noir
• The IT Crowd (2006–2007, 2010) – Richmond
• Nathan Barley (2005) – Jones
• AD/BC: A Rock Opera (2004) – Shepherd
• Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (2004) – Monkey Man
• The Mighty Boosh (2004–present) – Vince Noir
• Surrealissimo: The Trial of Salvador Dalí (2002) – Bauer
• Autoboosh Live (2000) – Vince Noir
• Sweet (2000) – Pete Sweet
• Arctic Boosh Live (1999) – Vince Noir
• Plunkett & Macleane (1999) – Brothel Gent
• The Transponder (1998) – Rabbi Ginsberg
• The Mighty Boosh Live (1998) – Vince Noir
• Unnatural Acts (1998) – Various

Television appearances

• The Jonathan Ross Show (2012)
• Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy (2012)
• Rob Brydon's Christmas quiz (2011)
• Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow (2011)
• Let's Dance For Comic Relief (2011)
• The One Show (2011)
• British Comedy Awards (2011)
• The Big Fat Quiz of the Year (2010)
• Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow (2010)
• Modern Masters, Dali (2010)
• Channel 4's Comedy Gala (2010)
• The Hour (2010)
• Alan Carr: Chatty Man (2009)
• Shooting Stars (2009)
• Comic Relief Does Top of the Pops (2009)
• Harry Hill's TV Burp (2008)
• Comic Relief's The Big One (2007)
• The Big Fat Quiz of the Year (2007)
• The Charlotte Church Show

• Episode 2x02 (2007)

• Never Mind the Buzzcocks

• 21x02-21x04 (2007) Team Captain
• Episode 20x02 (2007)
• Permanent team captain, 2009–present

• The Big Fat Quiz of the Year (2006)
• British Comedy Awards 2006 (2006)
• The Culture Show (2006)
• 1 Leicester Square (2006)
• Friday Night with Jonathan Ross

• Episode 11x10 (2006)

• The Secret Policeman's Ball (2006)
• Soccer AM (2006)
• BBC Breakfast

• interview (2006)

• TRL (2006)
• Alan Partridge Presents: The Cream of British Comedy (2005)
• BBC Breakfast

• Episode dated 26 July 2005 (2005)

• 28 Acts in 28 Minutes (2005)
• British Comedy Awards 2004 (2004)
• Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (2004)
• Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala (2003)
• Liquid News (2003)
• Brain Candy (2002)
• The Big Schmooze

• Episode 1x04 (2000)

• Comedy Café (1999)

• Episode 1x07

• Gas (1997)

Awards

• 2010 The Mighty Boosh won Best DVD at the Shockwaves NME Awards 2010.
• 2009 The Mighty Boosh won Best TV Show at the Shockwaves NME Awards 2009.
• 2009 4th in dave's sexiest stand up comedians.
• 2008 2nd Best Dressed Man of the Year GQ Awards.
• 2008 Situation Comedy and Comedy Drama Royal Television Awards 2008.
• 2008 Best Dressed Shockwaves NME Awards 2008.
• 2008 Sexiest Man Shockwaves NME Awards 2008.
• 2008 The Mighty Boosh won Best TV Show at the Shockwaves NME Awards 2008.
• 2007 The Mighty Boosh won Best TV Show at the Shockwaves NME Awards 2007.
• 2003 Time Out comedy award winner for outstanding achievement.
• 2002 Solo Edinburgh show Voodoo Hedgehog nominated for a Perrier
• 2001 The Boosh, first on London Live, then on Radio 4.
• 2000 Arctic Boosh won the Barry Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
• 1999 Perrier nominee with Julian Barratt as Arctic Boosh
• 1998 Herald Angel Award winner.
• 1998 Perrier Best Newcomer winner with Julian Barratt as the double act The Mighty Boosh (1998 Stage show)

External links

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