Paul Merton
| Paul Merton | |
|---|---|
Merton in 2010
|
|
| Birth name | Paul James Martin |
| Born |
9 July 1957 Parsons Green, London, England |
| Medium | Stand-up, television, radio |
| Nationality | British |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Genres | Surreal humour, Observational comedy, Improvisational comedy, Physical comedy, Satire, Deadpan |
| Subject(s) | Politics, Everyday life, Celebrities, pop culture, World history, Marriage, Self-deprecation, Human interaction, Current events |
| Spouse |
Caroline Quentin (m. 1990; div. 1998) Sarah Parkinson (m. 2003; her death 2003) Suki Webster (m. 2009) |
| Notable works and roles |
Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1988–1993) Just a Minute (1989 onwards) Have I Got News for You (1990 onwards) Paul Merton: The Series (1991–1993) Room 101 (1999–2007) Paul Merton in China (2007) Paul Merton in India (2008) Paul Merton in Europe (2010) |
Paul James Martin, known professionally as Paul Merton (born 9 July 1957) is an English writer, actor, comedian, radio and television presenter.
He is known for his improvisation skill, his humour being rooted in deadpan, surreal and sometimes dark comedy. He was once considered, by some critics, fellow comedians and members of the public to be among Britain's greatest comedians. He is well known for his regular appearances as a team captain on the BBC panel game Have I Got News for You, and as the former host of Room 101, as well as for several appearances on the original British version of the improvisional comedy television show Whose Line Is It Anyway?
He appears as a panellist regularly on Radio 4's Just a Minute. He has also appeared as one of the Comedy Store's Comedy Store Players.
Merton was born on 9 July 1957 in Parsons Green, London, to an English Anglican father, Albert Martin (a train guard on the London Underground) and an Irish Roman Catholic mother, Mary Ann Power.
He attended St Thomas's School, Fulham and St Theresa's, Morden. He then went to Wimbledon College, a Jesuit-run secondary school that was formerly a grammar school and had just become a comprehensive, in a stream for boys who had failed the 11-plus and he received A-levels in English and History. After leaving school, Merton worked at the Tooting employment office as a clerical officer for seven years.
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