Angus Deayton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Angus Deayton
Deayton in March 2007
Born	Gordon Angus Deayton (1956-01-06) 6 January 1956 (age 69) Banstead, Surrey, England
Education	New College, Oxford (BA)
Occupation	Television presenter actor writer comedian
Years active	1980–present
Known for	Television Stand-up
Style	Political satire Character comedy
Television	Have I Got News for You (1990–2002) One Foot in the Grave (1990–2000) Would I Lie to You? (2007–2008) Pramface (2012–2014) Waterloo Road (2013–2015)
Partner(s)	Helen Atkinson-Wood Stephanie de Sykes Lise Mayer (1991–2015)
Children	1

Gordon Angus Deayton (born 6 January 1956) is an English actor, writer, musician, comedian, and TV presenter.

Deayton was the first host of two popular British comedy shows, Have I Got News for You (1990–2002) and Would I Lie to You? (2007–2008). He is also well known for playing Patrick Trench in the sitcom One Foot in the Grave (1990–2000) and George Windsor in the school drama Waterloo Road.

Early Life and Education

Angus Deayton was born in Banstead, Surrey, England. He was the youngest of three sons. His father was an insurance manager and his mother was a home economics teacher.

As a boy, Deayton was a talented football player and even had a trial with the professional club Crystal Palace. He also studied French and German at New College, Oxford.

While at university, he joined a comedy group called the Oxford Revue. This led to him forming a fun parody band called the Hee Bee Gee Bees in 1980. Their biggest hit, "Meaningless Songs (In Very High Voices)," made fun of the high-pitched singing style of the famous band the Bee Gees.

Career Beginnings

Deayton's career started on the radio. He co-wrote and starred in Radio Active on BBC Radio 4 from 1981 to 1987. The show was a parody of local radio stations. It was so popular that it was later turned into a TV series called KYTV.

He often worked with the famous comedian Rowan Atkinson. Deayton appeared in an episode of Black Adder and also had a role in the Mr. Bean episode "The Curse of Mr. Bean".

From 1988 to 1991, Deayton was a regular actor in the award-winning comedy show Alexei Sayle's Stuff.

Television Stardom

In 1990, Deayton became very famous with two major roles. He was chosen to host the new comedy panel show Have I Got News for You and also began playing Patrick Trench in the sitcom One Foot in the Grave.

Have I Got News for You

As the host of Have I Got News for You, Deayton was known for his smooth and confident style. He hosted the show for 12 years.

In 2002, Deayton had to leave the show after stories about his private life appeared in newspapers. He was replaced by a series of guest hosts. Many viewers wanted him to stay, and his friend, actor Stephen Fry, later said he would not appear on the show to support Deayton.

One Foot in the Grave

From 1990 to 2000, Deayton played Patrick Trench, the long-suffering neighbour of the grumpy main character, Victor Meldrew. The show was a huge success and is a classic British sitcom.

Later Career

After leaving Have I Got News for You, Deayton continued to work on many TV shows. In 2003, he guest-starred in the comedy Absolute Power with Stephen Fry. He also had a main role in the dark comedy series Nighty Night.

Deayton has been involved with the charity Comic Relief for many years. He has appeared in their fundraising shows and took part in the Soccer Aid celebrity football match to raise money for UNICEF.

In 2007, he became the first host of another panel show, Would I Lie to You?. He hosted for two series before being replaced by Rob Brydon. He also hosted the cooking competition Hell's Kitchen for one series.

From 2013 to 2015, Deayton played the cynical teacher George Windsor in the popular BBC drama series Waterloo Road. He has also appeared in shows like Pramface, Benidorm, and Death in Paradise.

Personal Life

Deayton with his former partner Lise Mayer in 2007

While at Oxford University, Deayton was in a relationship with actress Helen Atkinson-Wood, who he later worked with on Radio Active. During a tour in Australia, he rescued her from a dangerous ocean current.

From 1991 to 2015, Deayton was in a long-term relationship with scriptwriter Lise Mayer. They have one son.

Filmography

Awards

• British Comedy Awards for "Top TV comedy newcomer" (1991)
• British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance (nominated in 2001 and 2003)

See also

• List of University of Oxford people
• Oxford University Broadcasting Society
• List of Have I Got News for You presenters
• List of Top of the Pops presenters
• The British Environment and Media Awards