Harry Thompson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harry Thompson
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Thompson's publicity photograph
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| Born | 6 February 1960 London, England |
| Died | 7 November 2005 (aged 45) London, England |
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| Nationality | English |
Harry William Thompson (born February 6, 1960 – died November 7, 2005) was a talented English writer and producer. He created many popular shows for radio and television. Harry was known for his funny and sometimes edgy comedy. He also wrote several books, including biographies and a novel.
Contents
Harry Thompson's Life and Work
Early Years and First Jobs
Harry William Thompson was born in London on February 6, 1960. His father worked for a newspaper, and his mother was a teacher. Harry went to Highgate School, a private school. Later, he studied History at Brasenose College, Oxford University. While there, he became the editor of the university newspaper, Cherwell.
In 1981, Harry joined the BBC as a trainee. He first worked on a news program called Newsnight. But he soon found his true passion: comedy. He became a researcher for funny shows like Not the Nine O'Clock News on TV. He also worked on radio comedy shows, including The Mary Whitehouse Experience. Harry quickly became a producer. He produced the popular radio show The News Quiz and a new comedy series, Lenin of the Rovers. People noticed Harry's bold and funny ideas.
Creating Popular Panel Shows
In the late 1980s, some TV companies wanted to turn popular radio shows into TV hits. One company, Hat Trick Productions, decided to adapt The News Quiz. They asked Harry Thompson to produce the new TV version. This show became Have I Got News For You, which started in 1990.
Harry chose Angus Deayton to host the show. Ian Hislop and Paul Merton became the team leaders. Harry produced 93 episodes of the show. He believed it was the best comedy show on TV. Have I Got News For You was a huge success. It moved from BBC2 to the main channel, BBC1.
After this, Harry produced other popular panel shows. In 1995, he worked on They Think It's All Over, a sports comedy show. In 1996, he created Never Mind the Buzzcocks, a music quiz show.
Later Comedy and Monkey Dust
In 1998, Harry helped create The 11 O'Clock Show for Channel 4. He was very important in developing the character Ali G, played by Sacha Baron Cohen. Harry also wrote for the spin-off show, Da Ali G Show. He believed that you could find humor in almost anything.
One of Harry's most famous creations was Monkey Dust. He created and wrote this adult animated comedy with Shaun Pye. The show was broadcast on BBC Three from 2003 to 2005. It was known for its dark and clever humor. Critics praised Monkey Dust as a unique and "subversive" show. Many called it one of the best things Harry ever did. Sadly, no more series were made after Harry's death.
Harry's last TV show was a sitcom called Respectable for Channel 5. He finished working on it just a week before he passed away.
Harry Thompson's Books
Besides his TV and radio work, Harry Thompson was also a talented author. He wrote several biographies about famous people. These included books about Hergé, the creator of Tintin. He also wrote about Private Eye editor Richard Ingrams and comedian Peter Cook.
Harry also wrote a novel called This Thing of Darkness. This historical fiction book was about Charles Darwin and Captain Robert FitzRoy of the Beagle. It was considered for the Booker Prize in 2005.
His final book was Penguins Stopped Play. This book was partly about his own life. It told the story of his amateur cricket team, the Captain Scott XI. It was published after he died in 2006.
His Family and Legacy
Harry Thompson was married to Fiona Duff, and they had two children, Betty and Bill. Later, he began a relationship with Lisa Whadcock in 2003. They met after she sent him a fan letter about Monkey Dust.
In April 2005, Harry was diagnosed with lung cancer. He married Lisa Whadcock on November 7, 2005, and sadly passed away later that same day.
Many people in the entertainment world remembered Harry fondly. The British Comedy Awards had planned to give him a special award. Peter Fincham, a BBC controller, called Harry "a talented, single-minded, subversive maverick." He said Harry's death left "a big hole in the comedy world." Harry's literary agent, Bill Hamilton, said Harry was "plainly a genius."
After his death, an episode of Have I Got News For You showed a message. It read: "In Memory of Harry Thompson, the first producer of Have I Got News For You (1960–2005)." This showed how much he was missed and remembered.
