Jason Forbes facts for kids

Jason Forbes (born 27 October 1990) is a British actor, writer, and comedian. He is well-known for his roles in the CITV series Horrible Science and The Mash Report on BBC Two. He also played PC Peasey in the Professor Branestawm TV movies on BBC One. Jason is also a member of the award-winning comedy group 'Daphne'.

Jason Forbes also helped create, star in, and write the BBC Radio 4 show, Daphne Sounds Expensive.

Early Life and School Days

Jason Forbes was born in Bristol, England. He went to school at Queen Elizabeth's Hospital in Clifton. After that, he studied English at Jesus College, Cambridge, and finished his degree in 2012.

When he was in school, Jason joined a group called the 'Gabblers' Club'. This club was for young students in Bristol who enjoyed speaking after dinner events. In 2008, he won the 'Best Speaker' award from the Gabblers' Club. This award had also been given to famous comedian Mark Watson before.

At Cambridge University, Jason wrote and performed in many comedy shows. He was part of the famous Cambridge Footlights comedy group. In 2012, he helped write and perform in Perfect Strangers. This was the 50th annual show by the Footlights group. They even toured around the UK and the United States with it. He also acted in serious plays, from modern ones to those by Shakespeare. He even performed in London's West End as part of a special show.

Before becoming a full-time actor, Jason worked in many different jobs. He was a marketing executive, a civil servant, a computer programmer, and a web designer. He also worked as a graphic designer and a language teacher.

Comedy Career

Forming the Daphne Comedy Group

In September 2014, Jason Forbes teamed up with his friends from Cambridge Footlights, Phil Wang and George Fouracres. They formed a comedy sketch group called 'Daphne'.

The group started hosting a comedy night called Nova Nova. They held this show every other month at the Cockpit Theatre, Marylebone. Here, they tried out their new comedy ideas. Other British comedians like Harry Hill and James Acaster also performed as guests.

Daphne won the 'Best New Act' award at the London Sketchfest in 2015. Their first show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, called Daphne Do Edinburgh, was very popular. Daphne was even nominated for the 2015 Foster's Award for 'Best Newcomer'.

Radio Work

Daphne Sounds Expensive on BBC Radio 4

In February 2016, the BBC announced that Daphne would have their own comedy show. It was described as a "Goon Show-like" comedy called Daphne Sounds Expensive on BBC Radio 4. The first episode was broadcast on 14 July 2016. The series had four episodes, each lasting thirty minutes.

Daphne Sounds Expensive was chosen as a finalist for the 'Best Radio Sketch Show' award in 2016. Radio 4 then asked for a second series, which started on 13 July 2017.

Other Radio Shows

Jason Forbes is often a guest on the funny satirical sketch show Newsjack. This show is on BBC Radio 4 Extra.

In 2017, he appeared in a two-part BBC Radio 4 sitcom called Life on Egg. This show was created by Daniel Maier. Jason acted alongside Harry Hill, Marek Larwood, and Gyles Brandreth.

Film and Television Roles

Jason Forbes first appeared on TV in 2013 in Kerry. This was a BBC Three Comedy Feeds episode by actress Kerry Howard.

He later appeared in The Mimic on Channel 4. He was also in Pompidou, a show by Little Britain star Matt Lucas on BBC One.

In 2014, he was on BBC One in a show based on The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm. This show was by Norman Hunter. Jason played PC Peasey alongside actors like Harry Hill and David Mitchell.

In May 2015, ITV announced that Jason Forbes would be in their new series Horrible Science. This show is based on the popular Horrible Science books by Nick Arnold.

Jason also joined the cast of Tracey Ullman's sketch show, Tracey Ullman's Show, for BBC One and HBO. He was a regular in the second series of this show. In 2017, he played the famous tennis player Arthur Ashe in the movie Borg/McEnroe.

In 2021, the TV company UKTV announced that Jason Forbes would be a co-host on a new panel show called The Island. This show is on the comedy channel Dave. The show was created by comedians John Robins, Lloyd Langford, Ed Gamble, and James Acaster. The first eight episodes started filming in June 2021.

In 2024, he starred in the Netflix science fiction TV series, 3 Body Problem. In this show, he played the character of Omar Khayyam.

Comedy Style and Inspirations

Jason Forbes loves physical comedy. He often uses slapstick humor in his performances. He has said that comedians like Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin, Rowan Atkinson, and Sir Norman Wisdom have inspired him. He especially looks up to Michael Crawford. Jason once said that he would try everything they did at home, even if it meant bumping into things or falling over. He even practiced throwing himself down the stairs, much to his mother's surprise!

Jason apparently perfected his stair-fall in a university play called Noises Off by Michael Frayn.

When Daphne's first show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe was reviewed, The List magazine mentioned a "wild slapstick moment" that they hoped wouldn't cause Jason to get hurt.

Awards and Recognitions

Jason Forbes's sketch group, Daphne, won the 'Best New Act' award at the London Sketchfest in 2015. Their first show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Daphne Do Edinburgh, received great reviews. Daphne was also nominated for the 2015 Edinburgh Comedy Award for 'Best Newcomer'.