Michael Barrymore facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael Barrymore
Barrymore in 2020
Birth name	Michael Ciaran Parker
Born	(1952-05-04) 4 May 1952 (age 73) Bermondsey, London, England
Medium	Stand-up, film, television
Genres	Observational comedy One-liners Improvisational comedy Character comedy Physical comedy
Subject(s)	Everyday life
Spouse	Cheryl Cocklin ​ ​ (m. 1976; div. 1997)​

Michael Ciaran Parker (born 4 May 1952), known as Michael Barrymore, is a famous English comedian and television presenter. He hosted many popular game shows and entertainment programs in the UK. Some of his well-known shows include Strike It Lucky, My Kind of People, and Barrymore. In 1993, he was the main star of the Royal Variety Performance.

At his most popular, Michael Barrymore was voted the UK's favorite TV star many times. He became one of the highest-paid stars on television. Later, he appeared on Celebrity Big Brother and other shows. His TV career changed after an event at his house in 2001.

Early Life and Family Background

Michael Ciaran Parker was born in Bermondsey, London, on 4 May 1952. He grew up on the Dickens estate with his two older siblings. His father left when Michael was 11 years old. He was raised by his Irish mother, Margaret.

Michael Barrymore's Career Journey

Starting Out in Entertainment

Michael Barrymore began his career working as a Redcoat at Butlins holiday camps. He then performed in West End theatre shows in London. There, he met dancer Cheryl Cocklin in 1974, and they married in 1976. Cheryl helped manage his career as he became more famous.

He won an episode of New Faces in 1979. He also became a regular on Blankety Blank. Later, he worked as a warm-up act for other famous comedians. In his early days, he was known for doing impressions of stars like John Cleese.

Rising to TV Stardom (1976–2002)

Michael Barrymore became well-known through shows like Blankety Blank. His own sketch show, The Michael Barrymore Show, started in 1983. He also appeared in Russ Abbot's Madhouse.

He became the host of the ITV game show Strike It Lucky in 1986. This show became very popular, with up to 18 million viewers. It was his first big success as a presenter.

This led to his own entertainment show, Barrymore, which began in 1991. On this show, he interviewed guests, performed comedy, and joined other acts. The Barrymore show was very successful throughout the 1990s. Famous guests included Cliff Richard and Spike Milligan.

After his performance at the 1993 Royal Variety Performance, he became even more popular. He was known for his catchphrases like "Awight!" and "Top, middle or bottom?" on Strike It Lucky.

He faced personal challenges and took a break in 1994. After this, he wrote a best-selling book about his experiences. He also went on a stage tour called Back in Business.

He then returned to television with new series of Barrymore and My Kind of People. He also made new versions of Strike It Lucky, which was renamed Strike It Rich. He appeared in the Spice World movie as Mr. Step.

Other successful shows followed, like My Kind of People and My Kind of Music. He also hosted Kids Say the Funniest Things. Michael Barrymore won the National Television Award for Most Popular Entertainment Presenter five times. He was a top TV star and one of the highest-paid.

In 2000, he started acting in the comedy series Bob Martin. He played the main character, Bob Martin, for two series. His TV work continued until an event in March 2001. After this, he stopped recording new shows for ITV.

Later Career and Appearances

After the 2001 Event

After the event in 2001, Michael Barrymore's TV career changed. A new series of Kids Say the Funniest Things was not shown. He moved to New Zealand for a time. He also performed live stage shows there and in Australia. In 2005, he appeared in the musical Chicago.

Celebrity Big Brother Experience

In December 2005, it was announced that Michael Barrymore would join Celebrity Big Brother. He was a contestant on the show in January 2006. He finished as the runner-up.

Post-Big Brother Activities

After Big Brother, Barrymore was a guest host on Channel 4's The Friday Night Project in February 2006. This was his last time presenting a primetime TV show.

He also performed in stage plays. In 2006, he played the main role in Scrooge – The Musical. In 2008, he played comedian Spike Milligan in the play Surviving Spike.

In 2010, he appeared on the Irish TV show The Saturday Night Show. He also took part in Celebrity Come Dine with Me with other presenters.

In 2013, Barrymore was interviewed on The Saturday Night Show and The Nolan Show. He discussed his life and career. In 2019, he appeared on Piers Morgan's Life Stories. He was also set to join Dancing on Ice in 2020 but had to withdraw due to an injury.

Film and TV Appearances

Stand-up Comedy Videos

See also

In Spanish: Michael Barrymore para niños