Simon Amstell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Simon Amstell
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Amstell in 2013
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Simon Marc Amstell
29 November 1979 Gants Hill, London, England
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| Occupation | Stand-up comedian, television presenter, screenwriter, director, actor |
| Years active | 1993–present |
Simon Marc Amstell (born November 29, 1979) is a famous English comedian, writer, and director. He is known for writing and directing films like Carnage (2017) and Benjamin (2018). On television, he was a presenter for popular shows such as Popworld and Never Mind the Buzzcocks.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Simon Amstell was born in east London in 1979. He grew up in a Jewish family and is the oldest of four children. He went to Beal High School, which is a public school in Ilford.
First TV Appearances
Amstell first appeared on TV in 1993. He was a contestant on the Channel 4 game show GamesMaster. In 1994, he was on Good Morning with Anne and Nick. He did an impression of Dame Edna Everage. That same year, he appeared on Family Catchphrase. He called himself a "budding magician" and showed a trick. Simon and his family won a TV and a video recorder.
Starting in Comedy
Simon started doing comedy shows when he was a young teenager. He later became the youngest person to reach the finals of the BBC New Comedy Awards. His first professional TV job was in 1998. He worked as a presenter for Nickelodeon, a children's channel. He has joked that he was fired for being "sarcastic and mean to children." His website also humorously says he was fired for "making pop stars uncomfortable."
TV Hosting Career
Hosting Popworld
From 2000 to 2006, Simon Amstell hosted Popworld on Channel 4. He co-hosted the show with Miquita Oliver. He used a very ironic and unique style. This made the show popular and gave it a special following. However, it sometimes made the celebrity guests feel a bit uncomfortable.
For example, he did a funny interview with singer Lemar. It was called "Lemar From Afar." Simon shouted questions through a megaphone from far away. Another time, he pretended to be a "Si-chiatrist." He interviewed Luke Pritchard and Hugh Harris from The Kooks as if they were his patients.
Hosting Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Simon first appeared on the comedy show Never Mind the Buzzcocks as a guest. This was in 2003 and 2006. After the previous host left, Simon became the permanent host from 2006 to 2009. He hoped to make the show even better.
In 2007, Simon Amstell and Dan Swimer wrote a spoof show. It was called Imagine... A Mildly Amusing Panel Show. This was a funny version of the arts program Imagine.
On April 25, 2009, Simon announced he would leave Never Mind the Buzzcocks. He wanted to focus on his live comedy tours.
Awards and Recognition
In 2007, Simon won two awards. He received the Royal Television Society Award for Best Entertainment Performance. He also won the British Comedy Award for Best Comedy Entertainment Personality. In 2008, he was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Entertainment Performance. His time as host made Never Mind the Buzzcocks one of the best TV shows of the decade.
Writing and Directing Films and TV Shows
Creating Grandma's House
In 2009, BBC Two ordered a six-part TV series. It was called Grandma's House. Simon Amstell wrote and starred in it. He co-wrote it with Dan Swimer. The show started filming in February 2010 and aired in August 2010.
Grandma's House was well-liked by critics and viewers. Samantha Spiro, who played 'Liz', won a British Comedy Award for her role. The second series of Grandma's House aired in April 2012. Simon announced that this would be the final series.
Directing Carnage
On March 19, 2017, Simon Amstell's mockumentary film Carnage was released on BBC iPlayer. A mockumentary is a fake documentary. This film is set in the year 2067. In the movie, the UK is completely vegan. Older people feel guilty about eating meat in the past.
Directing Benjamin
In 2018, Simon wrote and directed the movie Benjamin. It premiered on October 19, 2018, at the BFI London Film Festival.
Future Project: Maria
In 2022, it was announced that Simon Amstell has written a new movie called Maria. He will also direct this film.
Other Directing Work
Simon has also directed short films. He directed a series of shorts written by Jessie Cave. These films starred Olly Alexander. In 2015, he wrote and directed the short film William, starring Alex Lawther. In 2016, Amstell wrote and directed Something More for Channel 4.
Stand-Up Comedy Tours
Simon Amstell is also a successful stand-up comedian. He has performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe many times. These include 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2009. In 2008, he completed his first tour across the UK. He also performed at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal in 2009. His shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2009 were completely sold out. He went on his second national tour in the autumn of 2009.
In May 2010, Simon recorded his show Do Nothing in Dublin. It was later released on DVD in November. It was also shown on BBC3 and the BBC iPlayer in 2011 and 2012.
In April 2012, Simon performed at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. From May to June 2012, he started his 'Numb Tour' in the UK and Ireland. He also performed 'Numb' in New York City in July and August 2012. On New Year's Eve 2012, a special performance of 'Numb' was recorded for the BBC.
In 2014, Simon announced a new tour called 'TO BE FREE'. This tour covered the UK and North America. In 2017, he announced his third UK stand-up tour, 'What Is This?'. It began in London on September 22, 2017.
In 2019, Simon Amstell released an hour-long Netflix stand-up special. It was called 'Set Free' and premiered on August 20. From 2021 to 2022, he toured a new show called 'Spirit Hole'.
Other Projects
In 1995, Simon created Radio XL at his high school, Beal High School. This radio station is still an important part of the school's traditions today.
In 2007, Simon co-wrote an episode of the Channel 4 teenage drama Skins. The episode was titled "Maxxie and Anwar". In 2011, Simon appeared in the independent film Black Pond. In 2015, he provided voice work for the video game Dr. Langeskov, The Tiger, and The Terribly Cursed Emerald: A Whirlwind Heist. In 2016, Simon Amstell hosted the Evening Standard British Film Awards.
Personal Life
Simon Amstell lives in London. He is Jewish and gay. He is also vegan. As of 2018, he had been in a relationship since 2012.
See also
In Spanish: Simon Amstell para niños
