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 29 November 1979) is an English comedian, writer, and director. He is known for writing and directing the movies Carnage (2017) and Benjamin (2018). He has also hosted popular TV shows like Popworld and Never Mind the Buzzcocks.
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Early Life
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 in Ilford, a town in east London.
Television Career
Amstell's first time on TV was in 1993 on the game show GamesMaster. A year later, he appeared on other shows, including Family Catchphrase. On that show, he described himself as a young magician and won a television for his family.
When he was a teenager, Amstell started performing stand-up comedy. He became the youngest person ever to be a finalist in the BBC New Comedy Awards. His first professional TV job was in 1998 as a presenter for the children's channel Nickelodeon.
Popworld
From 2000 to 2006, Amstell co-hosted the music show Popworld on Channel 4 with Miquita Oliver. He became known for his clever and unusual style of interviewing, which made the show very popular.
One famous interview was with the singer Lemar. Amstell stood at one end of a huge car park and shouted questions through a megaphone, while Lemar stood at the other end. This was called "Lemar From Afar."
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Amstell first appeared as a guest on the comedy panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks. After the original host, Mark Lamarr, left, Amstell became the permanent host from 2006 to 2009.
His time as host was very successful. He won a Royal Television Society Award and a British Comedy Award in 2007. In 2008, he was nominated for a BAFTA Award. The show was even named one of the best TV shows of the decade by The Times newspaper because of his hosting.
In 2009, Amstell announced he was leaving the show. He wanted to focus on his live stand-up comedy tours.
Writing and Directing
After leaving Buzzcocks, Amstell began to focus more on writing and directing for television and film.
'Grandma's House'
In 2010, Amstell wrote and starred in a TV series called Grandma's House. The show, which he co-wrote with Dan Swimer, was about a TV host who quits his job and tries to figure out what to do next. It was filmed at his grandmother's house. The show ran for two series and was well-liked by viewers and critics.
'Carnage'
In 2017, Amstell wrote and directed a mockumentary called Carnage. A mockumentary is a fake documentary made for comedy. The film is set in the future, in the year 2067, where everyone in the UK is vegan. It explores how future generations look back at a time when people ate meat.
'Benjamin'
Amstell wrote and directed the movie Benjamin, which was released in 2018. The film is a comedy-drama about a young filmmaker. It was shown at the BFI London Film Festival.
Stand-Up Comedy
Amstell is also a very popular stand-up comedian. He has performed many times at the famous Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He has also toured the UK and other countries with his shows.
Some of his stand-up shows include:
- Do Nothing (2009)
- Numb (2012)
- TO BE FREE (2014)
- What Is This? (2017)
- Spirit Hole (2021)
In 2019, he released a stand-up special on Netflix called 'Set Free'.
Other Work
- In 2007, Amstell co-wrote an episode of the teen drama Skins.
- In 2011, he acted in the movie Black Pond.
- In 2015, he was a voice actor for the video game Dr. Langeskov, The Tiger, and The Terribly Cursed Emerald: A Whirlwind Heist.
- In 2017, he published his first book, Help, which is a collection of his stand-up comedy scripts.
Personal Life
Amstell lives in London. He is Jewish and vegan.
See also
In Spanish: Simon Amstell para niños
