Clive Anderson

Clive Stuart Anderson (born 10 December 1952 in Stanmore, Middlesex) is an English television and radio presenter, comedy writer and former barrister. Winner of a British Comedy Award in 1991, Anderson began experimenting with comedy and writing comedic scripts during his 15-year legal career, before starring in Whose Line Is It Anyway? on BBC Radio 4, then later Channel 4. He has also been successful with a number of radio programmes, television interviews and guest appearances on Have I Got News for You, Mock the Week and QI.

Anderson was educated at Stanburn Primary School and Harrow County School for Boys where his group of friends included Geoffrey Perkins and Michael Portillo. His Scottish father was manager of the Bradford & Bingley's Wembley branch. Anderson attended Selwyn College, University of Cambridge, where, from 1974 to 1975, he was President of Footlights. He was called to the bar at the Middle Temple in 1976 and became a practising barrister, specialising in criminal law.

Television

Anderson was involved in the fledgling alternative comedy scene in the early 1980s and was the first act to come on stage at The Comedy Store when it opened in 1979. He made his name as host of the improvised television comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, which ran for 10 series.

Anderson hosted his own chat-show, Clive Anderson Talks Back, on Channel 4, which ran for 10 series. Anderson moved to the BBC in 1996 and the show's name changed to Clive Anderson All Talk and was aired on BBC1. In one incident in 1996, Anderson interviewed the Bee Gees, and throughout the interview he repeatedly joked about their life and career, ultimately prompting the band to walk out. Anderson once had a glass of water poured over his head by a perturbed Richard Branson. He also famously said to Jeffrey Archer, "There's no beginning to your talents." Archer retorted that "The old jokes are always the best," for Anderson to reply "Yes, I've read your books." The last series of Clive Anderson All Talk aired in 2001.

He has been a frequent participant on Have I Got News for You, making ten appearances in total. He has also frequently appeared on QI. In 2007, he featured as a regular panellist on the ITV comedy show News Knight. One heated exchange on HIGNFY occurred when he scathingly joked to fellow guest Piers Morgan that the Daily Mirror was now, thanks to Morgan (then its editor), almost as good as The Sun. When asked by Morgan, "What do you know about editing newspapers?", he swiftly replied, "About as much as you do."

As a journalist for the BBC, he travelled around the world looking at problems "in out-of-the-way places," though mostly arguing about whether they could film there. Our Man in... featured episodes on monkeywrenching in American logging and 419 scams in Nigeria.

In 2005 he presented the short-lived Celador panel game Back in the Day for Channel 4.

In January 2008, he appeared on the second episode of Thank God You're Here and won.

On 25 February 2008, he started presenting Brainbox Challenge, a new game show, for BBC Two.

In 2008, he presented a reality TV talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC entitled Maestro, starring eight celebrities who are "famous amateurs with a passion for cajun music."

In 2009, Anderson was the television host of the BBC's Last Night of the Proms.

TV presenting

Shows he has presented include:

• Clive Anderson Talks Back
• Our Man in…
• Whose Line Is It Anyway?
• Discovery Mastermind
• Back in the Day
• Clive Anderson All Talk
• Brainbox Challenge
• Maestro
• The Funny Side of...
• If I Ruled the World

• "Clive Anderson's Chat Room". BBC Radio 2. Retrieved 29 July 2007. 
• "UKTV G2 Stars: Profile: Clive Anderson". UKTV Interactive Limited. Retrieved 29 July 2007. 
• "Clive Anderson chat show bust up with Bee Gees 1996". Youtube. Retrieved 17 January 2015. 

Radio

In recent years, Clive Anderson has combined his continuing interest in the law with his role as a radio presenter in the regular series Unreliable Evidence on Radio 4. He also covered the Sunday morning 11 AM-1 PM show on BBC Radio 2 through the end of January 2008.

It was announced in April 2008 that Anderson, who had previously filled in for host Ned Sherrin from 2006 until his death from throat cancer in 2007, would be taking over as permanent host of Loose Ends. He also hosted six series of Clive Anderson's Chat Room on BBC Radio 2 from 2004–2009. Clive Anderson has appeared on BBC Radio 4's The Unbelievable Truth hosted by David Mitchell.

Clive also presents The Guessing Game (radio) on BBC Radio Scotland.

Comedy and newspaper writing

Anderson is a comedy sketch writer who has written for Frankie Howerd, Not the Nine O'Clock News, and Griff Rhys Jones/Mel Smith. One of his early comedy writing projects was Black Cinderella Two Goes East with Rory McGrath for BBC Radio 4 in 1978. He is famous for his fast, nervous delivery and close-to-the-knuckle witticisms.

As well as writing comedy, Anderson is also a frequent contributor to newspapers, and was a regular columnist in the Sunday Correspondent.

Anderson lives in Highbury, north London, with his wife, Jane, and three children. He supports Doncaster Rovers, and Albion Rovers and is President of the Woodland Trust and Vice Patron of the Solicitors' Benevolent Association.

He also has a holiday home in Dalmally, Argyll.

The show Whose Line is it Anyway? won a BAFTA award in 1990. Later, Clive Anderson won both the "Top Entertainment Presenter" and "Top Radio Comedy Personality" at the British Comedy Awards in 1991.