
Acting
Paul Merton
Born
1957-07-09 (69)
Place of birth
Parsons Green, London, England, UK
Known for
Acting
Credits
67 titles
Paul James Martin, known under the stage name Paul Merton, is an English writer, actor, comedian, radio and television presenter. Known for his improvisation skill, Merton's humour is rooted in deadpan, surreal and sometimes dark comedy.
Known for
4.3A topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One.
The One Show
2006
7.1Hilarious, totally-irreverent, near-slanderous political quiz show, based mainly on news stories from the last week or so, that leaves no party, personality or action unscathed in pursuit of laughs.
Have I Got News for You
1990
5.6The South Bank Show is a television arts magazine show produced by ITV between 1978 and 2010. A new series began on Sky Arts from 27 May 2012. Presented by Melvyn Bragg, the show aims to bring both high art and popular culture to a mass audience.
The South Bank Show
1978
7.0Based on the week’s news and fronted by guest hosts, this extended version of the satirical news quiz features more of the stuff that wouldn't fit into the regular programme.
Have I Got a Bit More News for You
—
NRMichael Parkinson returns for a second run of his iconic talk show.
Parkinson
1998
6.0Antiques experts accompany celebrities on a road trip around the UK searching for treasures and competing to make the most money at auction
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip
2011
Film credits
2020s · 3 titles
NRAs demand for motorhomes soars, Paul Merton narrates this revealing look at holidays on the road - including a giant spider invasion and tourists who get wedged in a Cornish lane.
When Motorhoming Goes Horribly Wrong
2023
NRThe Fringe, Fame and Me is the story of how a small Scottish arts festival that began 75 years ago this year became a national institution – a crucible where new stars are forged, careers made, and sometimes, dreams dashed. Told by the stars who first found fame at the Edinburgh Fringe, this is the inside story of what it takes to make a name here, from those who enjoyed overnight success to those who slogged for years to make it. Through their triumphs, favourite jokes, and sometimes painful failures, we’ll discover a hidden history of British comedy – revealing how the gags we find funny and the comedians we love reflect our changing culture.
The Fringe, Fame and Me
2022
NRFrank Bough was one of the most famous men on British TV until a series of scandalous tabloid exposés ended his career We explore the motivation that led to his fall from grace, his attempt to rebuild a career and his his ultimate ignominious end.
Frank Bough: National Treasure, National Disgrace
2023
2010s · 4 titles
NRThe making of The Beatles' controversial 1967 film, featuring previously unseen archive footage.
Magical Mystery Tour Revisited
2012
NRA documentary about comedian Spike Milligan.
The Unforgettable Spike Milligan
2010
NRAn immersive documentary reveals the story of a forgotten prince--Henry Frederick Stuart--who was a star of the first decade of the Stuart dynasty in the 1600s but never became king.
Henry IX: The Lost King
2017
7.0Paul Merton goes in search of the origins of screen comedy in the forgotten world of silent cinema - not in Hollywood, but closer to home in pre-1914 Britain and France. Revealing the unknown stars and lost masterpieces, he brings to life the pioneering techniques and optical inventiveness of the virtuosos who mastered a new art form. With a playful eye and comic sense of timing, Merton combines the role of presenter and director to recreate the weird and wonderful world that is early European cinema in a series of cinematic experiments of his own.
Paul Merton's Weird and Wonderful World of Early Cinema
2010
2000s · 12 titles
8.0An adaptation of the folktale about a lonely boy, his beloved cat, and the hard decisions that come with their adventures.
Dick Whittington: The ITV Pantomime
2002
6.7A televised pantomime of Cinderella featuring various celebrities.
Cinderella: The ITV Pantomime
2000
NROver 2½ hours of the award-winning topical news quiz, featuring previously unseen footage. Team captains Ian Hislop and Paul Merton are joined by a different guest presenter each week.
Have I Got News for You: The Best of the Guest Presenters Volume 2
2005
5.0A documentary about the portrayal of Adolf Hitler in popular culture.
Hitler: The Comedy Years
2007
9.0A televised pantomime of Aladdin with characters played by well-known celebrities.
Aladdin: The ITV Pantomime
2000
9.0One of many tributes following the death of Spike Milligan. Comedians, actors and musicians join forces to present a live tribute featuring a selection of comic highlights from Spike's life. From recreations of his most famous sketches to readings of Milligan's own poems and extracts from his controversial wartime memoirs, these are all interspersed with archive film clips of the great man himself, showcasing his inimitable comic genius.
Spike Milligan I told you I was ill... A live tribute
2002
NRMore than 160 minutes of the best moments from the top TV comedy news quiz, with a different guest presenter in the chair each week. Includes the uproarious episode hosted by Boris Johnson together with specially extended versions of the shows presented by Martin Clunes, William Hague, and Bruce Forsyth.
Have I Got News for You: The Best of the Guest Presenters
2003
9.0Compilation of classic moments and unseen outtakes from the first 23 series (1990-2002) of the popular BBC comedy show.
The Very Best of 'Have I Got News for You'
2002
NRA retrospective of Colin Baker's turbulent three-years as the Sixth Doctor in Doctor Who (1963), covering his casting, the 1985 hiatus, and his sacking on the orders of BBC One controller Michael Grade.
Trials and Tribulations
2008
Directed and animated by Run Wrake, a one minute illustration of Paul Merton's words on Sudoku commissioned by the BBC for the Radio 4 website.
Just a Minute
2009
8.0Steve is married and has a dog who seems to not be enjoying life. Steve is unaware of his wife's boredom with their monotonous life. Steve and his wife get a little fun when they decide to go to the fair. Whilst he is having fun, his wife and dog turn against him.
The Suicidal Dog
2000
NRThe year 2006 marks the 40th anniversary of the release of "My Brother Makes The Noises For the Talkies , the first record by The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. On January 28th 2006 Classic Rock Productions Ltd presented a very special evening celebrating the music and achievements of the legendary Bonzos. The part of the late great and sorely missed Vivian Stanshall was performed variously by Messrs Stephen Fry, Adrian Edmondson, Phill Jupitus and Paul Merton, making this the most exciting evening since the Secret Policeman s Ball. For the first time since the group broke up in the early seventies a British stage once again resounded to the inspired flights of lunacy of the Bonzos favourites performed live. An evening dedicated to the surreal stage presentation of the highlights of the music of the Bonzos, including all of the hits, which have built a lasting musical legacy.
Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band - 40th Anniversary Celebration
2006
1990s · 7 titles
8.0Victor muses about life while in the bath.
One Foot in the Grave: Victor In The Bath
1993
NRThe gang journey to the North Pole, and drill a hole to find out "What's at the center of the Earth?"
Rex the Runt: North by North Pole
1996
4.0In the tradition of the acclaimed series of British concerts known as The Secret Policemen's Ball, Amnesty International celebrates its 50th Anniversary live at Radio City Music Hall.
Amnesty International's Big 30
1991
5.0From their 1991 stageplay An Evening with Gary Lineker was adapted for television in 1994 by Arthur Smith and Chris England. The action takes place against the backdrop of the 1990 Football World Cup semi-final, between England and West Germany, which is taking place in Italy while Monica and Bill are on holiday in Ibiza. Bill desperately wants to watch the match; Monica wants to talk about their relationship.
An Evening with Gary Lineker
1994
7.0A feature-length exclusive-to-video edition of Have I Got News For You.
Have I Got News for You: The Official Pirate Video
1997
10.0The show with the sardonic wit for which Merton is famous. Plus his hilarious salute to the ice skaters Torvill and Dean, and a comic version of the pantomime Aladdin, as never seen before. Featuring Lee Simpson and Richard Vranch.
Paul Merton at the London Palladium
1994
7.0A televised pantomime of Jack and the Beanstalk featuring various celebrities.
Jack and the Beanstalk: The ITV Pantomime
1998
Series credits
4.3A topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One.
The One Show
2006
4.3A topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One.
The One Show
2006
7.1Hilarious, totally-irreverent, near-slanderous political quiz show, based mainly on news stories from the last week or so, that leaves no party, personality or action unscathed in pursuit of laughs.
Have I Got News for You
1990
7.1Hilarious, totally-irreverent, near-slanderous political quiz show, based mainly on news stories from the last week or so, that leaves no party, personality or action unscathed in pursuit of laughs.
Have I Got News for You
1990
5.6The South Bank Show is a television arts magazine show produced by ITV between 1978 and 2010. A new series began on Sky Arts from 27 May 2012. Presented by Melvyn Bragg, the show aims to bring both high art and popular culture to a mass audience.
The South Bank Show
1978
7.0Based on the week’s news and fronted by guest hosts, this extended version of the satirical news quiz features more of the stuff that wouldn't fit into the regular programme.
Have I Got a Bit More News for You
—
NRMichael Parkinson returns for a second run of his iconic talk show.
Parkinson
1998
6.0Antiques experts accompany celebrities on a road trip around the UK searching for treasures and competing to make the most money at auction
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip
2011
7.0A British genealogy documentary series in which celebrities trace their ancestry, discovering secrets and surprises from their past.
Who Do You Think You Are?
2004
6.6Fast-moving game show meets talk show, which sees Frank Skinner refereeing three celebrities each week as they compete to banish their top peeve or worst nightmare to the depths of Room 101.
Room 101
1994
2.8Lorraine is the early weekday morning, lifestyle and entertainment show for ITV, presented by Lorraine Kelly and Kate Garraway. ITV Breakfast produces Lorraine, which airs every weekday from 08:30 until 09:25, following Daybreak. The programme replaced Kelly's previous show, GMTV with Lorraine.
Lorraine
2001
7.7An un-scripted comedy show in which four guest performers improvise their way through a series of games, many of which rely on audience suggestions.
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
1988
7.9The misadventures of four lunatic students who live in a shared student house. There's Rick, the overblown political one addicted to Cliff Richard, Vyvyan the experimental scientific one/part-time anarchist, Neil the worried hippy, and Mike the ladies' man (at least he is in his mind).
The Young Ones
1982
7.0The final incarnation of Michael Parkinson's iconic talk show featuring an array of celebrities from every sphere.
Parkinson
2004
7.5Ben Shephard hosts the quiz show in which three celebrities take on an extraordinary machine in the hope of winning 20,000 pounds for charity.
Tipping Point: Lucky Stars
2013
7.5As Britain is rocked by unstable political, economic and technological advances, members of the Lyons family converge on one crucial night in 2019. Over the next 15 years, the twists and turns of their everyday lives are explored as we find out if this ordinary family could change the world.
Years and Years
2019
7.7One Foot in the Grave is a BBC television sitcom series. The series features the exploits of Victor Meldrew and his long-suffering wife, Margaret. The programmes invariably deal with Meldrew's battle against the problems he creates for himself. Living in a typical household in an unnamed English suburb, Victor takes involuntary early retirement. His various efforts to keep himself busy, while encountering various misfortunes and misunderstandings are the themes of the sitcom. Despite its traditional production, the series supplants its domestic sitcom setting with elements of black humour and surrealism.
One Foot in the Grave
1990
8.0Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle is a comedy series created by Stewart Lee. The BBC Two series debuted on 16 March 2009, and featured stand-up routines filmed at The Mildmay Club in Newington Green, and sketches based on a weekly theme, featuring amongst others Simon Munnery, Kevin Eldon and Paul Putner with voice-over parts recorded by Peter Serafinowicz. The series is produced by Richard Webb and directed by Tim Kirkby. The programme is executive-produced by Armando Iannucci and script-edited by Chris Morris, marking a rare reformation of their creative double-act.
Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle
2009
7.6Rex the Runt is an animated claymation television show produced by Aardman Animations for BBC Bristol in association with EVA Entertainment and Egmont Imagination. Its main characters are four plasticine dogs: Rex, Wendy, Bad Bob and Vince. The series began with a short, Ident, in 1989 directed by Richard Goleszowski. After a long gestation period this developed into two unaired shorts and then thirteen ten-minute episodes that first aired over two weeks on BBC2 from December 1998. A second thirteen episode series aired from September 2001 on the same channel. As well as the core cast guest voices included Paul Merton, Morwenna Banks, Judith Chalmers, Antoine de Caunes, Bob Holness, Bob Monkhouse, Jonathan Ross, Graham Norton, Arthur Smith, June Whitfield, Kathy Burke, Pam Ayres and Eddie Izzard.
Rex the Runt
1998
7.0Comedian, musician and nature lover Bill Bailey takes some famous faces for an amble and a ramble on some of the UK's most spectacular pub walks.
Perfect Pub Walks
2024
9.5Just a Minute is a BBC Radio 4 radio comedy and television panel game chaired by Nicholas Parsons. Its first transmission on Radio 4 was on 22 December 1967, three months after the station's launch. The Radio 4 programme won a Gold Sony Radio Academy Award in 2003. The object of the game is for panellists to talk for sixty seconds on a given subject, "without repetition, hesitation or deviation". The comedy comes from attempts to keep within these rules and the banter among the participants. In 2011 comedy writer David Quantick ascribed Just a Minute's success to its "insanely basic" format, stating, "It's so blank that it can be filled by people as diverse as Paul Merton and Graham Norton, who don't have to adapt their style of humour to the show at all."
Just a Minute
2012
7.5Following a freak accident, Godfrey Spry develops a 30-second attention span, causing him to take ad slogans literally and leading to chaotic behaviour.
If You See God, Tell Him
1993
6.0Fresh from his appearances on Whose Line is it Anyway?, Paul starred in his own comedy series on Channel 4, featuring a mix of surreal sketches, links and stand-up routines
Paul Merton: The Series
1991
Weekly talk show hosted by Danny Baker featuring guests from the worlds of television, film and sport.
The Danny Baker Show
1994
NRUnscripted improv comedy plays, fuelled by the audience's ideas and a little bit of chaos.
Shoot From the Hip Improvised Plays
2018
5.5Terry and Julian is a British sitcom that aired on Channel 4 in 1992. Starring Julian Clary, it was written by Clary, Paul Merton and John Henderson. The title is a spoof the title of the long-running BBC sitcom Terry and June, whose star June Whitfield made a guest appearance in one episode of Terry and Julian.
Terry and Julian
1992
8.0Paul Merton and his wife Suki Webster hit the road as they embrace Britain's booming motorhoming scene, seeking out the UK's most famous sights and hidden gems, while there are tips from enthusiasts and volunteers test camping equipment. The couple begin their journey in Canterbury, where they pick up their cruiser and set off on their first-ever staycation on wheels touring Kent's coastline.
Motorhoming With Merton and Webster
2021
8.0Paul Merton stars in various remakes of scripts written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson that were originally performed by such greats as Tony Hancock and Les Dawson.
Paul Merton in Galton & Simpson's
1996
NRPaul’s fascination with trains stems from his childhood. His father was a driver on the London Underground and when, as a young boy, Paul witnessed his dad driving a train across Putney Bridge, it sparked a lifelong fascination of railways. Now, he is following in his father’s footsteps by joining the drivers upfront and in control of some of the world’s most amazing trains and experiencing the best views as he travels through breathtaking landscapes in the UK and Europe. From steep gradients and tight curves to pinpoint platform stops, Paul will learn what it takes to keep these mighty machines on track. Visiting Germany, France, Switzerland, Wales, Northern England and Isle of Wight, he’ll meet the people who keep the railways running - from engineers and conductors to passengers with fascinating stories of their own.
Paul Merton: Driving Amazing Trains
2026
NRUK-produced partially improvised comedy based on the original Australian show with the same name. In the show, four guests are placed into a scene they have no knowledge about and have to improvise. The series is hosted by Paul Merton, who also acts as judge and performs his own improvised scene.
Thank God You're Here
2008
7.0Paul Merton in Europe is a six-part television series airing on Channel 5 from 11 January 2010 onwards. The series is a follow-up to Paul Merton in India. It follows presenter Paul Merton as he travels around several countries in Europe including Germany, Ireland, Italy, France and Spain. The series was released on DVD on 8 March 2010.
Paul Merton in Europe
2010
8.0Paul Merton's Birth of Hollywood is a 2011 BBC documentary series written, directed and presented by Paul Merton. The three-part series traces the rise of the American film-making industry in Hollywood through from the early years of film-making to the foundation of the major motion-picture studios and the new class of the film star.
Paul Merton's Birth of Hollywood
2011
NRBritish comedian Paul Merton keeps his comically-critical attitude while tasting some popular holiday types that never appealed to him, unlike millions of Britons. They range from cruises and 'extreme' holidays overseas (Ibiza, Florida) to English coastal resorts and adventurous Scotland.
Paul Merton's Adventures
2011
NRPaul Merton profiles some of the great stars of silent comedy, examining their lives and works, and uncovering seldom-seen material
Paul Merton's Silent Clowns
2007
7.0Paul Merton in India is a television show broadcast on Channel 5 in the United Kingdom and Fox History & Entertainment in India. The first episode was aired on 8 October 2008. It follows comedian Paul Merton as he travels around India. The series was commissioned after the success of the previous series Paul Merton in China. Merton travelled around various places in India, sampling various offbeat and out of the normal aspects of India. It was broadcast on Fox History & Entertainment in India. AXS TV broadcasts the program for American TV viewers.
Paul Merton in India
2008
8.0Paul Merton in China was a four-part television series broadcast on Five commencing from 21 May 2007. It follows the journey of Paul Merton, comedian and writer, and his interpreter Emma, as they voyage across the country, exploring Chinese culture, expansion and change from Mao Zedong's reign. The series was a hit for Five and Merton confirmed on Michael Parkinson's show that a second series entitled Paul Merton in India had been commissioned. The theme music from Channel Five's advertisement is Michel Legrand's Di Gue Ding Ding, which was also used as the theme music to Heston Blumenthal's series In Search of Perfection aired concurrently on BBC Two. All four episodes were released on DVD in late October 2008.
Paul Merton in China
2007
NRMore than 150 of Britain’s railway stations are request stops. You have to put out your arm to get the train to stop at the platform. In this series, Paul Merton will travel around the country by train, only getting off at request stops. He’ll explore the history of the stations, and meet the people who live and work around them to learn more about at these unusual and often-overlooked stations.
Paul Merton's Secret Stations
2016
Behind the camera
NRPaul Merton looks at the British films of Alfred Hitchcock, the silent films and the early sound films.
Paul Merton Looks at Alfred Hitchcock
2009
7.0Paul Merton goes in search of the origins of screen comedy in the forgotten world of silent cinema - not in Hollywood, but closer to home in pre-1914 Britain and France. Revealing the unknown stars and lost masterpieces, he brings to life the pioneering techniques and optical inventiveness of the virtuosos who mastered a new art form. With a playful eye and comic sense of timing, Merton combines the role of presenter and director to recreate the weird and wonderful world that is early European cinema in a series of cinematic experiments of his own.
Paul Merton's Weird and Wonderful World of Early Cinema
2010
7.0Paul Merton goes in search of the origins of screen comedy in the forgotten world of silent cinema - not in Hollywood, but closer to home in pre-1914 Britain and France. Revealing the unknown stars and lost masterpieces, he brings to life the pioneering techniques and optical inventiveness of the virtuosos who mastered a new art form. With a playful eye and comic sense of timing, Merton combines the role of presenter and director to recreate the weird and wonderful world that is early European cinema in a series of cinematic experiments of his own.
Paul Merton's Weird and Wonderful World of Early Cinema
2010
8.0Steve is married and has a dog who seems to not be enjoying life. Steve is unaware of his wife's boredom with their monotonous life. Steve and his wife get a little fun when they decide to go to the fair. Whilst he is having fun, his wife and dog turn against him.
The Suicidal Dog
2000
