Editing Rob Brydon (section)

==Career==
=== 1982–1999: Early radio work === 
Brydon attended the [[Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama]], [[Cardiff]]. He left after a year, to join [[BBC Radio Wales|Radio Wales]] at the age of 20.<ref name="bbc Lawson"/> His early broadcasts included work as a [[disc jockey]] on [[BBC Radio Wales]], when his Saturday morning shows included contributions from stand-up comedian Pete Park-Walker. Between 1992 and 1994, on Radio Wales (where he stayed for six years) he was the main presenter of ''Rave'', one of [[BBC Radio 5 (former)|BBC Radio 5]]'s youth magazine and music programmes, with [[Alan Thompson (Welsh radio broadcaster)|Alan Thompson]]. He developed his ''[[Marion and Geoff]]'' story from this.<ref name="bbc2011-08-19"/> In 1994 and 1995 Brydon appeared in numerous episodes of the original Radio Wales version of the cult comedy ''[[Satellite City]]'' with [[Boyd Clack]]. Although he has stayed with radio as a comedy performer on [[BBC Radio Five Live]]'s ''The Treatment'', Brydon also does occasional stints as a stand-in presenter on [[BBC Radio 2]] including for [[Ken Bruce]] before Bruce resigned from the BBC in 2023. Notably on 1 April 2011, Brydon appeared during Bruce's absence, as him, as an [[April Fools' Day]] joke, for the entire show.<ref name="BBCbruce"/><ref name="indybruce"/> 

During an episode of [[Would I Lie to You? (British game show)|''Would I Lie To You?'']], Brydon admitted that he had pretended on the phone to be his own agent, using one of his repertoire of different voices in the early part of his career. This was done to justify enhancing his freelance work fees.

For a brief period, in the early 1990s, Brydon was a presenter for the [[Home Shopping Network]].<ref name="imdb"/> He began to find small roles in several successful films and television series. Brydon was first known nationally as a voice artist. He provided several voices for the ''[[Discworld (video game)|Discworld]]'' computer games, voicing the main character, Lewton, in the ''[[Discworld Noir]]'',<ref name="moby"/> and also for radio and television programmes such as [[Eurotrash (TV series)|''Eurotrash'']].<ref>{{cite AV media |date=2 June 2022 |title=Al Murray On The Invention Of The Pub Landlord |language=English |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1ptqJYZ_IQ&t=402s | time=6:42 |quote=I also did Eurotrash}}</ref> He is also known for voice-over work in television advertising, including for [[Renault]], [[Tango (drink)|Tango]], ''[[The Times]]'', [[Tesco]], [[Abbey National]], [[Sainsbury's]], [[McDonald's]], [[Pot Noodle]], [[Domino's Pizza]], [[Crunchy Nut Cornflakes]], ''[[The Observer]]'' and [[Fairy Liquid]]. He has also provided voices in animated films such as ''[[The Gruffalo (film)|The Gruffalo]]'', ''[[The Gruffalo's Child (film)|The Gruffalo's Child]]'' and ''[[Room on the Broom (film)|Room on the Broom]]''<ref name="IMDB"/> and continuity announcements for [[BBC 1]].<ref name="sol"/>

=== 2000–2009: Television roles and acclaim === 
[[File:RobBrydonISIHAC_(cropped).JPG|thumb|left|Brydon on [[I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue]] in 2009]]
In 2000 he made his mark in television comedy, with two series which he co-wrote and performed for the BBC: ''[[Human Remains (TV series)|Human Remains]],'' co-written by [[Julia Davis]]. From 2000 to 2003 he starred in the [[BBC television]] [[mockumentary]] ''[[Marion and Geoff]]'' which was commercially successful. Brydon plays as Keith Barret, a naïve [[taxi driver]] going through a messy divorce from his wife, Marion, who, though he fails to realise it, has had a long-standing affair with her colleague, Geoff. Each episode is presented as a monologue, filmed by a fixed camera in the confines of his car. From 2004 to 2005 Brydon starred in ''[[The Keith Barret Show]]'' which was a fictional spoof of a [[BBC]] chat show. In 2006 he parodied comedy [[panel shows]] such as ''[[QI]]'', ''[[Mock the Week]]'' and ''[[Have I Got News For You]]'' in the [[BBC Three]] series ''[[Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive]]''. Ed Potton of ''[[The Times]]'' found that the series "provides the perfect platform for host Brydon, playing a demonic version of himself, to mimic (often hilariously) and abuse (often brutally) his guests".<ref>{{cite news|last=Potton|first=Ed|title=''Darbar Festival 2008''; ''Life''; ''Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive''; ''Terminator''|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article5091112.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615155104/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article5091112.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 June 2011|accessdate=19 September 2010|newspaper=[[The Times]]|date=6 November 2008}}</ref> 
[[File:Michael_Winterbottom,_Steve_Coogan,_and_Rob_Brydon-14Sept2005.jpg|thumb|right|[[Michael Winterbottom]] (left), [[Steve Coogan]] (middle), and Brydon (right) at the [[Ryerson Theatre]] in [[Toronto]], Canada (2005)]]
In 2005 he portrayed a version of himself in the British comedy ''[[A Cock and Bull Story]]'' directed by [[Michael Winterbottom]]. Brydon starred opposite [[Steve Coogan]]. Dana Stevens of ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'' wrote, "Rob Brydon, plays Tristram’s Uncle Toby, a blustering war veteran with a wound in an unspeakable place. In the modern-day scenes, Rob Brydon is, surprise, Rob Brydon, an actor with an ego even more pitifully in need of stroking than Coogan’s. The unscripted-sounding exchanges between these two are the funniest part of the movie".<ref>{{cite magazine|url= https://slate.com/culture/2006/02/michael-winterbottom-s-tristram-shandy.html|title= The Neverending Story|website= Slate|date= 3 February 2006|accessdate= September 28, 2023|last1= Stevens|first1= Dana}}</ref> From 2007 to 2010 Brydon gained prominence for his leading role as Uncle Bryn in the BBC sitcom ''Gavin & Stacey'' starring [[Matthew Horne]], [[Joanna Page]], and [[James Corden]]. In the 2009 Brydon was nominated for the [[British Academy Television Awards|BAFTA Award]] for Best Comedy Performance as Bryn. Starting in 2009 Brydon has hosted the game show ''[[Would I Lie to You?]]''. Since these series Brydon has developed a career path as a character actor, in both comedic and serious roles. He portrayed controversial theatre critic [[Kenneth Tynan]] in the BBC Four film ''Kenneth Tynan: In Praise of Hardcore'' (2005), opposite [[Julian Sands]] as [[Laurence Olivier]]. 

Also in 2006, Brydon first appeared on the BBC Radio 4 comedy panel game ''[[I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue]]''. His singing voice earned the unprecedented accolade from the former host, [[Humphrey Lyttelton]], of being "not bad".{{citation needed|date=January 2019}} When the team went on a tour of non-broadcast stage shows, Brydon filled in as chairman when Lyttelton was in hospital to repair an aortic aneurysm. Lyttelton died in hospital after surgery. Brydon narrated a two-part programme on BBC Radio 4, ''The Pain of Laughter: The Last Days of Kenneth Williams''. It explored the latter part of [[Kenneth Williams|Williams]]'s life, featuring many of the performer's friends and contemporaries. In other radio work Brydon sat in for [[Ken Bruce]] on BBC Radio 2 for one day only on 25 August 2008. In addition to this, on 1 April 2011, Brydon impersonated Bruce for the entire two-hour and thirty minutes show. Bruce came on the air at the end of the show to reveal the [[prank]]. Brydon has appeared on the TV comedy quiz ''[[QI]]''. In his first appearance (Series A, episode 5), his talent for mimicry was displayed with impressions of [[Alec Guinness]], [[James Dean]], and [[Michael J. Fox]]. In the 2008 [[List of QI episodes (F series)#Episode 2 "Fire & Freezing" (Christmas special)|Christmas special]], he provided impressions of [[Richard Burton]] and [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]].

His character [[List of Gavin & Stacey characters#Bryn West|Bryn West]] in ''Gavin & Stacey'', written by Ruth Jones and [[James Corden]], allowed him to return to his South Wales roots. In this role Brydon performed the 2009 [[Comic Relief]] charity single, "[[(Barry) Islands in the Stream]]", with Ruth Jones (both actors appearing as their characters from ''Gavin & Stacey'') and singer [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]]. It reached No.1 in the [[UK Singles Chart]] on 15 March 2009. In February 2009, it was announced that Brydon would be one of three people to replace Lyttelton as chairman of the 51st series of ''I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue'' (the others being [[Stephen Fry]] and [[Jack Dee]]).<ref name="spy"/><ref name="clue"/> Brydon also appeared as guest panellist in the first two episodes of series 52, chaired by Jack Dee. He returned as a guest panellist in the last two episodes of series 54 in January 2011. Additionally, in 2009 he took over as host of ''[[Would I Lie To You?]]'', replacing [[Angus Deayton]].<ref name="parker"/> Brydon had also appeared as a guest panellist on the show during the previous season.<ref name="tv">{{Cite web |url=http://www.tv.com/shows/would-i-lie-to-you/rob-brydon-krishnan-guru-murthy-gabby-logan-robert-webb-1106648/ |title=Would I Lie to You?: Rob Brydon, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Gabby Logan, Robert Webb |access-date=6 September 2019 |archive-date=6 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190906073442/http://www.tv.com/shows/would-i-lie-to-you/rob-brydon-krishnan-guru-murthy-gabby-logan-robert-webb-1106648/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Brydon has presented an episode of ''[[Have I Got News for You]]''<ref name="smith"/> and has appeared on BBC Radio 4's panel game ''[[Just a Minute]]''.<ref name="jam"/><ref name="laugh"/>

=== 2010–present: ''The Trip'' and other roles === 
[[File:Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon (12096838575).jpg|thumb|left|[[Steve Coogan]] and Brydon at the [[Sundance Film Festival]] promoting ''[[The Trip to Spain]]'' (2014)]]
Between September and October 2011, Brydon starred alongside [[Kenneth Branagh]] in [[Francis Veber]]'s play ''The Painkiller'' at the [[Lyric Theatre, Belfast|Lyric Theatre]] in Belfast. He reprised his role with Branagh, in March and April 2016, at the [[Garrick Theatre]] in London's West End.<ref name="branagh"/> Whilst not calling himself an impressionist, Brydon says he "started out as an impressionist" but will "bristle" when described as such.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/3664773/Ive-always-been-interested-in-failure.html|title= 'I've always been interested in failure'|website= Financial Times|date= 28 April 2007|accessdate= September 28, 2023}}</ref> His impressions include Alec Guinness, James Dean, Michael J. Fox, Richard Burton, Tom Jones, [[Michael Caine]], [[Mick Jagger]] and [[Ronnie Corbett]]. He is also noted for his "Small Man in A Box" impression.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2010/oct/26/steve-coogan-rob-brydon |title=Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan: 'We're not the big buddies people think we are' |work=The Guardian |date=26 October 2010}}</ref>

In 2010 Brydon starred alongside [[Steve Coogan]] in [[Michael Winterbottom]]'s partially improvised BBC Two sitcom series ''[[The Trip (2010 TV series)|The Trip]],'' in which both actors played fictionalised versions of their public personas (Brydon, optimistic and always eager to do an impression; and Coogan, [[misanthropic]] and bitter that he's not the major international star he believes he should be).<ref name="wollaston"/> Coogan and Brydon reprised their roles as themselves in the follow up films ''[[The Trip to Italy]]'' (2014), ''[[The Trip to Spain]]'' (2017), and ''[[The Trip to Greece]]'' (2020). The films have been met with critical acclaim with many critics describing them as "hilarious and heartbreaking". Elizabeth Nelson of ''[[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]]'' comparing their chemistry to that of [[Bob Hope]] and [[Bing Crosby]] in the Road movies. Nelson also compared the films to [[Tom Stoppard]]'s ''[[Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.theringer.com/movies/2020/5/22/21266964/the-trip-to-greece-steve-coogan-rob-brydon-review|title= What a Long, Strange Funny Trip 'The Trip' Series Has Been|website= The Ringer|date= 22 May 2020|accessdate= September 28, 2023}}</ref> 

Brydon's book ''Small Man in a Book'' (the title a play on his "small-man-in-a-box" impression) was published in November 2011.<ref name="gordon"/> In 2009/10 Brydon had his first stand-up tour in the UK as Rob Brydon (rather than as a differently named character). The resulting DVD of the 2009/10 show, ''Rob Brydon: Live'', was released on 23 November 2009.<ref name="AutoDJ-1"/> Brydon appeared as a host on episode two of series five of the BBC series of ''[[Live at the Apollo (TV series)|Live at the Apollo]]''. In 2010 Brydon took part in ''[[Channel 4's Comedy Gala]]'', a [[benefit show]] in aid of [[Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital]], filmed live at the [[The O2 Arena (London)|O2 Arena]] in London on 30 March. He was one of six [[Master of Ceremonies|compères]] for [[Elizabeth II|the Queen]]'s [[Diamond Jubilee Concert]] held outside [[Buckingham Palace]] on 4 June 2012. The following year he dubbed the voice of Beto in the animated film ''[[Metegol|The Unbeatables]]'' for the ''United Kingdom'' edition of the film.

In 2015 he had a uncredited role as Master Phineus in the [[Kenneth Branagh]] directed romantic fantasy ''[[Cinderella (2015 American film)|Cinderella]]'' for [[Walt Disney Pictures]]. The following year he played Gryff in ''[[The Huntsman: Winter's War]]'' (2016) alongside [[Charlize Theron]], [[Chris Hemsworth]] and [[Emily Blunt]]. That same year he played various roles in the [[BBC One]] animated series ''[[Revolting Rhymes (film)|Revolting Rhymes]]'' (2016) which was nominated for the [[Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film]]. In 2018 he played [[Inspector Lestrade]] in the mystery-parody ''[[Holmes & Watson]]'' starring [[Will Ferrell]] and [[John C. Reilly]]. Brydon also had roles in the [[stop-motion]] animated film ''[[Early Man (film)|Early Man]]'' (2018) and the British comedy ''[[Swimming with Men]]'' (2018). He also portrayed [[Richard Nixon]] in the [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] series ''[[Trust (American TV series)|Trust]]'' (2018). The following year he had roles in the musical comedy ''[[Blinded by the Light (2019 film)|Blinded by the Light]]'' (2019) and in the [[coming-of-age]] film ''[[Days of the Bagnold Summer (film)|Days of the Bagnold Summer]]''  (2019). 

In 2021 he acted in the first episode of the second series of the show ''[[McDonald & Dodds]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/mcdonalds-and-dodds-renewed-season-three/ | title=McDonald & Dodds renewed for third series on ITV }}</ref> That same year he narrated ''[[The Chase (British game show)|The Chasers Road Trip: Trains, Brains and Automobiles]]'', was a contestant on ''[[Celebrity Catchphrase]]'', and voiced The Crow in ''[[Superworm (film)|Superworm]]'' alongside [[Olivia Colman]] and [[Matt Smith]]. The following year he voiced the Pied Piper in ''[[The Amazing Maurice]]'' (2022) alongside [[Hugh Laurie]], [[Emilia Clarke]], [[David Thewlis]] and [[Hugh Bonneville]]. In 2023 he had a brief role as [[Sugar Daddy Ken]] in [[Greta Gerwig]]'s comedy ''[[Barbie (film)|Barbie]]'' starring [[Margot Robbie]] and [[Ryan Gosling]].

In 2022 Brydon appeared in [[Stephen Sondheim]]'s ''Old Friends'' revue, including alongside [[Haydn Gwynne]] in "The Little Things You Do Together", the marital battle from ''[[Company (musical)|Company]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lawson |first=Mark |date=2022-05-04 |title=Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends review – a glorious all-star memorial service |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/may/04/stephen-sondheims-old-friends-review-a-glorious-all-star-memorial-service |access-date=2023-12-08 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Two - Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001gppx |access-date=2023-12-08 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref>