Editing Clive Anderson

{{Short description|English television and radio presenter}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Clive Anderson
| image              = Clive Anderson at Selwyn May Ball -21June2008.JPG
| caption            = Anderson at Selwyn May Ball (2008)
| birth_name         = Clive Stuart Anderson
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1952|12|10|df=y}}
| birth_place        = [[Stanmore|Stanmore, London]], England
| known_for          = Hosting ''[[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (British TV series)|Whose Line Is It Anyway?]]'', ''Clive Anderson Talks Back'' and ''Clive Anderson All Talk''
| education          = [[Selwyn College, Cambridge]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
| spouse             = {{marriage|[[Jane Anderson (physician)|Jane Anderson]]|1981}}
| occupation         = Comedy author, game show host, [[barrister]], radio presenter, television presenter
| years_active       = 1979–present
}}
'''Clive Stuart Anderson''' (born 10 December 1952)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.comedygigs.co.uk/london/clive-anderson-a1543 |title=Clive Anderson {{!}} Band {{!}} Gig Listings – Artist Listed on Comedy Gigs |last=comedygigs.co.uk |website=www.comedygigs.co.uk|language=en |access-date=2018-08-27}}</ref> is an English television and radio presenter, comedian, writer and former [[barrister]]. Winner of a British Comedy Award in 1991,<ref>Clive Anderson [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0026536/awards awards] at [[IMDb]] Retrieved 27 August 2007{{unreliable source|date=May 2023}}</ref> Anderson began experimenting with comedy and writing comedic scripts during his 15-year legal career. He then became host of ''[[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (British TV series)|Whose Line Is It Anyway?]]'', initially a radio show on [[BBC Radio 4]] in 1988, before moving to television on [[Channel 4]] from 1988 to 1999. He was also host of his own chat show ''Clive Anderson Talks Back'', which changed its name to ''Clive Anderson All Talk'' in 1996, from 1989 to 1999. He has also hosted many radio programmes and made guest appearances on ''[[Have I Got News for You]]'', ''[[Mock the Week]]'' and ''[[QI]]''.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20051102035124/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/presenters/clive_anderson.shtml Clive Anderson] at [[BBC Radio 4]] Retrieved 27 August 2007</ref>

== Early life ==
Anderson's mother was English and his parents met while serving in the RAF.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Clive Anderson: I identify with Scottishness but I don't think audiences see me as Scottish |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/arts_ents/17686137.clive-anderson-identify-scottishness-dont-think-audiences-see-scottish/|access-date=2022-11-05|website=HeraldScotland|date=8 June 2019 |language=en}}</ref> He was educated at Stanburn Primary School and [[Harrow High School|Harrow County School for Boys]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jeffreymaynard.com/Harrow_County/Gaytonians.htm|title=Some Gaytonians|access-date=29 July 2007|last=Maynard|first=Jeff |publisher=Virtual Gaytonian}}</ref> then a grammar school which closed in 1975.<ref name=":0"/><ref>{{Citation|title=Harrow County Grammar School |date=2022-04-10|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harrow_County_Grammar_School&oldid=1081899241|work=Wikipedia|language=en|access-date=2022-11-05}}</ref> His group of contemporaries included [[Geoffrey Perkins]] and [[Michael Portillo]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Helen |date=2024-04-01 |title=Clive Anderson: 'I studied with Blair. I thought he'd be a parish councillor' |url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/comedy/clive-anderson-studied-blair-parish-councillor-2981622 |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=inews.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> His [[Scottish people|Scottish]] father originally from Glasgow was promoted to manager<ref name=":0"/> of the [[Bradford & Bingley]] Building Society, Wembley branch.<ref>''What Became of the Bank Manager?'', BBC Radio 4, 22 November 2009</ref> Anderson attended [[Selwyn College, Cambridge]], where, from 1974 to 1975, he was President of the Cambridge [[Footlights]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.footlights.org/alumni?limitstart=0|title=Footlights: Alumni|access-date=13 May 2014 |publisher=Cambridge Footlights|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514023501/http://www.footlights.org/alumni?limitstart=0|archive-date=14 May 2014}}</ref> He was [[Admission to practice law|called to the bar]] at the [[Middle Temple]] in 1976 and became a practising [[barrister]], specialising in [[criminal law]]. While still practising law, he continued performing, including taking a show to the [[Edinburgh Fringe]] in 1981 with [[Griff Rhys Jones]].<ref name=WOS170811>
{{cite web|url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/edinburgh-theatre/news/clive-anderson-whose-line-is-it-anyway-festival-fringe_44276.html|publisher=What's On Stage|title=Clive Anderson: how much has actually changed in my 40 years at the Fringe? |last=Anderson|first=Clive|author-link=Clive Anderson|date=11 August 2017 |access-date=13 October 2017}}
</ref>

==Career==

===Television===
Anderson was involved in the fledgling [[alternative comedy]] scene in the early 1980s and was the first act to appear at [[The Comedy Store (London)|The Comedy Store]] when it opened in 1979.<ref name=Radio2>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/comedy/cliveanderson.shtml#biog|title=Clive Anderson's Chat Room |access-date=29 July 2007|publisher=BBC Radio 2}}</ref> He made his name as host of the original UK version of the improvised television comedy show ''[[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (British TV series)|Whose Line Is It Anyway?]]'', which ran for 10 series on [[Channel 4]] from 1988 to 1999.<ref name=TVbio>{{cite web |url=http://uktv.co.uk/g2/item/aid/528014|title=UKTV G2 Stars: Profile: Clive Anderson|access-date=29 July 2007|publisher=UKTV Interactive Limited}}</ref>

Anderson hosted his own chat show ''Clive Anderson Talks Back'', which ran for 10 series on Channel 4 from 1989 to 1996. The show then moved to the [[BBC]], with the name changed to ''Clive Anderson All Talk'', running for 4 series from 1996 to 1999. In one incident in 1997, Anderson was deserted by his guests, the [[Bee Gees]], after he made several digs at them and their music.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/36957253/five-stars-that-walked-out-of-their-interviews-and-never-came-back|title=Five stars that walked out of their interviews and never came back – BBC Newsbeat|date=8 February 2016|website=BBC Newsbeat|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-08-17}}</ref> He once had a glass of water poured over his head by a perturbed [[Richard Branson]], to which he replied, "I'm used to that; I've flown [[Virgin Atlantic|Virgin]]."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dave.uktv.co.uk/have-i-got-news-for-you/article/clive-anderson-profile/|title=Clive Anderson Profile {{!}} Have I Got News for You {{!}} Dave Channel|website=dave.uktv.co.uk|access-date=2018-08-17}}</ref> When singer and actress [[Cher]] appeared on the show, Anderson alluded to her alleged cosmetic surgery, asking her "You look like a million dollars – is that how much it cost?"<ref>[https://www.publiclawtoday.co.uk/careers/626-careers-news/19803-clive-anderson-to-host-inaugural-lawyers-in-local-government-awards Public Law Today] 2 September 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2021.</ref> He also said to author and politician [[Jeffrey Archer]], in response to his derogatory comment about the show, "You're a critic too... there's no beginning to your talents." Archer retorted that "The old ones are always the best" for Anderson to reply "Yes, I've read your books."<ref>{{cite news|last=Cavendish|first=Dominic|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/comedy-news/10983616/Clive-Anderson-For-most-people-I-have-ceased-to-exist.html|title=Clive Anderson: 'For most people, I have ceased to exist!'|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=<!-- Tuesday -->5 August 2014|access-date=26 March 2020}}</ref>

He has made ten appearances on ''[[Have I Got News for You]]''. In 1996, a heated exchange occurred on the show when he joked to fellow guest [[Piers Morgan]] that the ''[[Daily Mirror]]'' was now, thanks to Morgan (then its editor), almost as good as ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]''. When asked by Morgan, "What do you know about editing newspapers?" he swiftly replied "About as much as you do". Anderson has also frequently appeared on ''[[QI]]''. In 2007, he featured as a regular panellist on the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] comedy show ''[[News Knight]]''.  From 2019 to 2020 he co-hosted the television series ''Mystic Britain'' on the Sky television channel Smithsonian. 

In 2005, he presented the short-lived quiz ''[[Back in the Day (game show)|Back in the Day]]'' for [[Channel 4]]. On 25 February 2008, he started to present ''[[Brainbox Challenge]]'', a new game show, for [[BBC Two]]. Later that year, he presented a talent show-themed reality TV series produced by the BBC entitled ''[[Maestro (British TV series)|Maestro]]'', starring eight celebrities. In 2009, Anderson was the television host of the BBC's ''Last Night of [[the Proms]]''.

In November 2023, Anderson appeared on TV game show ''[[Richard Osman's House of Games]]'', winning the show by one point.

===Radio===
Anderson presents legal show ''Unreliable Evidence'' on [[BBC Radio 4]]. He also covered the Sunday morning 11&nbsp;a.m. to 1&nbsp;p.m. show on [[BBC Radio 2]] until the end of January 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/unreliableevidence/|title=Unreliable Evidence|access-date=29 July 2007 |publisher=BBC Radio 4}}</ref>

In early 1988, Anderson hosted the original radio version of ''[[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (radio series)|Whose Line Is It Anyway?]]'', which ran for 6 episodes on BBC Radio 4 before the show moved to television later that year.

It was announced in April 2008 that Anderson, who had previously filled in for host [[Ned Sherrin]] from 2006 until Sherrin's death in 2007, would be taking over as permanent host of ''[[Loose Ends (radio)|Loose Ends]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Anderson goes full time on Radio 4's Loose Ends|publisher=MediaGuardian |date=7 April 2008|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/apr/07/bbc.radio|location=London|first=Ben | last=Dowell|access-date=30 April 2010}}</ref> He also hosted six series of ''Clive Anderson's Chat Room'' on BBC Radio 2 from 2004 to 2009. Anderson has appeared on BBC Radio 4's ''The Unbelievable Truth'' hosted by [[David Mitchell (comedian)|David Mitchell]].

Anderson also presented the radio show ''The Guessing Game'' on [[BBC Radio Scotland]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01s4fnv|title=BBC Radio Scotland – The Guessing Game|work=BBC}}</ref> Anderson has also appeared on [[BBC Radio 5 Live]]'s ''[[Fighting Talk]]''.

===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]] and [[Mel Smith]].<ref name=Radio2/> One of his early comedy writing projects was ''[[Black Cinderella Two Goes East]]'' with [[Rory McGrath]] for [[BBC Radio 4]] in 1978. As well as writing comedy, Anderson is also a frequent contributor to newspapers and was a regular columnist for ''[[The Sunday Correspondent]]''.<ref name=TVbio/>

==Personal life==
Anderson lives in [[Highbury]], north London, with his consultant wife, [[Jane Anderson (physician)|Jane Anderson]], a physician who has spent her career in managing HIV/AIDS.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.bmj.com/content/358/bmj.j3667|title=Jane Anderson: HIV and human rights|journal=BMJ|year=2017|volume=358|pages=j3667|doi=10.1136/bmj.j3667|pmid=28768615|s2cid=5268806|access-date=14 December 2021|url-access=subscription}}</ref> The couple have three children.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/clive-anderson/|title=A Wonderful life: Broadcaster Clive Anderson on choosing just seven modern marvels|last=Gallacher|first=Stevie|date=14 June 2022|website=[[Sunday Post]] |access-date=23 January 2024|quote=Clive lives with wife Jane, who he married in 1981, and has three children.}}</ref>

He supports [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]],<ref>{{cite web 
 |url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=The+Club&article=363211&Title=Arsenal's+A+to+Z 
 |title=Arsenal's A to Z: Famous fans 
 |access-date=29 July 2007|publisher=Arsenal Broadband Limited 
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930210422/http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=The+Club&article=363211&Title=Arsenal%27s+A+to+Z 
 |archive-date=30 September 2007|url-status=dead 
  
 }}</ref> and [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]]<ref>{{cite news|last=McIver|first=Brian |url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/funnyman-clive-anderson-admits-hed-1118416 |title=Funnyman Clive Anderson admits he'd love to buy in to Rangers|newspaper=Daily Record|date=4 April 2012|access-date=9 March 2017}}</ref> football teams. He is President of the [[Woodland Trust]]<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk/news/subindex.asp?aid=699 
 |title=New advocate for native woodland: Woodland Trust welcomes Clive Anderson as president 
 |access-date=29 July 2007|publisher=The Woodland Trust 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927190133/http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk/news/subindex.asp?aid=699 
 |archive-date=27 September 2007|url-status=dead 
  
}}</ref> and became Vice Patron of the Solicitors' Benevolent Association, a registered charity.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-10-21|title=Clive wows 'em |url=https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/analysis/clive-wows-em/57662.article|access-date=2022-11-06|website=Law Gazette|language=en}}</ref>

==Awards==
The show ''Whose Line is it Anyway?'' won a [[BAFTA]] award in 1990.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bafta.org/site/webdav/site/myjahiasite/shared/import/TVandCraftWinners1980-1989_updated_.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808102505/http://www.bafta.org/site/webdav/site/myjahiasite/shared/import/TVandCraftWinners1980-1989_updated_.pdf|archive-date=2007-08-08|url-status=live|title=Television and Television Craft Awards winners and nominees|access-date=29 July 2007|publisher=British Academy of Film and Television Arts|page=36}}</ref> Later, Anderson won both the "Top Entertainment Presenter" and "Top Radio Comedy Personality" at the [[British Comedy Awards]] in 1991.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britishcomedyawards.com/pastwinners91.html|title=Past winners: 1991|access-date=29 July 2007|publisher=Michael Hurll Television|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927220018/http://www.britishcomedyawards.com/pastwinners91.html |archive-date=27 September 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2023 he was made an Honorary Fellow of [[Selwyn College, Cambridge]].<ref>{{cite tweet|user=Selwyn1882|number=1709321244363911408|title=The college has installed 3 new fellows and 2 honorary fellows}} {{user generated source|date=February 2024}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Clive Anderson}}
*{{IMDb name|id=0026536|name=Clive Anderson}}
*{{YouTube|mdvfmGPDVkk|Video of Bee Gees interview}}
*[https://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/clive-anderson Representation at Curtis Brown Talent Agency]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Clive}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Alumni of Selwyn College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:English barristers]]
[[Category:English comedy writers]]
[[Category:English game show hosts]]
[[Category:English people of Scottish descent]]
[[Category:Radio presenters from London]]
[[Category:English television presenters]]
[[Category:People from Stanmore]]
[[Category:Members of the Middle Temple]]
[[Category:People educated at Harrow High School]]
[[Category:English television talk show hosts]]
[[Category:English male comedians]]
[[Category:Comedians from the London Borough of Harrow]]