Biography

On 2 October 2009, he announced he was leaving Mock the Week (2005) to concentrate on other projects. It was announced to the public via Facebook on the show's fan page, and later confirmed by the BBC. Fans of the star soon rallied around to get him to stay, and a popular Facebook group was made straight away, showing how strongly the fans felt about him and his place on the show. However, he has since criticised both the show's production team, and the BBC Trust. He claims that the show did not cover enough major news stories and was too restrictive on his risque comedy act, as the producers and the BBC Trust were afraid of "frightening the horses".

Is a recovering alcoholic, having started drinking at the age of 15, and stopping at age 26.

Is allergic to copper.

Had a column in the Daily Record newspaper until June 2009, when he quit his post after the newspaper refused to publish an article he had written mocking the recently deceased Michael Jackson.

On 1 October, 2009, his first autobiographical book, entitled "My Shit Life So Far" was released, published by Harper Collins.

I worry that Rebecca Adlington will have an unfair advantage in the swimming by possessing a dolphin's face.

The thing that nobody really said about Rebecca Adlington is that she looks pretty weird. She looks like someone who's looking at themselves in the back of a spoon.

Did you see her boyfriend? He was really attractive. He was like a male model. So from that I have deduced that Rebecca Adlington is very dirty.

It's OK to avoid tax providing every time you do a joke about a town being shit you add "partly down to me I'm afraid" under your breath.

[on David Bowie and Scottish independence] I completely respect Bowie's right to express views on Independence, just as I'd respect Iggy Pop's opinions on the CERN particle accelerator.