.: Jasper Carrott :: The Official Website

Jasper Carrott O.B.E. - A Brief Biography

Jasper Carrott was born in Birmingham in 1945, and educated at Acocks Green Infants/Junior School and Moseley Grammar School.

His first performance of note was as resident compére at the Boggery Folk Club in Solihull. There he discovered his talent for comedy, and his inability to sing, and the rest, as they say, is history.

In 1975 Jasper released his first single. Funky Moped / Magic Roundabout, was a massive chart hit, selling almost a million copies and narrowly missing a Gold Disc. Jasper’s first television appearance was in The Golden Game for BBC Midlands, in 1975.

His first television series was aired in 1978, 'An Audience with Jasper Carrott' for LWT, a series of six shows. The show title was then purloined for the hour-long celebrity shows with which we are now all familiar.

In 1979 Jasper was named as ITV Personality Of The Year. This remains unique as a live to air one hour comedy show.

From 1979 onwards Jasper's national and international tours have taken him to many corners of the world.

In 1982, Jasper conceived and co-wrote the live series "Carrott's Lib", which won a BAFTA Award.

In 1985 he starred in the stage play 'The Nerd' and, in 1988, the film 'Jane and the Lost City'.

In 1992, Jasper was named BBC TV's Personality Of The Year .

In 1992 he teamed up with actor Robert Powell to record 'The Detectives', a comedy series based on the ridiculous antics of two bungling detectives. Such was the success of the initial series there were four further series of 'The Detectives' plus a 1997 Christmas Special.

During the 80’s and 90’s Jasper regularly presented a Christmas Special for the BBC, either in the form of the hugely successful "Carrott's Commercial Breakdown", with over 14 million viewers, which won the Best Independent Prize at the prestigious Montreux Festival and a Gold medal at the New York TV & Film Awards, or as a television special such as "One Jasper Carrott" recorded live at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

December 1994 saw the first of the phenomenally successful Jasper Carrott’s Christmas Cracker shows at Birmingham’s NEC Arena where Jasper presented a star studded variety bill of surprise guests in aid of children’s charities. Subsequent shows followed in future years with guests including Sir Cliff Richard, Chris De Burgh, Victoria Beckham, Robert Plant, Bill Bailey, Robin Gibb and many others, all giving their services for the benefiting charities.

In 1995 Jasper celebrated his 50th birthday and was presented with the "Midlander Of The Year" award, a prestigious honour which he now shares with such diverse characters as Betty Boothroyd and Ozzy Osbourne!

1995 also saw his live TV show from the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane 'The Unrecorded Jasper Carrott'. This remains unique as a live to air one hour comedy show. Also in 1995, Aston University presented to him an Achievement Award for Services to the Midlands.

1996 and 1997 saw Jasper return to writing new material in preparation for a new series for the BBC and a major UK tour in 1998. The tour embraced over 150 sell out shows in the major theatres of the country including a sell out fourteen night run in the 2000-seater Birmingham Hippodrome.

1998 culminated with the filming of a brand new six part BBC television series, Back to the Front, which Bob Monkhouse called “the finest stand-up comedy on television”. It was transmitted three times on BBC1 Television during 1999.

In 2002, Jasper starred in All About Me – a new sit-com for BBC 1 Television made by Celador Productions. A second series followed in 2003 and a third in 2004.

In June 2002 Jasper became a Savoyan when D’Oyly Carte invited him to appear as Koko in their production of The Mikado at the Savoy Theatre, London.

In 2003 Jasper Carrott was awarded an OBE in Her Majesty’s New Years Honours List in recognition of his outstanding work for charity.

In January 2004, Jasper Carrott returned to his Birmingham roots with a record-breaking season of shows at Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena. Such was the public response, the season was extended to fourteen nights, selling over 70,000 tickets and breaking existing box office records. It was also the longest run for a comedian performing on consecutive nights in an arena. The show featured sketches requested by the members of the audience who were there on the evening, resulting in a different show every night. 24 Carrott Gold was filmed and broadcast in six parts on BBC1 in spring 2004.

In July 2004, Birmingham University presented Jasper Carrott with a Doctorate for Business Studies.

November 2005 - Jasper Carrott’s Rock with Laughter – due to popular demand, Jasper’s new variety show plays to four sold out nights at the NEC, attracting over 40,000 people.

December 2006 - Jasper Carrott’s Christmas Rock with Laughter – runs again for four nights at the NEC Birmingham to capacity audiences of over 40,000.

2007 sees the launch of Jasper Carrott’s third Rock with Laughter, with guest stars Chris de Burgh, Dame Edna Everage, Jamelia, Jo Brand, The Manfreds, Shakin Stevens and further guests to be announced. (Please note the bill is subject to change without notice.)

April 2007 - Golden Balls – Jasper hosts a brand new game show for ITV produced by Endemol. With no questions, it’s a game of big money and big bluff, rounded off with Jasper’s trademark comedy. To be broadcast in the summer 2007.

December 2007 - Jasper Carrott’s Christmas Rock with Laughter. As the largest Christmas event of it’s genre in the Midlands, if not the UK, Jasper’s unique variety show returns once again to Birmingham’s NEC Arena.

Notable achievements include two gold albums, four silver discs, 1.5 million books and two T-shirts!

6th December 2008 - Jasper is awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Comedy Awards in London.

February 2009 – filming begins for the fifth series of GoldenBalls.