Nigel Sutton

Nigel Planer, born February 22, 1953, is a British actor, writer, and musician with a diverse career spanning television, film, theatre, and music. He gained significant recognition for his role as Neil in the iconic BBC sitcom The Young Ones and also appeared in Filthy, Rich and Catflap. Planer has a strong background in musical theatre, featuring in original West End productions of Evita, Chicago, We Will Rock You, Wicked, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, earning an Olivier Award nomination for the latter.

His early life included attending Westminster School and studying African and Asian Studies at the University of Sussex before pursuing acting at LAMDA. Planer was a founding member of The Comedy Store and The Comic Strip, contributing to the alternative comedy movement. He has authored several books, plays, radio plays, and TV scripts, and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Arts degree by Edinburgh Napier University. His musical career includes the 1980s spoof band Bad News and a hit single as his character Neil, earning him a Brit Award.

Nigel Planer was a foundational figure in the United Kingdom's alternative comedy movement, co-establishing The Comedy Store and The Comic Strip in London. He performed as part of the double act 'The Outer Limits' with Peter Richardson and co-wrote parodies for television. Planer also developed the satirical character Nicholas Craig, who has appeared across various media including books, radio, and live performances. His television work includes the seminal role of Neil in The Young Ones, a character that also led to a successful music single and album. He was also a writer for The Comic Strip Presents... series.

Planer has a notable career in musical theatre, beginning with his role as a standby for Che Guevara in the original West End production of Evita. He has since appeared in numerous major productions, including the original London casts of Chicago and We Will Rock You, and took on significant roles in Wicked and Hairspray. His performance as Grandpa Joe in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory earned him an Olivier Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical. He has also written plays, including 'Vulcan 7' with Adrian Edmondson, and participated in arena tours and pantomime productions.

Beyond his performing career, Planer is a prolific writer. His published works include novels, plays, and satirical books, such as 'Nicholas Craig: I an actor' and 'Neil's Book of the Dead'. He has also written extensively for television and radio. A significant aspect of his work involves narration, particularly for audiobooks of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, for which he read many of the unabridged editions. He also narrated 'Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids', earning a BAFTA nomination, and provided voiceovers for numerous BBC documentaries and other audio projects.