David James Stuart Mitchell, born in 1974, is a British comedian, actor, and writer. He gained significant recognition as part of the comedy duo Mitchell and Webb. Together, they achieved widespread fame through the Channel 4 sitcom "Peep Show," where Mitchell portrayed the character Mark Corrigan. His performance in "Peep Show" earned him a British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy Performance in 2009.

Mitchell and Webb have collaborated on numerous projects, including sketch shows like "Bruiser," "The Mitchell and Webb Situation," "That Mitchell and Webb Sound," and "That Mitchell Webb Look." They also starred in the film "Magicians" and the television series "Ambassadors" and "Back." Beyond his work with Webb, Mitchell has had a notable career in radio and television, appearing in sitcoms such as "Think the Unthinkable," "Jam & Jerusalem," and "Upstart Crow," and hosting panel shows like "Would I Lie to You?" and "The Unbelievable Truth."

Born in Salisbury in 1974, David Mitchell's background is a blend of Welsh and Scottish heritage, leading him to identify as British. His parents, hotel managers, shifted to lecturing to spend more time with him during his childhood. The family later relocated to Oxford, where his parents lectured at Oxford Polytechnic. Mitchell attended New College School and later Abingdon School. He initially harbored ambitions of becoming a comedian or prime minister, though he publicly stated a desire to be a barrister. His interest in comedy writing and parody was evident from his school days. During his gap year, he worked at Oxford University Press in its English language teaching division. He studied history at Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he met Robert Webb and became involved with the Cambridge Footlights, eventually serving as its president.

Mitchell's professional comedy career began with Robert Webb, initially with a show titled "Innocent Millions Dead or Dying." After university, they performed together at the Edinburgh Fringe, which led to writing opportunities for other shows and their television debut on the sketch show "Bruiser" in 2000. This was followed by their own sketch series, "The Mitchell and Webb Situation," which, despite limited broadcast, was critically acclaimed for its inventive sketches. Their most significant collaboration, the sitcom "Peep Show," premiered in 2003. Mitchell played Mark Corrigan, a role for which he received critical praise and multiple awards, including a BAFTA for Best Comedy Performance in 2009. "Peep Show" became Channel 4's longest-running sitcom.

Following the success of "Peep Show," Mitchell and Webb continued their sketch comedy work with "That Mitchell and Webb Sound" on BBC Radio 4, which was adapted into the television series "That Mitchell and Webb Look." This show earned them a BAFTA for Best Comedy Programme. Mitchell has also featured in other television roles, including "Ambassadors" and "Back," and has appeared in historical comedies like "Upstart Crow" and detective dramas like "Ludwig." He is a regular presence on panel shows, notably as a team captain on "Would I Lie to You?" and the host of "The Unbelievable Truth" on BBC Radio 4. His contributions as a writer include opinion pieces for "The Observer" and "The Guardian."

“When I was at school I either wanted to be a comedian-stroke-actor or prime minister. But I didn't admit that to other people, I said I wanted to be a barrister and that made my parents very happy. I didn't admit I wanted to be a comedian until I came to university, met a lot of other people who wanted to be comedians, and realised it was an okay thing to say.”

“largely because [he] got to play cards backstage”

“was the first time that he was "consciously aware [he] was doing a performance" and that this "was better, even, than playing cards"”

“obsessed”

“always felt that doing a joke was the cleverest thing”