Small Prophets

Pearce Quigley (Actor) .. Michael Sleep

Lauren Patel (Actor) .. Kacey

Michael Palin (Actor) .. Brian

Born: May 05, 1943 in Sheffield

Best Known For: Monty Python's Flying Circus.

Early-life: Michael Edward Palin was born in Sheffield on May 5, 1943. His father was a Cambridge-educated engineer working in the steel industry. Michael recalls he was an angry, frustrated man with a stutter whose bad moods created tension in the Palin household. This upset his son and prompted him to be as pleasant as possible. Michael was educated at public school in Shrewsbury, and studied history at Oxford University, where he appeared on stage and met fellow student and future Python Terry Jones.

Career: After graduating, Palin presented TV show Now! and worked in light entertainment. In 1966, he and Jones began writing for BBC comedy shows. Three years later, they joined forces with John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle and Terry Gilliam to front ground-breaking sketch show Monty Python's Flying Circus. A huge hit, 45 episodes were made between 1969 and 1974, as well as five films. Palin has also starred in movies including A Fish Called Wanda, A Private Function, and American Friends (which he also wrote), and appeared in acclaimed TV drama GBH. Since the mid-1980s, he's become famous for globetrotting programmes such as Around the World in 80 Days and Pole to Pole. He's written books to accompany each series, as well as two novels; three volumes of his diaries have also been published. He delivered 2013's Royal Television Society lecture.

Quote: "I am not a great cook, I am not a great artist, but I love art and I love food, so I am the perfect traveller - on the cultural scrounge."

Trivia: Palin has three children with his wife Helen. He also has an asteroid and a train named after him.

Jon Pointing (Actor) .. Clive

Mackenzie Crook (Actor) .. Gordon

Born: September 29, 1971 in Maidstone

Best Known For: His breakthrough turn in BBC sitcom The Office

Early-life: Born Paul James Crook in Maidstone, Kent, on September 29, 1971, and grew up in Dartford. His father, Michael, worked for British Airways and his mother, Sheila, was a hospital manager. He joined the Orchard Youth Theatre in Dartford when he was 15 and became passionate about acting. When he was 18 he applied to the Kent Institute of Art & Design but was rejected.

Career: Crook began his career as a stand-up comedian alongside Iain Lee; they worked together for about eight years. His first major TV role was as a comedy sketch contributor on Channel 4's The Eleven O'Clock Show in 1998 - which was fronted by Lee. His big break came when he was cast as Gareth in The Office. He then appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and the two sequels, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End. He also appeared as Launcelot Gobbo in Michael Radford's film adaptation of The Merchant of Venice. Other projects include The Gathering, Sex Lives of the Potato Men, Churchill: The Hollywood Years, The Brothers Grimm, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Game of Thrones and his self-penned sitcom Detectorists.

Quote: "I can usually keep a straight face while everyone else cracks up around me, which makes me feel quite humourless."

Trivia: Before being cast in The Office, Mackenzie worked in a hospital, a chicken factory, Halfords and Pizza Hut.

Ed Kear (Actor) .. Brigham

Charlotte Mills (Actor) .. Hilary

Adam Wright (Actor) .. Elliot

Paul Kaye (Actor) .. Roy

Born: December 15, 1964 in Dulwich

Best Known For: His character Dennis Pennis - the spoof reporter who pretended to interview celebrities so he could insult or make fun of them.

Early-life: Paul Kaye was born as Ralph Zang on December 15, 1964, in Dulwich, and raised in Wembley, where he studied theatre design and became obsessed with punk rock. Kaye became an avid fan of Arsenal FC at the age of 14. He used to be an in-house graphic designer for rival team Tottenham Hotspur in the late 1980s, but was given the boot for sticking the odd subliminal cannon into their merchandising catalogues. In real-life he's extremely well-spoken - unlike many of his alter-egos.

Career: Kaye got his TV break working on BBC Two's Sunday Show when he was 24, playing Dennis Pennis, a character he invented during evenings out with his friends, never expecting anything to come of it. Despite being a cult hit, Kaye decided to quit playing him when he found it difficult to get interviews with stars. Away from Pennis, he's appeared in comedy series Perfect World and Citizen Kaye, and hosted game show Liar. He has also starred in It's All Gone Pete Tong, Two Thousand Acres of Sky, Kingdom, Skins, Mongrels, Shameless and Being Human.

Quote: Talking to Pierce Brosnan at a celebrity bash: "When I went to see GoldenEye, I was glued to my seat - otherwise I would have left.''

Trivia: He has starred in a number of commercials for betting website BetVictor.

Shola Adewusi (Actor) .. Olive

Steve Moorewood (Actor) .. Nail customer

Darren Hill (Actor) .. Paint customer

Gill Isles (Producer)

Emma Lawson (Executive producer)

Christine Gernon (Executive producer)

Emma Strain (Executive producer)

Lisa Thomas (Executive producer)

02:30 am - 03:00 am, Monday, February 16 on BBC Two England (2)

About this Broadcast

Season 1, Episode 1

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