Career: Ayoade's breakthrough came when he and Matthew Holness created fictional horror author Garth Merenghi; a stage show featuring the character won the Perrier Award, which was followed by the Channel 4 series Garth Merenghi's Darkplace. Ayoade went on to appear in The Mighty Boosh, Nathan Barley, Bunny and the Bull, and The IT Crowd. He made his big-screen directorial debut with the acclaimed Submarine (which he also wrote, adapting it from the novel by Joe Dunthorne), and has since directed The Double as well as numerous music videos for acts such as the Arctic Monkeys, Super Furry Animals, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Kasabian. He's was a team captain on Channel 4 panel show Was It Something I Said? and took over as host of Gadget Man from Stephen Fry.

Career: In 1987, Ross and his friend Alan Marke devised a format inspired by Late Night with David Letterman, and after struggling to find a suitable host, Ross stepped in. The resulting show, The Last Resort with Jonathan Ross, made him a star. Other major projects include his chat shows Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and The Jonathan Ross Show, and his stint as the reviewer of the BBC's Film programme. He's also a massive comic book fan; his first foray into the genre, Turf, was published in 2010. But he's also hit the headlines for various controversies over the years, including the notorious Sachsgate, which involved a prank call made by him and Russell Brand to actor Andrew Sachs in 2008.

Career: In Australia, Hills is best known for hosting the music-themed quiz show Spicks and Specks. In Britain, he has hosted The Last Leg on Channel 4 since 2012. Since 1997, he has toured internationally with his stand-up shows. He earned consecutive Perrier Award nominations for his Edinburgh shows in 2001, 2002 and 2003. He regularly uses his artificial right foot as a source of humour in his act. He has also hosted the comedy panel show Monumental and quiz show Celebrity Fifteen to One. Hills voiced Buddy Pendergast in an epsiode of the TV series Thunderbirds Are Go.

Career: Before Merchant met Gervais, he was performing stand-up comedy. The pair worked together at London radio station XFM. Later, Merchant worked on a production course at the BBC, in which he enlisted Gervais' help for a short film called 'Seedy Boss' - which is when the idea of The Office arose, with both writing and directing the series. While The Office then enjoyed success Stateside, Gervais and Merchant also concentrated on BBC sitcom Extras. Then came Merchant's radio show for BBC 6 Music, The Steve Show. The comic is in the midst of nationwide tour of the UK, with a stop in New York, and continues to show up in movies and TV shows, including vehicles like An Idiot Abroad and Life's Too Short.

Career: In 1997 the quartet won the Perrier Award, and their subsequent radio series, On the Town with The League of Gentlemen, set in the fictional town of Spent, won a Sony Award. In 1999 the League moved to TV - and Royston Vasey - with subsequent series in 2000 (including a typically sinister Christmas special) and 2002; plus a film, The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse, in 2005. Outside of the League, Shearsmith has appeared alongside Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer in the comedies Catterick and House of Fools. He also popped up in Spaced and TLC. His other work includes Eric and Ernie, The Widower and Chasing Shadows on the small screen, and Burke and Hare, The World's End and A Field in England on the big screen. He has also appeared on the stage in Art, The Producers and Betty Blue Eyes. He re-teamed with fellow League star Steve Pemberton for Psychoville and Inside No 9.

Career: Hynes worked with Pegg and director Edgar Wright on Asylum before they collaborated on cult Channel 4 sitcom Spaced. Hynes was nominated for an Olivier Award for her work in stage play The Night Heron, and garnered a Bafta nomination for 2001 TV film, Tomorrow La Scala! She had a small role in Pegg and Wright's hit 2004 film Shaun of the Dead. Hynes also appeared in The Royle Family, Bob and Rose, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, According To Bex, Pinochet in Suburbia, Confetti, Four Last Songs and Magicians. She made a memorable appearance in two episodes of Doctor Who alongside David Tennant, playing a teacher who won the Time Lord's love. She's since returned to sitcoms with Up the Women (which she also wrote), Twenty Twelve and its spin-off W1A.

Career: Mitchell and Webb put together their first project in January 1995, a show about the First World War. From this, the duo were given the chance to write for Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller and for series two of sketch show Big Train. In 2001, they were commissioned to write a sketch show of their own, entitled The Mitchell and Webb Situation, which ran for six episodes on the now defunct cable channel Play UK. The pair's big break came in 2003, with starring roles in the Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show, which led to movie projects. In solo work, Webb has appeared in offbeat sitcom The Smoking Room, and the film Confetti. Other projects include Fresh Meat, Our Men, Ambassadors and Marple.