Have I Got News for You

Jack Dee (Host)

Born: September 24, 1962 in Petts Wood, Kent

Best Known For: His hugely popular stand-up act.

Early-life: Born James Andrew Innes Dee on September 24, 1962, in Petts Wood, Kent, but his family moved to Winchester when he was young. His father was a printer and his mother the daughter of two actors. He went to a public prep school, then to a comprehensive. After his A-levels he planned to attend drama college, but his mum persuaded him to get a job, so he became a waiter. He also dabbled with the idea of becoming a priest, but later managed a pizza restaurant before trying stand-up comedy.

Career: Dee's first public act was an open-mic gig in 1986 at the Comedy Store. He was then encouraged to write additional material and go on tour. Since the 1990s he has performed sell-out acts at many high-profile venues. After scooping the British Comedy Award for Best Stage Newcomer in 1991, Dee was offered his own TV show, which brought him to a wider audience. He's continued to do stand-up, fronting such successes as Live at the Apollo and Happy Hour and has branched out into acting, first in comedy drama The Grimleys and latterly to critical acclaim in BBC comedy Lead Balloon, which he also wrote. Other projects include Shooting Stars and I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue.

Quote: "Unlike European mustards that bring out the subtle flavours of food, English mustard makes your nose bleed."

Trivia: He was part of a team of celebrities who, in 2013, helped raise £1million for Comic Relief by canoeing down dangerous rapids on the Zambezi River.

Paul Merton (Team captain)

Born: January 17, 1957 in London

Best Known For: Have I Got News For You.

Early-life: Born Paul James Martin in Parsons Green, London, on January 17, 1957. He grew up in Merton, South London, and took his stage name from the district because somebody else called Paul Martin was registered with Equity when he tried to join. His father was a guard on the Underground in Fulham, his mother was a nurse and he has a sister, Angela. Paul was inspired to become a comedian at the age of three following a trip to the circus. After failing his 11-plus he went to a Catholic comprehensive school where he gained two A-levels but decided against going to university.

Career: Merton worked at the Tooting Employment Office while gaining experience at the London Comedy Store before moving onto the cabaret circuit. He made his TV debut in a small role in a 1984 episode of The Young Ones. After 10 years of performing, his TV career took off thanks to Whose Line Is It Anyway? He then wrote Paul Merton, the Series for Channel 4. Have I Got News For You made him a household name. He claims a highlight of his career was performing at the London Palladium. Merton also hosted Room 101 and is a regular on TV and radio. He has filmed travelogues to China and India for Channel 5 and presented various documentaries on the subject of comedy and silent film for the BBC.

Quote: "I don't suffer from pre-show terror or anything like that. I assume if people have paid money to see me they already think I'm funny and that does give you confidence."

Trivia: In 2014, he published his autobiography, Only When I Laugh.

Ian Hislop (Team captain)

Born: July 13, 1960 in The Mumbles, Wales

Best Known For: Being a team captain on Have I Got News For You.

Early-life: Born July 13, 1960, in The Mumbles, Wales, but moved around a lot due to his father's job as a civil engineer. The family spent time in Nigeria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong. Hislop was educated at boarding school before studying English at Oxford, where he performed in revues and edited the magazine Passing Wind. During this time he met Peter Cook for the first time, who then owned satirical magazine Private Eye.

Career: Hislop began submitting articles to Private Eye in 1980, eventually becoming deputy editor. When editor Richard Ingrams, one of the magazine's founders, quit in 1986, Cook offered him his job. Hislop has also regularly contributed to numerous publications, including The Listener, The Sunday Telegraph, The Spectator, Financial Times, The Guardian, The Literary Review and Time Out. Hislop's TV work began in 1983 with an appearance on Loose Talk and scripts for Spitting Image. He became a familiar face thanks to Have I Got News For You, which began its run in 1990. He also co-wrote family sitcom My Dad's the Prime Minister.

Quote: "It is no longer acceptable in British politics to be fat or eccentric or religious."

Trivia: Hislop had a small role in the Greek TV series The Island, which was based on his wife's bestselling novel.

Janet Street-Porter (Panellist)

Born: December 27, 1946 in Brentford

Best Known For: Her unique appearance and voice.

Early-life: Born Janet Vera Ardern on December 27, 1946, in London. She had a younger sister, Pat, and claims to have disliked her parents, describing her childhood as miserable. In her autobiography, she writes of her outrageous teenage behaviour and how she had two abortions before reinventing herself after leaving home. She studied architecture for two years in the mid-1960s but switched to journalism and by her early twenties was an established name on Fleet Street.

Career: Street-Porter's first job was as a writer for a girls' magazine. She then worked on the Daily Mail and various glossies. In 1973, she featured on LBC Radio, before hosting TV's The London Weekend Show. Eight years later she became a producer, then became responsible for around 35 series at the BBC. In 1995, she helped set up short-lived TV station L!ve TV. In 2004, she took part in I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! She's also appeared in So You Think You Can Teach, So You Think You Can Nurse, Deadline and as Gordon Ramsay's roving reporter on the The F Word.

Quote: "You get the telly you deserve. Turn it off if you don't like it."

Trivia: Away from TV, Street-Porter has been president of the Ramblers' Association and written several books.

Phil Wang (Panellist)

Jack Harris (Producer)

Jordan Reed (Producer)

Martin Lord (Director)

Mike Rayment (Series producer)

9:20 pm - 10:00 pm, Sunday, December 21 on U&Dave (19)

About this Broadcast

Season 64, Episode 9

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