8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown - Compilation - 1 - 02:05 am Friday, March 20 on E4 Extra

Jimmy Carr (Host)

Born: September 15, 1972 in Slough

Best Known For: His stand-up comedy

Early-life: James Anthony Patrick Carr was born in Slough on September 15, 1972, one of three sons of Irish immigrants. His parents split in 1994, though the marriage didn't end until the death of his mother in 2001. Jimmy did well at school and studied political science at Cambridge before moving into advertising. He landed a job in the marketing department of Shell Oil, but felt unfulfilled. When the company offered him voluntary redundancy, he took it, and decided to pursue a career in comedy.

Career: Carr began performing on the stand-up circuit, doing up to 300 shows a year for three years, before taking his act to the Edinburgh festival in 2002. This brought him to the attention of TV bosses, and before long he was presenting series such as Your Face or Mine and Distraction. Since then, he's rarely been off TVscreens, hosting the first run of the Friday Night Project, 8 Out of 10 Cats and numerous Channel 4 list shows. He's also made a move into acting, appearing in Alien Autopsy, Confetti, Stormbreaker and Telstar. He is one of Britain's busiest comics and his DVDs are big sellers.

Quote: 'I'm not being condescending, I'm too busy thinking about far more important things you wouldn't understand.'

Trivia: In February 2007, Carr was the first major comedian to perform in the virtual reality world Second Life.

Susie Dent (Contributor)

Rachel Riley (Contributor)

Born: January 11, 1986 in Rochford, Essex

Best Known For: Countdown.

Early-life: Rachel Annabelle Riley was born in Rochford, Essex, on January 11, 1986. She studied mathematics at Oriel College, Oxford.

Career: Riley's big break came in 2008 when she was chosen from more than 1,000 applicants to replace Carol Vorderman on Countdown. She presented her first show alongside Jeff Stelling in January 2009, and reached her 1,000th episode in June 2013. Away from the numbers and letters on Countdown, she began co-hosting The Gadget Show alongside Jason Bradbury in June 2013. She was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 and was the fifth celebrity to be eliminated.

Quote: 'I don't want girls to aspire to being famous for the sake of being famous. If I was only known for wearing a dress, that wouldn't have any value for me.'

Trivia: Riley won £36,000 for charity on a celebrity edition of The Bank Job. She supports Manchester United.

Sean Lock (Team captain)

Born: April 22, 1963 in Chertsey, Surrey

Best Known For: His razor sharp wit on various comedy panel shows.

Early-life: Born in Woking, Surrey, on April 22, 1963. He is one of four children and admits that finances were tight - his father was made redundant several times. He does, however, credit his parents with giving him a strong work ethic. Sean left school in 1981 and began working on building sites, but being exposed to sunlight all day every day led him to develop skin cancer. He made a full recovery and moved into comedy.

Career: Lock's first professional TV appearance was in 1993, when he appeared in a supporting role alongside Rob Newman and David Baddiel on their signature TV show Newman and Baddiel in Pieces. He toured with the duo as their support act and, as a result, became the first comedian to perform at Wembley Arena. He script-edited the 1998 BBC Two series Is It Bill Bailey? and had his own show on BBC radio, 15 Minutes of Misery. It was later expanded into the half-hour series, 15 Storeys High. He's now a team captain on the panel game 8 Out of 10 Cats. Other game show appearances have come in the likes of The Big Fat Quiz of the Year, Have I Got News for You, QI, and They Think It's All Over. He also hosted his own entertainment show on Channel 4 called TV Heaven, Telly Hell.

Quote: 'I started doing panel shows, and I found that people liked me on them. They're fun. They're well-paid. And you don't have to spend six months writing them.'

Trivia: Bizarrely, in the 1970s, Lock appeared on the BBC's Nationwide with Uri Geller - where he was taught the art of spoon-bending.

Jon Richardson (Team captain)

Born: September 26, 1982 in Lancaster

Best Known For: 8 Out of 10 Cats.

Early-life: Jon Joel Richardson was born on September 26, 1982, in Lancaster. He has a sister. His parents split up when he was very young, and he was raised by his mother and her long-term partner; he also maintained a relationship with his father. Jon's teachers often noted what a good sense of humour he had on his school reports, and although he dreamed of being a comedian, didn't think it would be possible. He studied Spanish and Portuguese at university but dropped out, became a chef, then decided to give stand-up a go.

Career: In 2003, Richardson won his heat of the BBC New Talent Comedy Search, and a year later did well in the Laughing Horse New Act of the Year competition and J20 Last Laugh Comedy Search. Encouraged by these successes and kind words from Jasper Carrott and Dave Spikey for a performance at the Criterion Theatre in London, his confidence grew. More stand-up followed, including appearances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He went on to feature on numerous radio shows before moving into TV. Richardson appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Have I Got News For You before becoming a team captain on 8 Out of 10 Cats. He's since published his first book, It's Not Me, It's You! and taken part in various documentaries.

Quote: "My big thing is that you should be comfortable on your own in the dark. There's nothing eating away at you."

Trivia: Richardson fronted the documentary A Little Bit OCD in which he examined the lives of OCD sufferers while trying to work out if he also had the condition. It won a Mind Award for best documentary in 2013.

Alan Carr (Panellist)

Born: June 14, 1976 in Northampton

Best Known For: His stand-up and chat shows.

Early-life: Alan Carr was born in Northampton on June 14, 1976. The son of former Northampton Town player and manager Graham Carr, he has a younger brother. Alan attended Weston Favell School before getting a job at a call centre. He was advised to go into comedy by a colleague who overheard his witty remarks about the people he had to speak to on the telephone. He took the leap and soon began attracting critical acclaim.

Career: Carr made his TV debut as a guest on the ITV lunchtime show Today with Des and Mel. He came to true prominence on Channel 4's The Sunday Night Project with Justin Lee Collins. He makes regular guest appearances on panel shows such as 8 Out of 10 Cats and Never Mind The Buzzcocks and has featured as a panellist on Channel 4's annual Big Fat Quiz of the Year, a staple of the Christmas TV schedules. He has also fronted his own game show, Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong, written his autobiography, and continues to perform stand-up. His Channel 4 show Chatty Man attracts some of the biggest names in showbiz and has been a staple of the Channel 4 schedule since 2009. He also presented a weekly programme on Radio 2 for three years, and fronted game show The Singer Takes It All. In 2016, he hosted Alan Carr's Happy Hour, which was a spin off of Chatty Man.

Quote: 'Just because you're gay and on the telly doesn't mean you're a role model. I'm just a comedian. That's all I am. If you find me funny, good.'

Trivia: His assorted awards include a 2013 Entertainment Performance Bafta.

Richard Ayoade (Panellist)

Best Known For: The IT Crowd.

Early-life: Born Richard Ellef Ayoade on June 12, 1977, in London. His mother is Norwegian, his father Nigerian, and Richard is their only child. The family left the capital when he was young and settled in Ipswich. He was interested in film from an early age, and wrote plays and sketches while still at school before landing a place at Cambridge to study law, where he met David Mitchell and joined the famous Footlights group. On leaving university he spent two years writing for TV sketch shows and attempting to become a stand-up comedian.

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.

Quote: "I find performing very difficult. It's difficult to be a good actor. I get very nervous, even though it sounds disingenuous, because you could legitimately go, 'Well, why do it?'"

Trivia: Here's Ayoade's tips for aspiring directors: "Try not to get depressed. You need to be healthy so don't get a cold. Get comfortable shoes because you don't sit down for two months."

Kathy Burke (Panellist)

Born: June 13, 1964 in London

Best Known For: Her comedy work.

Early-life: Born Katherine Lucy Bridget Burke in Islington, London, on June 13, 1964. Her mother died of cancer when she was two, and she was raised by neighbours for the following few years before returning to live with her father and two older brothers. She attended the Maria Fidelis Secondary School in Euston, and while there, was encouraged to act. She later enrolled at the famous Anna Scher Theatre School in Islington. When Kathy was 17 she was spotted by film director Mai Zetterling who was looking for young actresses to appear in the film Scrubbers.

Career: Burke first became familiar to TV audiences via roles in sketches by such performers as Harry Enfield, and French and Saunders. Through her association with Enfield, she became a household name thanks to her portrayal of the grotesque Waynetta Slob. She followed that up with the sitcom Gimme Gimme Gimme, and continued to notch up rave reviews in both comedy and serious work; arguably her best performance came in Gary Oldman's movie Nil By Mouth. Since 2001 she has largely refrained from acting and has thrown herself into theatre directing to great acclaim. However, in 2011, she appeared in the acclaimed film adaptation of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, alongside her old mate Oldman. A year later wrote and featured in the semi-autobiographical sitcom Walking and Talking.

Quote: 'I've got no class agenda at all. But obviously it's better if I tell stories that I understand.'

Trivia: Burke won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for Nil by Mouth. She has also been nominated for several Baftas, British Comedy Awards and a National Television Award.

Roisin Conaty (Panellist)

Born: March 26, 1979 in London

Best Known For: Being a comedian and starring in Man Down.

Early-life: Roisin was born in London on March 26, 1979. In 2010, she won the Best Newcomer Award at the Edinburgh Festival. In the same year, she appeared on Russell Howard's Good News on BBC Three and performed alongside other female comedians for charity on Victoria Wood's Angina Monologues on Sky One.

Career: Conaty stars in the BBC's hidden camera series Impractical Jokers and she has appeared as a guest on a number of panel shows, including Have I Got News for You, 8 Out of 10 Cats and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. In 2013, she began playing Jo in Channel 4 sitcom Man Down.

Quote: 'I'm a terrible dresser. I wouldn't know what's in or what season I'm in. It's a real effort for me not to look mad.'

Trivia: Conaty also performs as one half of female double act The Cakes with Caroline Ginty.

Joe Wilkinson (Panellist)

Johnny Vegas (Panellist)

Born: September 11, 1971 in St Helens, Lancashire

Best Known For: His hoarse voice.

Early-life: Born Michael Joseph Pennington in St Helens, Lancashire, on September 11, 1971, he's the youngest of four children. As a child, he wanted to be a priest, and joined a seminary at the age of 11, but left after four terms. He then attended an all-boys grammar school before studying art and ceramics at Middlesex University. Following his graduation, he worked in a bar and went through periods of being unemployed before trying comedy, performing as the character of failed potter and disillusioned entertainer Johnny Vegas.

Career: Vegas's big break came in 1997 when he was nominated for the prestigious Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Festival. He made his TV debut in the one-off Johnny Vegas TV Show the following year. In 2001, he landed a role in the Paul Whitehouse sitcom Happiness, which won him the Best Newcomer trophies at the Royal Television Society and British Comedy Awards, although it was arguably his appearance in a series of cult adverts with a sock monkey for ITV Digital that made him a household name. Since then, he's been a regular panellist on Shooting Stars, acted in series Tipping the Velvet, Bleak House, Dead Man Weds, Ideal, Massive, Benidorm, Still Open All Hours and presented his own show, 18 Stone of Idiot. He was also in Johnny Depp film The Libertine and The Harry Hill Movie.

Quote: 'This is a good job that gives us a good life, you can't expect to turn that off when it suits you.'

Trivia: Vegas released an autobiography, Becoming Johnny Vegas, in 2013.

Katherine Ryan (Panellist)

Born: June 30, 1983 in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada

Best Known For: Being a comedian.

Early-life: Katherine was born in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, on June 30, 1983. During her childhood, Katherine and her two younger sisters spent most summers in Cork visiting their paternal grandparents. She went on to study city planning at university and ended up training waitresses at Hooters. In her spare time, she attended open mic comedy nights.

Career: Ryan moved to the UK to work for a fashion magazine and began finding stand-up work. She is now a regular guest on Mock the Week, 8 Out of 10 Cats and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. She has also starred in the sitcoms Campus, Episodes and Badults.

Quote: 'In the UK, people will go out and see music and comedy every night of the week, but that just doesn't happen in Canada and America.'

Trivia: Ryan has battled two bouts of skin cancer.

Phil Wang (Panellist)

Aisling Bea (Panellist)

Born: March 16, 1984 in Co Kildare

Best Known For: Being an actress, writer and comedian.

Early-life: Born Aisling O'Sullivan in Co Kildare on March 16, 1984 to Brian and Helen. Her sister, Sinead, is a costume designer. Aisling attended London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and studied French and Philosophy at Trinity College in Dublin. In 2012, she won the Gilded Balloon So You Think You're Funny award at the Edinburgh Festival.

Career: Alongside her stand-up work, Bea has carved out a successful career as an actress. She made her acting debut in the comedy series The Savage Eye. She has had recurring roles in Cardinal Burns, Dead Boss, Trivia, The Town, The Delivery Man and Trollied. More recently, she starred in The Fall.

Quote: 'I love working. It combines my two favourite things: loving working and loving complaining about working.'

Trivia: In 2013, Bea was nominated for Best Newcomer in the Edinburgh Comedy Awards for her show C'est la Bea.

David Mitchell (Panellist)

Born: July 14, 1974 in Salisbury

Best Known For: Being one half of hysterical duo Mitchell and Webb.

Early-life: Born David James Stuart Mitchell in Salisbury on July 14, 1974. He has a younger brother called Daniel. His parents were hotel managers who later moved to Oxford, where they became lecturers in hotel management. He claims he always wanted to be an actor or comedian, but told people he planned to become a barrister to please his parents. In 1993 David went to Peterhouse College, Cambridge, to study history. He performed with the famous Cambridge Footlights, eventually becoming the society president. It was in his first year at university that he met Robert Webb at an audition for a student pantomime production of Cinderella.

Career: After graduating, Mitchell worked an usher at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith. He and Webb took a number of shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival before being asked to write for Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller and for surreal comedy series Big Train. In 2001, they made their first sketch show, The Mitchell and Webb Situation, which ran for six episodes on the now-defunct cable channel Play UK. Their next project came in 2003, with the award-winning Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show. They've also worked together on That Mitchell and Webb Sound, That Mitchell and Webb Look and the film Magicians. Solo, Mitchell has appeared on 10 O'Clock Live and numerous panel shows, including Would I Lie to You?, where he's a regular team captain. His autobiography, Back Story: A Memoir, was published in 2012.

Quote: 'I think, fundamentally, the people I want to make laugh are British. I can't ever imagine living abroad.'

Trivia: He writes columns for The Observer and The Guardian.

Barbara Wiltshire (Director)

Richard Valentine (Director)

Richard Cohen (Executive producer)

Ruth Phillips (Executive producer)

Richard Osman (Executive producer)

Born: November 28, 1970 in Billericay

Best Known For: Pointless.

Early-life: Richard Thomas Osman was born in Billericay on November 28, 1970, but grew up in West Sussex. He was raised by his single mum after his father left home - they didn't see each other for 20 years. Richard studied politics and sociology at Trinity College, Cambridge, where his future Pointless colleague Alexander Armstrong was reading English literature. He claims that one of his proudest moments came when his mum and grandfather watched his graduation.

Career: Osman has worked behind the scenes as an executive producer on a number of TV programmes, including Deal or No Deal, 8 Out of 10 Cats, and 10 O'Clock Live. As the UK creative director of TV production company Endemol, he pitched the quiz Pointless to the BBC. As a way of explaining the rules, he played the co-host during a run-through. He was asked to do the role for real when the show was commissioned. Pointless started on BBC Two in 2009 and was an immediate hit. It quickly made the switch to BBC One. Since being in the spotlight on Pointless, he has made guest appearances on QI, Have I Got News for You and Would I Lie to You? He also guest presented an episode of The One Show alongside Alex Jones.

Quote: 'Whenever I turn up to pub quizzes now, I see people going: ‘Urgh, that's the guy who knows everything.''

Trivia: He is the younger brother of Mat Osman, bassist with Suede, and suffers from nystagmus, a condition that results in uncontrolled movement of the eyes.

Jordan Read (Series producer)

8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown: Compilation - 1

02:05 am - 03:00 am, Friday, March 20 on E4 Extra (31)

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Compilation - 1
Season 1, Episode 1

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