Jasper Carrott

Jasper Carrott (born Robert Norman Davis, 14 March 1945 in Birmingham, England) is an English comedian, writer, actor, singer and television presenter. He acquired the nickname Jasper aged nine and added the surname Carrott when he was 17. He was educated at Acocks Green Primary School and Moseley Grammar School, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

In February 1969, Carrott started his own folk club, "The Boggery", in Solihull with his friend Les Ward, performing folk songs and working as an MC before his banter overtook the songs and he became more a comedian than a singer. He recorded the album Jasper Carrott - In the Club in 1973, and had a UK Top 5 chart hit in August 1975 with the novelty double A-side "Funky Moped" / "Magic Roundabout", produced by Jeff Lynne with Bev Bevan on drums. By the late 1970s he had developed anecdotal sketches, many celebrating the Birmingham accent and culture. In 1979 he published the humorous autobiography A Little Zit on the Side, followed by Sweet and Sour Labrador.

His first television appearance came in 1975, followed by An Audience with Jasper Carrott (1978). In 1982 he moved to the BBC for Carrott's Lib (1982-1983), Carrott's Commercial Breakdown (1989-1996) and Canned Carrott (1990-1995), the last of which featured the spoof police drama The Detectives, co-starring Robert Powell, later made into its own series (1993-1997). He starred in the sitcoms All About Me (2002-2004) and hosted Golden Balls (2007-2009). He also played Heinrich in the 1987 film Jane and the Lost City and Ko-Ko in The Mikado at the Savoy Theatre in 2002.

Carrott performed in several of The Secret Policeman's Balls charity concerts for Amnesty International and staged the Jasper Carrott's Rock With Laughter Christmas concerts from 2005.