Steve Pemberton

Early life

Steve Pemberton was born in Blackburn, Lancashire on 1 September 1967 and grew up around Chorley, attending Saint Michael's Church of England High School in the town. He trained as an actor at Bretton Hall College of Education where he met Mark Gatiss and Reece Shearsmith.

Career

Film and television

Pemberton's television performance credits include Whitechapel, Doctor Who, Benidorm, Under the Greenwood Tree, Hotel Babylon, The Last Detective, Randall and Hopkirk, Blackpool and Shameless. In 2004, he portrayed Dr Bessner in Death on the Nile and Harry Secombe in The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. He also appeared in the film Lassie (2005).

Pemberton is best known as being a member of the sketch comedy team The League of Gentlemen, along with fellow performers Mark Gatiss, Reece Shearsmith, and co-writer Jeremy Dyson, all of whom he met at Bretton Hall College in his late teens. The League of Gentlemen initially began as a stage act in 1995, then transferred to BBC Radio 4 as On the Town with the League of Gentlemen in 1997, and finally arrived on television on BBC Two in 1999. The latter has seen Pemberton and his colleagues awarded a British Academy Television Award, a Royal Television Society Award, and a Golden Rose of Montreux.

From 2007 to 2015, Pemberton appeared as Mick Garvey in Benidorm. Pemberton appeared in 43 episodes.

In the 2008 English language DVD re-release of the cult 2006 Norwegian animated film Free Jimmy, Pemberton voiced Mattis, a heavy-set and bizarrely-dressed biker member of the Lappish Mafia. In June 2009, Psychoville aired and marked Pemberton's return to BBC Two. It was co-written by Pemberton and his fellow League of Gentlemen member, Reece Shearsmith. Both of them play numerous characters in the series, similar to the format of The League of Gentlemen.

Pemberton portrayed Rufus Drumknott in 2010's Terry Pratchett's Going Postal. He appeared as Vice Principal Douglas Panch in the Donmar's 2011 production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. In 2014, he played Georgie Pillson in an adaptation of E. F. Benson's Mapp and Lucia. He also wrote the adaptation, which featured his League of Gentlemen colleague Mark Gatiss. It was broadcast during Christmas 2014. Since 2014, he has starred as various characters in the dark comedy anthology series Inside No. 9, which he co-created with Shearsmith, airing on BBC Two. The series ran for 10 years ending with series 9 on 12 June 2024 with a documentary aired on 22 December 2024 titled "The Party's Over".

Pemberton reunited with his The League of Gentlemen colleagues in 2017 for three special episodes, transmitted in December 2017 on BBC2. He appeared as himself in the 2018 short film To Trend on Twitter in aid of young people with cancer charity CLIC Sargent with fellow comedians David Baddiel, Reece Shearsmith, Helen Lederer and actor Jason Flemyng.

In October 2021, Pemberton was nominated for Best Outstanding Comedy Actor at the inaugural National Comedy Awards for Stand Up to Cancer for his appearances in series 6 of Inside No. 9.

Pemberton was a contestant on the seventeenth series of the Channel 4 show Taskmaster in 2024.

Pemberton portrayed Peter Williams, the father of Robbie Williams in the singer's musical biopic film Better Man, directed by Michael Gracey which was released in late 2024.

Theatre

Pemberton's early work centred mainly around fringe theatre; he was a founding member of the 606 Theatre with Gordon Anderson, Tom Hadley, and producer Shane Walter. He has produced, performed in, and directed various stage productions.

In 2020 it was announced that Pemberton would join Aaron Taylor-Johnson on West End stage in Martin McDonagh's The Pillowman, directed by Matthew Dunster. However, due to the COVID-19 situation, the run was postponed until 2021. Pemberton said, "It's been a dark time for the performing arts and I can't wait to have the theatres open again. Unfortunately, The Pillowman has to be put to bed for now, but I very much hope that we'll be able to bring Martin's dazzling play to the West End before too long." The play was staged from 10 June 2023 to 2 September 2023 at the Duke of York's Theatre in London's West End with Lily Allen, Paul Kaye, Pemberton, and Matthew Tennison. The Guardian praised Pemberton's performance as "unfailingly excellent", although other reviews of the play were mixed.

On 3 May 2024, it was announced that Pemberton and Shearsmith would write and star in a stage adaptation of Inside No. 9 called Stage/Fright which opened at the Wyndham's Theatre in London's West End from 18 January 2025 for a limited run until 5 April, directed by Simon Evans. Tickets for the 85 shows were released on 8 May 2024. Due to the success of the London run, the show toured the UK in autumn 2025. Following the UK tour, the show played

Other

Pemberton has written for Variety and was the assistant editor of the International Film Guide from 1991 to 1998.

Personal life

Pemberton lives in North London, with his partner, Alison Rowles, and their three children: Lucas, Madeline, and Adam .

He also speaks German and French.

The University of Huddersfield awarded Pemberton an Honorary Doctorate of letters in 2003 alongside Mark Gatiss, Reece Shearsmith and Jeremy Dyson. In July 2024 he received two Honorary Fellowships which are from the University of Central Lancashire and University of York (alongside with Reece Shearsmith).

Pemberton is a football fan and a supporter of Blackburn Rovers F.C.

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage credits

Awards and nominations

References

Sources

References

1. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/25396344.derian-house-film-released-amazon-prime-week/
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3. Townend, Jon. (13 June 2021). "Steve Pembertons shows have become cult hits".
4. Guardian Staff. (10 February 2001). "Interview with The League of Gentlemen".
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6. "TV Preview: Psychoville + panel discussion". [[British Film Institute]].
7. "Psychoville". BBC.
8. (9 October 2008). "New show for League of Gentlemen". BBC Online.
9. "BBC announces adaptation of EF Benson's Mapp and Lucia". bbc.co.uk.
10. Chase, Stephanie. (28 April 2021). "Inside No. 9 confirms series 6 return date".
11. (20 April 2022). "TV tonight: Diane Morgan crashes The League of Gentlemen cast reunion".
12. (28 November 2017). "'League of Gentlemen' revival and 'Alan Partridge' documentary among BBC highlights for Christmas 2017".
13. Moreland, Alex. (13 December 2017). "The League Of Gentlemen: everything you need to know about this cult comedy revival".
14. Wollaston, Sam. (19 December 2017). "The League of Gentlemen review Royston Vasey: just as terrifying as ever". [[The Guardian]].
15. (13 August 2018). "Top Comics Join Short Film". Chortle.
16. McGee, Sarah. (13 October 2021). "Blackburn comedians nominated in Channel 4 comedy awards".
17. "Taskmaster season 17: Release date, cast and latest news".
18. (28 February 2020). "West End: Aaron Taylor-Johnson & Steve Pemberton to Star in The Pillowman". Ikon London Magazine.
19. Mayo, Douglas. (4 June 2021). "Martin McDonagh's The Pillowman delayed – New dates announced soon".
20. Thomas, Sophie. (14 March 2023). "'The Pillowman', starring Steve Pemberton, announces further West End casting".
21. Putnam, Leah. (13 March 2023). "Paul Kaye and Matthew Tennyson Join West End Revival of The Pillowman".
22. Akbar, Arifa. (22 June 2023). "The Pillowman review – Lily Allen fails to deliver visceral punch".
23. Thompson, Jessie. (22 June 2023). "The Pillowman review: A dark, twisted triumph despite lightweight Lily Allen's one-note turn".
24. Allfree, Claire. (21 June 2023). "The Pillowman, Duke of York's Theatre, review: Lily Allen all at sea in dull revival".
25. Rook, Olivia. (3 May 2024). "Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith's 'Inside No 9' to be adapted for the West End".
26. Garrett, Olivia. (10 May 2024). "How to get Inside No.9 Stage/Fright tickets for Pemberton and Shearsmith's West End show".
27. Wiegand, Chris. (May 2024). "Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith announce stage version of Inside No 9".
28. Bletchly, Rachael. (11 April 2012). "''Benidorm''{{'}}s Steve Pemberton: I had a heart attack at 25 ... but it took me 20 years to scare me into losing two stone". [[Daily Mirror]].
29. (31 May 2000). "Lucas James Pemberton". [[Variety (magazine).
30. (10 April 2012). "Steve Pemberton's diary". [[Evening Standard]].
31. (20 March 2013). "Actor Steve Pemberton reveals secret heartache". [[Daily Mirror]].
32. (24 April 2017). "Honorary Graduates". [[University of Huddersfield]].
33. "BAFTA award-winner recognised by 'local' university".
34. York, University of. "Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton".
35. (12 December 2023). "Steve Pemberton: "It is fantastic the club reaches out to the community"".
36. (15 January 2018). "Writers' Guild Awards winners 2018". [[Writers' Guild of Great Britain]].
37. (12 May 2019). "BAFTA Television 2019: Winners of the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards + British Academy Television Craft Awards". [[BAFTA]].