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Jason Forbes (born 27 October 1990) is an English actor, writer, comedian, impressionist, and TV presenter. He is best known for the CITV series Horrible Science; The Mash Report on BBC Two; as PC Peasey in the Professor Branestawm television films on BBC One; and as a member of the award-winning sketch trio 'Daphne'.

Forbes is co-creator, star and writer of the BBC Radio 4 series, Daphne Sounds Expensive.

Early life and education

Forbes was born in Bristol, England, and educated at Queen Elizabeth's Hospital in Clifton. He then went up to Jesus College at the University of Cambridge to read English, graduating in 2012.

At school he joined the 'Gabblers' Club' – a Bristol-based after-dinner speaking society for young students; and, in 2008, was awarded the Gabblers' prize for 'Best Speaker' – a prize formerly awarded to stand-up comedian Mark Watson.

At Cambridge University, Forbes wrote and performed in a number of comedy shows as a member of the famous Cambridge Footlights. In 2012, he co-wrote and performed in Perfect Strangers – the Footlights' 50th annual revue – touring the UK and the United States. He also performed in a number of 'serious plays', from contemporary to Shakespeare; and on London's West End as part of a showcase directed by former artistic director of the Royal Court Theatre, Max Stafford-Clark.

Prior to becoming a professional actor, Forbes worked as a marketing executive, civil servant, computer programmer, web designer, graphic designer and teacher of languages.

Career

Comedy

In September 2014, Forbes reunited with his Cambridge Footlights contemporaries Phil Wang and George Fouracres to form the sketch group 'Daphne'.

The trio began hosting a comedy night called Nova Nova, every other month at the Cockpit Theatre, Marylebone, where they trialled their new material alongside guests, including British comedians Harry Hill and James Acaster.

Daphne went on to win the London Sketchfest's prize for 'Best New Act' in 2015. Their first Edinburgh Festival Fringe show, Daphne Do Edinburgh, was critically acclaimed and Daphne were nominated for the 2015 Foster's (formerly Perrier) Award for 'Best Newcomer'.

Radio

Daphne Sounds Expensive (BBC Radio 4)

In February 2016, the BBC announced that Daphne would be bringing a "Goon Show-esque" comedy called Daphne Sounds Expensive to BBC Radio 4, with the first episode airing on 14 July 2016. The series consists of four thirty-minute episodes.

Daphne Sounds Expensive was shortlisted for the 'Best Radio Sketch Show' award at the Comedy.co.uk Awards 2016. Radio 4 commissioned a second series which it would broadcast from 13 July 2017.

Other radio work

Forbes is a regular guest on the satirical sketch show Newsjack on BBC Radio 4 Extra.

In 2017, he appeared in the two-part BBC Radio 4 sitcom Life on Egg by Daniel Maier, alongside Harry Hill, Marek Larwood and Gyles Brandreth.

Film and television

Forbes made his first TV appearance in 2013 in Kerry, a BBC Three Comedy Feeds episode by comedic actress Kerry Howard.

He later appeared in The Mimic on Channel 4 and Pompidou by Little Britain star Matt Lucas on BBC One.

In 2014, he appeared on BBC One alongside Harry Hill, David Mitchell, Ben Miller, Miranda Richardson, Simon Day and Charlie Higson, as PC Peasey in Higson's adaptation of The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm by Norman Hunter.

In May 2015, ITV announced that Forbes would be among the cast of their new series Horrible Science, based on the Horrible Science books by Nick Arnold.

Forbes also joined the cast of Tracey Ullman's sketch show, Tracey Ullman's Show, for BBC One and HBO. He was a regular in the second series of Tracey Ullman's Show, and portrayed former American World No. 1 professional tennis player, Arthur Ashe, in the 2017 film Borg/McEnroe, starring Sverrir Gudnason and Shia LaBeouf.

In 2021, broadcaster UKTV announced that Forbes would be joining Kemah Bob and Tom Allen as co-host of a new panel show called The Island on its comedy channel Dave. The show was co-created by comedians John Robins, Lloyd Langford, Ed Gamble, and James Acaster. Recording of the first eight episodes began in June 2021.

In 2024, he starred in Netflix's science fiction television series, 3 Body Problem, as Omar Khayyam.

Style and influences

Forbes is a lover of physical comedy and often incorporates slapstick humour into his routines. He has cited Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin, Rowan Atkinson, Sir Norman Wisdom and, "most of all", Michael Crawford among his physical influences. "Against all advice," says Forbes in an interview with online blog Comedy Blogedy, "I'd try everything they did at home: bumping into things, falling over, deliberately spilling stuff and – to my mother's horror – throwing myself down the stairs."

Forbes apparently perfected his stair-fall in a university production of Michael Frayn's Noises Off.

Of his sketch group Daphne's debut Edinburgh Festival Fringe show, The List magazine's Brian Donaldson remarked upon a "wild slapstick moment that will hopefully not result in an injury to Forbes before August is out."

Credits

Film and television

Radio

Video games

Awards and nominations

Forbes' sketch group Daphne were the winners of the London Sketchfest's prize for 'Best New Act' in 2015. Their first Edinburgh Festival Fringe show, Daphne Do Edinburgh, was critically acclaimed and Daphne were nominated for the 2015 Edinburgh Comedy Award for 'Best Newcomer'.

References

1. Ben Miller is bringing Horrible Science to CITV; Digital Spy – 21 May 2015
2. The Mash Report; British Comedy Guide
3. The Incredible Adventures of Professor Brainstawm – Credits, BBC One
4. Edinburgh festival 2015: 10 comedy acts to watch, The Guardian
5. Daphne Sounds Expensive, BBC Radio 4
6. QEH Bristol News Archived 7 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine
7. Guide to Independent Schools
8. The Good Schools Guide
9. Cast & Crew | CAST 2011
10. The Company – Footlights International Tour 2012
11. QEH Bristol News Archived 7 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine
12. Talking it up, Bristol Grammar School
13. The Company – Footlights International Tour 2012
14. Dates – Footlights International Tour 2012
15. Person: Jason Forbes, Camdram
16. Show: Marlowe Showcase 2012, Camdram
17. Interview with Daphne, Comedy Blogedy
18. who? | Daphne | Sketch comedy from Phil Wang, Jason Forbes & George Fouracres
19. Nova Nova Archived 7 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Daphne – Official Website
20. Seven sketch comedy shows to see at the 2015 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, TimeOut
21. Best-reviewed Edinburgh Fringe shows 2015, British Comedy Guide
22. Foster's Edinburgh Comedy awards shortlist announced, BBC News
23. Record 8 nominees for Edinburgh Comedy Award, Chortle
24. "Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards – newcomers". Archived from the original on 6 October 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
25. Radio 4’s Comedy Commissioner announces a raft of new commissions BBC Media Centre
26. Daphne Sounds Expensive – Series 1, Episode 1, BBC Radio 4
27. Daphne Sounds Expensive – Series 1, Episode Guide, BBC Radio 4
28. Comedy.co.uk Awards 2016 – News – British Comedy Guide
29. Daphne Sounds Expensive | BBC Radio 4
30. Daphne Sounds Expensive | British Comedy Guide
31. Daphne – Official Website
32. "Episode 4, Series 13, Newsjack – BBC Radio 4 Extra". BBC. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
33. "Episode 2, Series 14, Newsjack – BBC Radio 4 Extra". BBC. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
34. "Episode 5, Series 15, Newsjack – BBC Radio 4 Extra". BBC. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
35. "BBC Radio 4 Extra – Newsjack, Series 18, Episode 6".
36. Life on Egg – Episode 1, Inspection, BBC Radio 4
37. Life on Egg – Episode 2, CCTV, BBC Radio 4
38. Jason Forbes, IMDb
39. Horrible Science, ITV/CITV
40. who? | Daphne | Sketch comedy from Phil Wang, Jason Forbes & George Fouracres
41. "Tracey Ullman on BBC's Female Revolution". The Hollywood Reporter. 7 October 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
42. Jason, Daphne Comedy – Official Website
43. Shia LaBeouf to play John McEnroe in movie of Wimbledon legend's 1980 battle with Borg – The Guardian
44. "Dave joins Tom Allen on The Island | News | UKTV Corporate Site". corporate.uktv.co.uk. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
45. "The Island – Dave Panel Show". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
46. "Bio – Jason Forbes | Actor & Writer – Official Website". Retrieved 3 May 2022.
47. Interview with Daphne, Comedy Blogedy
48. Noises Off, The Tab
49. Daphne Do Edinburgh – Wild and original sketches from a three-man team clearly going places, The List
50. Jason Forbes IMDB
51. Jason, Daphne Comedy – Official Website
52. Jason Forbes – Official Website
53. Jason Forbes – Official Website
54. "Episode 4, Series 13, Newsjack – BBC Radio 4 Extra". BBC. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
55. "Episode 2, Series 14, Newsjack – BBC Radio 4 Extra". BBC. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
56. "Episode 5, Series 15, Newsjack – BBC Radio 4 Extra". BBC. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
57. "Episode 1, Series 16, Newsjack – BBC Radio 4 Extra". BBC. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
58. Radio 4’s Comedy Commissioner announces a raft of new commissions, BBC Media Centre
59. Daphne Sounds Expensive, BBC Radio 4
60. Life on Egg – Episode 1, Inspection, BBC Radio 4
61. Life on Egg – Episode 2, CCTV, BBC Radio 4
62. "Episode 1, Series 1, Ankle Tag – BBC Radio 4". BBC. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
63. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Credits [HD 1080P], retrieved 23 August 2022
64. Seven sketch comedy shows to see at the 2015 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, TimeOut
65. Best-reviewed Edinburgh Fringe shows 2015, British Comedy Guide
66. Foster's Edinburgh Comedy awards shortlist announced, BBC News
67. Record 8 nominees for Edinburgh Comedy Award, Chortle
68. "Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards – newcomers". Archived from the original on 6 October 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2015.

• 1990 births
• 21st-century English male actors
• Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge
• Black British male actors
• English comedy writers
• English male comedians
• English male film actors
• English male radio actors
• English male stage actors
• English male television actors
• English people of Dominica descent
• English people of Jamaican descent
• English sketch comedians
• Living people
• Male actors from Bristol
• People educated at Queen Elizabeth's Hospital, Bristol
• Comedians from Bristol