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Paul Shearer

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English actor and journalist
Paul Shearer
BornPaul Shearer
Epsom, UK
NationalityEnglish
EducationSt John's College, Cambridge
Occupation(s)Actor, writer
Spouse Vicky Licorish ​(m. 1994)​
Children2 (1 deceased)

Paul Shearer is an English actor, best known for his roles in The Fast Show and The Russ Abbot Show. Together with Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson and Hugh Laurie Shearer was a member of the Cambridge University's Footlights ensemble which won the first ever Perrier Comedy Award in 1981. Currently Shearer works as a property journalist.

Personal life and education

Shearer attended Lancing College between 1973 and 1978. He graduated from St John's College, Cambridge in 1981 with a degree in computer science. After graduating he lived in a flat with Peter Cook and Hugh Laurie. He married actor Vicky Licorish in 1994. On 30 October 2024, their 25-year-old child Cal Shearer, who was transgender, non-binary and autistic, was found dead in their dorm room at St John's College, Oxford, in an apparent suicide by hanging.

Footlights

On the Footlight committee, Shearer held the position of "Club Falconer", which, according to Fry, "went back to the days when the Footlights were quartered in Falcon Yard." He partnered with Nick Hytner in a sketch Graffiti on the Wall. He also wrote for A Sense of Nonsense and The Cellar Tapes.

Television

A selection of television appearances include:

Year Title Channel Notes
1982 There's Nothing to Worry About! ITV (Granada) With Ben Elton, Emma Thompson, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry. Shearer was replaced by Robbie Coltrane after the first series.
1983 The Crystal Cube BBC Pilot
1983 – 1985 CBTV Presenter
1984 Jigsaw
1986 Chocky's Challenge
1987 – 1989 The Russ Abbot Show BBC Sketch show
1989 Anything More Would Be Greedy ITV Comedy mini-series
1991 Five Children and It BBC Children's drama
Birds of a Feather (TV series)
1992 Tales from the Poop Deck ITV Children's sitcom
Dirk Gently On The South Bank Show
1994 – 1997 The Fast Show BBC Sketch show
1995 Proud Love ITV Sitcom
1995 – 1996 Cone Zone ITV Children's sitcom
1998 Stressed Eric BBC Two Comedy animation
2003 CBeebies BBC Two
2006 The Message BBC Three Sketch show
2020 The Fast Show: Just a Load of Blooming Catchphrases Gold

Also, Les Dennis Laughter Show, Abracadabra – children's comedy, CHBC, The Max Headroom Show and Who Dares Wins.

Film

Radio

Year Title Channel
1985 Ninety-ninety four BBC Radio 4
The Fosdyke Saga III BBC Radio 2
1986 The World at Once Upon a Time BBC Radio 4
1988 – 1991 Gorham and Swift BBC Radio 2
1991 Week Ending BBC Radio 4
1995 In the Red BBC Radio 4
Next of Kin BBC One
1996 Chambers BBC Radio 4
2011 Cabin Pressure
2015 The Lentil Sorters
2015 – 2017 Cracking Up

Theatre

1988: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves at Cambridge Arts Theatre 1991: Teechers at Duke's Theatre

Writing

Shearer was a writer on the following shows:

  • 1982: There's Nothing to Worry About
  • 1983 – 1984: Alfresco
  • 1985: Once Upon a Time… BBC Radio 4
  • 1994: The Fast Show
  • 1994: Nice Day at the Office – sitcom for BBC
  • 1995: If You're So Clever, Why Aren't You Rich? – Radio 4 comedy
  • 1999 – 2001: See It Saw It children's game show for BBC One
  • 2011: Kees & Co

As a property journalist Shearer has written for The Financial Times, The Times and France magazine.

See also

References

  1. "Donors 1978". The Eagle. Cambridge, UK: St John's College, Cambridge. 2016. p. 211.
  2. "trading up to a chateau". thetimes.com. 2004-01-18. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  3. "The Russ Abbott Show". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  4. Mark Brown (2019-07-11). "TV Channel Dave is new Edinburgh comedy award sponsor". theguardian.com. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  5. "Paul Shearer". ft.com. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  6. Fry, Stephen (2011). The Fry Chronicles. London: Penguin. p. 172. ISBN 9780141039800.
  7. Cook, Lin (1998). Peter Cook remembered. London: Arrow. p. 161. ISBN 0749323124.
  8. "Putting Small island on the big screen". standard.co.uk. 2012-04-12. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  9. Bird, Steve (16 November 2024). "Tributes paid to 'brave and beautiful' Oxford student found hanged". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 16 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  10. Wootton-Cane, Nicole; Smith, Joe (16 November 2024). "Brave and 'endlessly compassionate' child of Fast Show actor took their own life at university". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  11. Fry, Stephen (2011). The Fry Chronicles. London: Penguin. p. 172. ISBN 9780141039800.
  12. Hewison, Robert (1983). Footlights! A Hundred years of Cambridge comedy. London: Methuen. p. 213. ISBN 9780413511508.
  13. Fry, Stephen (2011). The Fry Chronicles. London: Penguin. p. 20. ISBN 9780141039800.
  14. Bunko, Anthony (2011). Hugh Laurie: The Biography. London: John Blake. p. 40. ISBN 9781843583646.
  15. Fry, Stephen (2011). The Fry Chronicles. London: Penguin. p. 297. ISBN 9780141039800.
  16. Perry, Chris; Coward, Simon (2018). Christmas Guide 2018. London: Kaleidoscope. p. 157. ISBN 9781900203708.
  17. Ian MacFarlane (1988-12-30). "Pauls' tail end start". Cambridge Daily News. Cambridge, UK. p. 19.
  18. Ian MacFarlane (1988-12-30). "Pauls' tail end start". Cambridge Daily News. Cambridge, UK. p. 19.
  19. Lewisohn, Mark (1998). Radio Times: Guide to TV comedy. London: BBC Worldwide. p. 14. ISBN 9780563369776.
  20. Ian MacFarlane (1988-12-30). "Pauls' tail end start". Cambridge Daily News. Cambridge, UK. p. 19.
  21. Evans, Jeff (2011). The Penguin TV companion. London: Penguin. p. 348. ISBN 9780241952917.
  22. "Comedy Choice". Morecambe Visitor. Morcombe, UK. 1991-09-18. p. 18.
  23. Lewisohn, Mark (1998). Radio Times: Guide to TV comedy. London: BBC Worldwide. p. 651. ISBN 9780563369776.
  24. Simpson, M J (2006). The Pocket Essential Hitchhikers Guide. Chichester, UK: Pocket Essentials. p. 132. ISBN 9781904048466.
  25. Bunko, Anthony (2011). Hugh Laurie: The Biography. London: John Blake. p. 35. ISBN 9781843583646.
  26. Bunko, Anthony (2012). Britain's greatest TV comedy moments. London: Atlantic. p. 307. ISBN 9780857891235.
  27. Lewisohn, Mark (1998). Radio Times: Guide to TV comedy. London: BBC Worldwide. p. 585. ISBN 9780563369776.
  28. Lewisohn, Mark (1998). Radio Times: Guide to TV comedy. London: BBC Worldwide. p. 158. ISBN 9780563369776.
  29. Lewisohn, Mark (1998). BFI film and television handbook 1998. London: BBC Worldwide. p. 488. ISBN 9780563369776.
  30. "CBeebies". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  31. "Comedy Choice". Morecambe Visitor. Morcombe, UK. 1991-09-18. p. 18.
  32. Ian MacFarlane (1988-12-30). "Pauls' tail end start". Cambridge Daily News. Cambridge, UK. p. 19.
  33. Ian MacFarlane (1988-12-30). "Pauls' tail end start". Cambridge Daily News. Cambridge, UK. p. 19.
  34. Kilmeny Fane-Saunders (2020). "Radio times guide to films 2007". Radio Times. London: BBC Worldwide Ltd. p. 175. ISBN 0563539011.
  35. Willis, John (1998). Screen world 1998: Film Annual. New York: Applause. p. 183. ISBN 9781557833426.
  36. Osbourne, Williams (1986). Ninety-ninety-four. London: Arrow. p. 2. ISBN 0099451506.
  37. "Week Ending". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  38. "The World at". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  39. "Pick of the Day". Staffordshire Sentinel. Stafford, UK. 1989-01-03. p. 2.
  40. "Week Ending". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  41. "Week Ending". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  42. "Next of Kin". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  43. "The Lentil Sorters". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  44. "Week Ending". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  45. Alan Kersey (1998-12-09). "Gala show launches Marti's panto season". Cambridge Daily News. Cambridge, UK. p. 21.
  46. "Comedy Choice". Morecambe Visitor. Morcombe, UK. 1991-09-18. p. 18.
  47. "Week Ending". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  48. Dyja, Eddie (1998). Radio Times: Guide to TV comedy. London: British Film Institute. p. 397. ISBN 9780851706528.
  49. "Radio 4". The Times. London, UK. 1995-02-07. p. 42.
  50. "Week Ending". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  51. "Paul Shearer". ft.com. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
  52. Paul Shearer (2008-09-05). "Living the dream". thetimes.com. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
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