Roy Walker (comedian)
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| Roy Walker | |
|---|---|
 Walker in 2012 | |
| Birth name | Robert Walker |
| Born | 31 July 1940 Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom |
| Medium | Stand-up, presenter |
| Nationality | British |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Genres | Observational comedy |
| Spouse |
Jean Walker
(m. 1962; died 1989) |
| Children | 3, including Josie Walker |
| Notable works and roles | Catchphrase The Comedians |
| Website | www.roywalker.co.uk |
Robert "Roy" Walker (born 31 July 1940) is a television personality and comedian from Northern Ireland, who worked for many years as both a television presenter and comedy actor. He is best known as the original host of the game show Catchphrase between 1986 and 1999, and as one of the stars of the comedy showcase The Comedians.
Early life
Born in
Walker first started work aged 12. By the end of the 1960s, he was running a pawn shop whilst working in the evenings as the compère at the Talk of the Town club in Belfast. The Troubles, a continuing threat of violence between political groups in Northern Ireland, was ongoing at this time. Though Walker was a Protestant and a Unionist, he was confronted by two men, who claimed his wife was a Catholic. They threatened him at gunpoint and gave him 24 hours' notice to close the shop. Walker complied, and the shop was destroyed. He decided to leave Northern Ireland and work in England, touring as a professional comedian, in working men's clubs and cabaret.[3]
I'd been "Mr Belfast" but in
Sunderland I had to wait by the phone at nine o'clock hoping that some other poor comic had been paid off after his first act. That seven quid got me my digs.— Walker talking about his move to England[3]
Career
In 1977, Walker won the ITV talent show New Faces, receiving the highest mark ever given to a comedian.[1] He was also a regular on the 1970s ITV stand-up comedy show The Comedians.[4] He appeared on the BBC show Seaside Special on 15 July 1978.[5] Also in 1978 he appeared in two episodes of Blackpool Bonanza.[6] In 1984 he appeared in an episode of the comedy series The Main Attraction.[6]
A well-dressed gent with thick greying hair and a polite air, Walker's soft Irish voice, his lack of aggression, the composed expression hiding a gentle smile, his amazing pauses which defied interruption, somehow overawing and silencing hecklers…
— Bob Monkhouse summing up Walker's comedy[3]
Walker hosted the game show Catchphrase from 1986 to 1999. During this time he became one of the highest paid stars on television.[citation needed] Walker coined his own catchphrases for the show: "Say what you see", and "It's good, but it's not right". On 12 June 1994, he appeared on Surprise Surprise.[7] Other television appearances in the 1990s included You Bet!, Gagtag, Light Lunch, Wipeout (celebrity special) and TV Nightmares.[6]
Walker appeared as himself in the first episode of Phoenix Nights on 14 January 2001. In 2002, he took part in the comedy game show It's Only TV...but I Like It and also appeared on Harry Hill's TV Burp.[6]
In 2004, he appeared in the third series of the reality television series
On 19 February 2007, he was a guest on the Irish chat show,
In 2008, Walker was a guest on
Walker has appeared on The Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1, in pre-recorded segments called "Car Park Catchphrase" and "Beep Beep Busters", a spoof of Catchphrase.[citation needed]
Walker starred in the
On 27 May 2013, Walker appeared on the BBC Radio 4 panel show Just a Minute, and on 6 January 2015 he was Marcus Brigstocke's guest on the same station's I've Never Seen Star Wars.[citation needed]
In January and February 2016, Walker appeared in the three-part BBC series The Real Marigold Hotel, which followed a group of celebrity senior citizens including Miriam Margolyes and Wayne Sleep on a journey to India.[8]
On 27 February 2018, Walker appeared on the television show 100 Years Younger In 21 Days.
In November 2018 Walker appeared as a guest entertainer on board RCI Navigator of the Seas cruise to the Canary Islands. [citation needed]
In 2022, Walker starred in the music video for David Ford's When We Were Young.
Personal life
Walker lives in the Lancashire seaside resort of Lytham St Annes, which he mentioned once on Catchphrase. He has three children with his late wife Jean, who died of cancer in 1989.[3] He was admitted to Clifton Hospital in early October 2011, following a suspected mini-stroke, and was discharged in good health the following day.[citation needed]
His son, Mark Walker, was the host of ITV game show Steal for 1 series in 1990.[9]
His daughter,
In popular culture
A track on
References
- ^ a b "Biography". Roy Walker. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
- ^ "All Star Talent Show". Archived from the original on 8 October 2007.
- ^ a b c d e Smith, Aidan (27 July 2008). "Roy Walker: Goodbye Mr Chips, hello salad days". Scotland on Sunday. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
- ^ Fletcher, Alex (10 April 2009). "DS Icon: Roy Walker". Digital Spy. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
- Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
- ^ Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
- Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
- ^ "BBC One - The Real Marigold Hotel, Series 1 - The female residents". BBC.
- ^ "Steal - UKGameshows". www.ukgameshows.com.
- hola.com.
- ^ Wooller, Dan (22 November 2017). "'Everybody's Talking About Jamie' musical, Press Night, London, UK". Shutterstock. Archived from the original on 24 October 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
- ^ Bowie-Sell, Daisy (6 March 2018). "Olivier Award nominees announced 2018: full list". Archived from the original on 9 March 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
- ^ "Belle and Sebastian – Recordings". Archived from the original on 27 May 2005. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
External links
- Official website
- Roy Walker at IMDb
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