Neil Grainger
Encyclopedia
Neil Grainger is an English actor and comedian. Appearing in television and theatre, Grainger first rose to prominence after appearing as a main character in the soap opera
Crossroads. As well as acting, Grainger performs stand-up comedy
and co-runs a comedy club
in London
.
, North Yorkshire
. He attended Nunthorpe School
and trained at Middlesex University
, graduating in 2000.
Early in his professional career, Neil Grainger worked extensively with Alan Ayckbourn
at the Stephen Joseph Theatre
in Scarborough. Grainger first worked in television starring as Phil Berry in the 2001 remake of the ITV
soap opera Crossroads, in which he was nominated for best actor at the 2002 British Soap Awards
. In 2007, Grainger guest-starred in the medical drama Doctors, and the legal drama Judge John Deed
, both for the BBC
. He also guest-starred in an episode of the ITV police drama The Bill
, and appeared the series again in 2010.
In 2008, Grainger began co-running The Duke’s Headliners Comedy Club of Putney
, London
. Grainger regularly performs stand-up routines at the club, and other notable comedians featured have included Lee Mack
, Jack Whitehall
and Lucy Porter
. Also in 2008, Gainger guest-starred in the 1960s TV drama, Heartbeat, for ITV. In 2009, Grainger supplied voice-overs for the Killzone 2 and Risen video games. He also starred at the 2009 Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the award winning play, Crush. The play earned Grainger a nomination for best actor at the Stage Acting Excellence Awards 2009. In July 2010, Grainger had a small part in the BBC1 soap opera EastEnders
, playing a local journalist
. As of 2011, he appeared in The Impressions Show alongside Debra Stephenson and Jon Culshaw.
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Crossroads. As well as acting, Grainger performs stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
and co-runs a comedy club
Comedy club
A comedy club is a venue, typically a nightclub, bar, or restaurant where people watch or listen to performances, including stand-up comedians, improvisational comedians, impersonators, magicians, ventriloquists and other comedy acts...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Early life and career
Grainger was born and brought up in MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
. He attended Nunthorpe School
Nunthorpe School
Nunthorpe School is a Specialist Science, Business and Enterprise Secondary School in Nunthorpe, an area of south east Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England...
and trained at Middlesex University
Middlesex University
Middlesex University is a university in north London, England. It is located in the historic county boundaries of Middlesex from which it takes its name. It is one of the post-1992 universities and is a member of Million+ working group...
, graduating in 2000.
Early in his professional career, Neil Grainger worked extensively with Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn
Sir Alan Ayckbourn CBE is a prolific English playwright. He has written and produced seventy-three full-length plays in Scarborough and London and was, between 1972 and 2009, the artistic director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, where all but four of his plays have received their...
at the Stephen Joseph Theatre
Stephen Joseph Theatre
The Stephen Joseph Theatre is a theatre in the round in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England that was founded by Stephen Joseph and was the first theatre in the round in Britain....
in Scarborough. Grainger first worked in television starring as Phil Berry in the 2001 remake of the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
soap opera Crossroads, in which he was nominated for best actor at the 2002 British Soap Awards
British Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards is an annual awards ceremony to honour the best of British soap operas.The first event took place in 1999 and takes place in May each year. Although it is an ITV production, the events were held at the BBC Television Centre, in London until 2010. The 2011 awards relocated to...
. In 2007, Grainger guest-starred in the medical drama Doctors, and the legal drama Judge John Deed
Judge John Deed
Judge John Deed is a British legal drama television series produced by the BBC in association with One-Eyed Dog for BBC One. It was created by G.F. Newman and stars Martin Shaw as Sir John Deed, a High Court judge who tries to seek real justice in the cases before him. It also stars Jenny Seagrove...
, both for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. He also guest-starred in an episode of the ITV police drama The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
, and appeared the series again in 2010.
In 2008, Grainger began co-running The Duke’s Headliners Comedy Club of Putney
Putney
Putney is a district in south-west London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Grainger regularly performs stand-up routines at the club, and other notable comedians featured have included Lee Mack
Lee Mack
Lee Gordon McKillop is an English stand-up comedian and actor, known by the stage name Lee Mack. He is well known in the United Kingdom for writing and starring in the sitcom Not Going Out, for being a team captain on Would I Lie to You? and for hosting Lee Mack's All Star Cast.-Personal life:Mack...
, Jack Whitehall
Jack Whitehall
Jack Peter Benedict Whitehall is an English comedian, television presenter and actor, best known for hosting the E4 show Big Brother's Big Mouth in 2008, Celebrity Big Brother's Big Mouth in January 2009, and the Channel 4 topical entertainment show the TNT Show.-Early life:Whitehall was born in...
and Lucy Porter
Lucy Porter
Lucy Donna Porter is an English actress, writer and comedienne.She has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, the Brighton Festival and many clubs around Britain. She has also a regular voice on BBC Radio 4 in various panel shows, including Quote.....
. Also in 2008, Gainger guest-starred in the 1960s TV drama, Heartbeat, for ITV. In 2009, Grainger supplied voice-overs for the Killzone 2 and Risen video games. He also starred at the 2009 Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the award winning play, Crush. The play earned Grainger a nomination for best actor at the Stage Acting Excellence Awards 2009. In July 2010, Grainger had a small part in the BBC1 soap opera EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, playing a local journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. As of 2011, he appeared in The Impressions Show alongside Debra Stephenson and Jon Culshaw.