Mitchell and Webb

Mitchell and Webb

Robert Webb and David Mitchell in 2007
Medium Television, radio, film
Nationality British
Years active 1995–present
Genres Sketch comedy, character comedy, surreal humour, black comedy
Influences Morecambe and Wise, Monty Python, The Two Ronnies, Fry and Laurie,[1]Rik Mayall, Ade Edmondson, Rowan Atkinson
Notable works and roles That Mitchell and Webb Look
Peep Show
Members David Mitchell
Robert Webb

Mitchell and Webb are a British comedy double act, composed of David Mitchell (born 14 July 1974) and Robert Webb (born 29 September 1972). They are best known for starring in the Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show and their sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Look. The duo first met at the Footlights in 1993 and collaborated for the 1995 Revue whilst studying at the University of Cambridge.

Works

Television and radio

After graduating from university, the duo did two-man shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and some sketch writing, including a series of Big Train and also for Armstrong and Miller's eponymous show.[2] Their big break came in 2000 when they joined the writing team for the BBC Two sketch show Bruiser. The following year, the short-lived Play UK channel invited them to write their own sketch show, The Mitchell and Webb Situation. Later, they wrote and starred in the Radio 4 sketch show, That Mitchell and Webb Sound – which was later adapted for television on BBC Two as That Mitchell and Webb Look. The first series of That Mitchell and Webb Look won the BAFTA for "Best Comedy Programme" in 2007.

They often appear with Olivia Colman, James Bachman, Mark Evans and Paterson Joseph.

In 2008, the duo wrote a pilot script for their first original sitcom; in Playing Shop, the two star as Eric and Jamie, friends who set up a business together after they are made redundant from their old jobs. Hartswood Films recorded the pilot episode on 20 December, with a view to producing a full series for BBC Two.[3] Although approved by BBC, plans for future episodes fell through as Mitchell and Webb decided not to proceed with it.

Mitchell and Webb collaborated with Armstrong and Miller again for the 2009 Red Nose Day fundraising event. They co-wrote and starred in two short sketches incorporating Armstrong and Miller's World War II airmen characters from The Armstrong and Miller Show and their characters Sir Digby and Ginger from their radio show That Mitchell and Webb Sound.

Two men in torn clothes stand on a stage: the man on the left is wearing a long coat and has a hat on, the man on the right wears a chequered hat, a string vest, jacket and orange trousers
Mitchell (right) as "Ginger" on stage with Webb as "Sir Digby Chicken Caesar" during a performance of their The Two Faces of Mitchell and Webb stage tour

In 2012, the pair provided the voices for the pair of robots in the Doctor Who episode "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship" in addition to starring in the BBC Two comedy-drama Ambassadors.[4]

In 2017, they will both appear in a new Channel 4 sitcom entitled Back written by Simon Blackwell. They will also serve as executive producers, with their production company That Mitchell & Webb Company producing the show alongside Big Talk Productions.[5]

Other

Mitchell and Webb have also appeared in the U.K. regional versions of the 'Get a Mac' advertisements for Apple.

They also voiced a pair of peas on the Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway sponsorship adverts for Birds Eye.

Magicians, a film starring the pair was released on 18 May 2007.[6]

They have also released the book This Mitchell and Webb Book.

References

  1. "That Mitchell and Webb Look". BBC. 29 August 2006.
  2. "BBC Four - Mark Lawson talks to...David Mitchell". bbc.co.uk. 26 March 2011.
  3. Parker, Robin (8 December 2008). "Mitchell and Webb are Playing Shop on BBC2". Broadcastnow (Emap Media). Retrieved on 8 December 2008.
  4. Adam Sherwin (8 October 2013). "Can new Mitchell & Webb comedy help the Foreign Office improve its image?". The Independent. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  5. Leo Barraclough (15 November 2016). "'Veep' Co-Writer Simon Blackwell Pens Comedy 'Back' for Channel 4". Variety. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  6. "Interview: David Mitchell and Robert Webb". telegraph.co.uk. 10 June 2009.
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