Simon Brodkin

Simon Benjamin Brodkin (born 29 September 1977) is an English comedian, performing both on the stand-up circuit and in comedy television series. He is best known for playing a cheerful chav character called Lee Nelson, but also performs as other comedy characters, such as a Liverpudlian footballer called Jason Bent. Performing solo stand-up since 2004, he has also written for and appeared on the television shows '' Al Murray's Multiple Personality Disorder'' in 2009, '' Lee Nelson's Well Good Show'' in 2010 and '' Lee Nelson's Well Funny People'' in 2013.

Brodkin is known for taking part in pranks as his characters at public events, heckling public figures such as Sepp Blatter, Donald Trump and Theresa May.

Early life

Brodkin was born in Camden Town, London on 29 September 1977. Brodkin attended the independent University College School, Hampstead, in the London Borough of Camden. Brodkin studied medicine at the University of Manchester, graduating in 2001. He practised medicine in Manchester city hospitals until 2007, when he began performing stand-up comedy full-time.

Career

Stand-up

Brodkin performed his first solo comedy show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2006, titled ''Simon Brodkin: Everyone But Himself''.Comedy CV of Simon Brodkin
Comedycv.co.uk. Retrieved on 21 December 2016.

In his Lee Nelson stand-up routine, Brodkin's character typically interacts with his audience, telling them about his life, asking them questions, then replying with responses that reflect his world view, his own ignorance or his own stereotypically antisocial attitudes. His act is peppered with slang words.

In character as Lee Nelson, he briefly stood as a candidate in the 2013 South Shields by-election. He withdrew because the BBC would not have been able to broadcast his shows during the electoral campaign due to their code of impartiality.

Brodkin also performs a selection of other characters, including Jason Bent, an unintelligent Premiership footballer with a Merseyside accent. Other characters have included the sleazy and incompetent Dr. Bob.

In recent years Brodkin has been performing stand-up as himself and is currently on tour with his new show ''Troublemaker'' until the end of 2021, with extra dates added for 2022.

Television

Brodkin began appearing on television in 2003, in a series of shorts entitled ''From Baghdad To Balham'' on Channel 4, playing a recently arrived Iraqi asylum seeker, and twice on ''Absolutely Fabulous'' on BBC One.

In 2005, Brodkin appeared as Nelson in three episodes of Channel 4's ''The Morning After Show'', alongside fellow guest Bob Mugabe.

In 2007, Brodkin wrote for and appeared on Al Murray's ITV1 prime time sketch show '' Al Murray's Multiple Personality Disorder'', where he appeared playing his characters of Jason Bent and Lee Nelson, as well as alongside Murray in sketches about mobile phone shop assistants.

In 2008, Brodkin appeared as Dr. Omprakash and Nelson in the BBC Three comedy show ''The Wall''.

In 2011, Brodkin appeared as Lee Nelson in 28 January episode of ITV's ''Comedy Rocks with Jason Manford'' and in Heat 3 of '' Let's Dance for Comic Relief'' on BBC One. In 2011, Brodkin starred as Clinton Faberge in Channel 4's short-lived comedy strand Another One Bites the Crust. Also in 2011, on 11 November, he appeared as Lee Nelson in BBC One's '' Live at the Apollo'' Series seven, episode two, alongside Sean Lock and Ed Byrne.

In 2012, Brodkin returned as Nelson on the judging panel in Heat 4 of '' Let's Dance for Sport Relief'' on BBC One, along with Russell Kane and Jo Brand.

In 2013, Brodkin again returned as Nelson in Heat 3 of '' Let's Dance for Comic Relief'' on BBC One, dancing with street dance duo Twist and Pulse. He won the "judges' vote", thus performing again in the final. However, he did not win. His actual final position is unknown as the unsuccessful finalists were called in "no specific order".

In December 2013 Brodkin performed stand-up on John Bishop's Christmas Show on BBC One.

''Lee Nelson's Well Good Show''

In 2009, Brodkin was commissioned by the BBC
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