Ted And Ralph
Ted and Ralph are fictional characters created by Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan, played by Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson in the BBC comedy sketch show ''The Fast Show''. They featured in all three series of the show. Characters Lord Ralph Mayhew (Higson) is an impoverished aristocrat in his early 30s who lives in his family mansion on an expansive country estate. He has never married or had children and is secretly in love with Ted. Ralph is painfully shy and reserved, occasionally hinted to have previously suffered from mental illness. The juxtaposition of Ralph's over-friendliness and Ted's embarrassed silence forms the basis for the humour in the sketches. Other characters, when seen, particularly Ted's fellow estate workers, seem aware of Ralph's sexuality and are uncomfortable in his presence, or make blatantly homophobic double-entendres, which Ralph always misses. Ted (Whitehouse) is an Irish groundsman who had worked for Lord Mayhew's late mother and father ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Arthur Mathews (writer)
Arthur Mathews is an Irish comedy writer and actor who, often with writing partners such as Graham Linehan, Paul Woodfull and Matt Berry, has either written or contributed to television comedies, such as ''Father Ted, Big Train,'' and '' Toast of London'' and '' Harry Enfield and Chums''. Early life Mathews attended Castleknock College, a private school run by Vincentian priests. He then graduated from the Dublin Institute of Technology with a degree in graphic design. He played drums in spoof U2 tribute act "The Joshua Trio" with Paul Woodfull, with whom he would later work on '' I, Keano''. He worked as art editor for ''Hot Press'', leaving in 1991 to move to London. Writing career Television Mathews has contributed to many sketch shows, including '' Harry Enfield and Chums'', '' The All New Alexei Sayle Show'' and the ''Ted & Ralph'' segments of ''The Fast Show''. However, it was with ''Father Ted'' (three series, 1995–1998) that he and Graham Linehan made their ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Karaoke
is a type of interactive entertainment system usually offered in nightclubs and bars, where people sing along to pre-recorded accompaniment using a microphone. Its musical content is an instrumental rendition of a well-known popular song. In recent times, lyrics are typically displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol, changing colour, or music video images, to guide the singer. In Chinese-speaking countries and regions such as mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, a karaoke box is called a KTV. The global karaoke market has been estimated to be worth nearly $10 billion. Karaoke's global popularity has been fueled by technological advancements, making it a staple of social gatherings and entertainment venues all over the world. The precursors of karaoke machines using cassette tapes made their first appearances in Japan and the Philippines in the 1970s. Commercial versions manufactured by Japanese companies using LaserDisc became available world ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Television Characters Introduced In 1994
Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, entertainment, news, and sports. The medium is capable of more than "radio broadcasting", which refers to an audio signal sent to radio receivers. Television became available in crude experimental forms in the 1920s, but only after several years of further development was the new technology marketed to consumers. After World War II, an improved form of black-and-white television broadcasting became popular in the United Kingdom and the United States, and television sets became commonplace in homes, businesses, and institutions. During the 1950s, television was the primary medium for influencing public opinion.Diggs-Brown, Barbara (2011''Strategic Public Relations: Audience Focused Practice''p. 48 In the mid-1960s, color broadcasting was in ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Fictional Gay Men
Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places that are imaginary or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent with fact, history, or plausibility. In a traditional narrow sense, fiction refers to written narratives in prose often specifically novels, novellas, and short stories. More broadly, however, fiction encompasses imaginary narratives expressed in any medium, including not just writings but also live theatrical performances, films, television programs, radio dramas, comics, role-playing games, and video games. Definition and theory Typically, the fictionality of a work is publicly expressed, so the audience expects a work of fiction to deviate to a greater or lesser degree from the real world, rather than presenting for instance only factually accurate portrayals or characters who are actual people. Because fiction is generally understood as not adhering to the real world, the th ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Christmas Television Specials
Christmas themes have long been an inspiration to artists and writers. A prominent aspect of Christian media, the topic first appeared in literature and in music. Filmmakers have picked up on this wealth of material, with both adaptations of Christmas novels, in the forms of Christmas films, Santa Claus films, and Christmas television specials. It also includes animation, comics, and children's books, including ''A Charlie Brown Christmas'', ''How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'', and ''Frosty the Snowman''. Films Many Christmas stories have been adapted to movies and TV specials, and have been broadcast and repeated many times on TV. Since the popularization of home video in the 1980s, their many editions are sold and re-sold every year during the holiday shopping season. Notable examples are the many versions of the ballet ''The Nutcracker'', the 1946 film '' It's a Wonderful Life'', and the similarly themed versions of Dickens' ''A Christmas Carol'', in which the elderly ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Daily Record (Scotland)
The ''Daily Record'' is a Scottish national tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. The newspaper is published Monday–Saturday and its website is updated on an hourly basis, seven days a week. The ''Record'' sister title is the '' Sunday Mail''. Both titles are owned by Reach plc and have a close kinship with the UK-wide ''Daily Mirror'' as a result. The ''Record'' covers UK news and sport with a Scottish focus. Its website boasts the largest readership of any publisher based in Scotland. The title was at the forefront of technological advances in publishing throughout the 20th century and became the first European daily newspaper to be produced in full colour. As the ''Record'' print circulation has declined in line with other national papers, it has focused increasing attention on expanding its digital news operation. Foundation and early history The ''Daily Record'' was first published in 1895 in Glasgow as a sister title to the ''North British Daily Mail''. The ''Mail'' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Kathy Burke
Katherine Lucy Bridget Burke (born 13 June 1964) is an English actress and comedian. She appeared in sketch shows such as '' French and Saunders'' (1988–1999), played a recurring role as Magda on the BBC sitcom '' Absolutely Fabulous'' (1992–2012), and performed frequent collaborations with fellow comedian Harry Enfield. From 1999 to 2001, she starred as Linda La Hughes on the BBC sitcom '' Gimme Gimme Gimme'', for which she received a British Comedy Award and two BAFTA nominations. Burke made her film debut in the 1982 drama '' Scrubbers''. For her portrayal of Valerie in the 1997 film '' Nil by Mouth'', she won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for a BAFTA for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Her other film appearances include ''Sid and Nancy'' (1986), ''Dancing at Lughnasa'' (1998), '' Elizabeth'' (1998), ''This Year's Love'' (1999), '' Kevin & Perry Go Large'' (2000), '' The Martins'' (2001), '' Anita and Me'' (2002) and '' Once Upon a Time in t ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Arabella Weir
Arabella Helen Weir (born 6 December 1957) is an American-born British comedian, actress and writer. She played roles in the comedy series ''The Fast Show'', ''Posh Nosh'' and ''Two Doors Down (TV series), Two Doors Down'', and has written several books, including ''Does My Bum Look Big in This?'' Weir has also written for ''The Independent'' and ''The Guardian'' and the latter's ''Weekend'' magazine. Early life and education Weir was born in 1957, in San Francisco, California, United States, to Scottish people, Scottish parents. She is the daughter of former British ambassador Michael Scott Weir, Sir Michael Weir and his wife, Alison ( Walker), who had met while studying at the University of Oxford; her father was from Dunfermline and her mother was from the Scottish Borders, daughter of the headmaster of a small boarding school. Weir attended nursery school in Washington D.C., where her father was posted as a member of the British diplomatic service. She later attended the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was published on Saturday 26 March 2016, leaving only the online edition. The daily edition was named National Newspaper of the Year at the 2004 British Press Awards. ''The Independent'' won the Brand of the Year Award in The Drum Awards for Online Media 2023. History 1980s Launched in 1986, the first issue of ''The Independent'' was published on 7 October in broadsheet format.Dennis Griffiths (ed.) ''The Encyclopedia of the British Press, 1422–1992'', London & Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1992, p. 330. It was produced by Newspaper Publishing plc and created by Andreas Whittam Smith, Stephen Glover and Matthew Symonds. All three partners were former journalists at ''The Daily Telegraph'' who had left the paper towards the end of Lord Hartwell' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Simon Day
Simon William Day (born 7 June 1962) is an English comedian and actor known for his roles in the sketch show ''The Fast Show'' and the sitcom ''Grass''. Career Day was born in Blackheath, London, and rose to fame as a stand-up comic, winning the '' Time Out'' new act of the year in 1991 with his music hall character Tommy Cockles. He then appeared on the BBC One show ''Paramount City'' as a weekly guest. He continued working live all over England before joining up with Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer for two tours and two series of '' Big Night Out''. He continued to work with Vic Reeves throughout the 1990s. In 1993, he was a cast regular in '' Saturday Zoo'', Channel 4's Saturday night extravaganza, in which he appeared as groundbreaking white rapper Ice Pick. His other TV credits include '' Heartbeat'', ''Jonathan Creek'', '' Sensitive Skin'', ''Love Soup'', '' Driving School'', and '' Skins''. His film credits include ''Shakespeare in Love'', as a ferryman on the Thames. In 2 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Saskia Wickham
Saskia Wickham (born 14 January 1967) is a British actress best known for playing Alex Wilton in the drama series ''Boon (TV series), Boon'', and Dr. Erica Matthews in the ITV Network, ITV television drama series ''Peak Practice'' between 1996 and 1998. Early and personal life Wickham is the daughter of English actor Jeffry Wickham and Claire Stewart. From an early age, she knew that she wanted to act. Sister of Rupert Wickham, an actor. Wickham is married to the television director Robert Bierman, and has three daughters. Career At the first annual Ian Charleson Awards in 1991, Wickham received a commendation for her 1990 performance as Sonya in ''Uncle Vanya'' at The Old Vic Theatre. She is best known nationally for playing Dr. Erica Matthews in the ITV Network, ITV television drama series ''Peak Practice'' between 1996 and 1998. Other major roles include Gunvor, the love interest of the main character, in ''Prince of Jutland'', who is tragically murdered when pregnant, Cla ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |