Michael Ciaran Parker (born 4 May 1952), known by his
stage name
A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...
Michael Barrymore, is an English actor,
comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting foolish (as in slapstick), or employing prop comedy. A comedian who addresses an audience dir ...
and
television presenter
A television presenter (or television host, some become a "television personality") is a person who introduces, hosts television programs, often serving as a mediator for the program and the audience. Nowadays, it is common for people who garner ...
of
game show
A game show is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment (radio, television, internet, stage or other) where contestants compete for a reward. These programs can either be participatory or demonstrative and are typically directed by a host, ...
s and
light entertainment programmes on
British television
Regular television broadcasts in the United Kingdom started in 1936 as a public service which was free of advertising, which followed the first demonstration of a transmitted moving image in 1926. Currently, the United Kingdom has a collection ...
in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. These included ''
Strike It Lucky
''Strike It Lucky'' (known as ''Michael Barrymore's Strike It Rich'' from 1996 to 1999) is a British television game show that ran from 29 October 1986 to 23 August 1999, originally produced by Thames Television for ITV, and presented by the ...
'', ''
My Kind of People
''My Kind of People'' was an ITV television show presented by British entertainer Michael Barrymore broadcast from 26 October to 26 December 1995.
Format
Barrymore travelled around the country in his customised sports car visiting shopping cent ...
'', ''
My Kind of Music,'' ''
Kids Say the Funniest Things'', and his own variety show, ''
Barrymore''. In 1993, he headlined the ''
Royal Variety Performance
The ''Royal Variety Performance'' is a televised variety show held annually in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity (of which King Charles III is life-patron). It is attended by senior members of the British royal ...
''.
At his peak, Barrymore was voted the UK's favourite television star several times, and became one of the highest-paid stars on television from the mid-1980s to the late-1990s. After his peak of popularity in the mid-1990s, Barrymore appeared on ''
Celebrity Big Brother
''Big Brother VIP'', is an adaptation of the ''Big Brother'' reality television series. It is the celebrity version of its parent franchise ''Big Brother'', the celebrity version airs in several countries, however, the housemates or houseguests ...
'' and other shows including ''
The Friday Night Project'', ''
Graham Norton's Bigger Picture'', ''
This Morning This Morning may refer to:
* ''This Morning'' (TV programme), a British daytime television programme
* ''This Morning'' (radio program), a Canadian radio show which aired from 1997 to 2002
* '' CBS This Morning'', an American morning show, succe ...
'', ''
The Sharon Osbourne Show
''The Sharon Osbourne Show'' is an American talk show that ran for one season (2003–2004) on various US channels.
Cancellation
The show was eventually canceled due to poor ratings and scathing attacks by critics as being too focused on Os ...
'' and ''
The Saturday Night Show''. He starred in ''
Bob Martin'' from 2000 to 2001, a comedy drama in which he played the title role of a failing television game-show host.
Barrymore's television career effectively ended after the
death of Stuart Lubbock in 2001 following a party at Barrymore's house in
Essex
Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...
. Barrymore was the subject of police investigations and legal action around the case over several years.
Early life
Born Michael Ciaran Parker in
Bermondsey
Bermondsey () is a district in southeast London, part of the London Borough of Southwark, England, southeast of Charing Cross. To the west of Bermondsey lies Southwark, to the east Rotherhithe and Deptford, to the south Walworth and Peckha ...
, he lived on the Dickens
estate
Estate or The Estate may refer to:
Law
* Estate (law), a term in common law for a person's property, entitlements and obligations
* Estates of the realm, a broad social category in the histories of certain countries.
** The Estates, representat ...
for the first 18 years of his life with his two elder siblings.
His father left when Barrymore was 11 and they never saw each other again. Barrymore and his siblings were raised in the Roman Catholic faith of their Irish mother, Margaret.
[''The House That Made Me'', ]Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
, 16 December 2010.
Career
Early career
Barrymore spent his early career working as a
Redcoat at
Butlins
Butlin's is a chain of large seaside resorts in the United Kingdom. Butlin's was founded by Billy Butlin to provide affordable holidays for ordinary British families.
Between 1936 and 1966, ten camps were built, including one in Ireland and o ...
holiday camps and then in the
West End theatre
West End theatre is mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres in and near the West End of London.Christopher Innes, "West End" in ''The Cambridge Guide to Theatre'' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998), pp. 1194– ...
shows of
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, where he met dancer and lifelong friend
Cheryl St Claire in 1974. They married in 1976. With Cheryl as manager and the mastermind behind Barrymore's rise to fame, he first won a 1975 edition of ''
New Faces
''New Faces'' is a British television talent show that aired in the 1970s and 1980s. It has been hosted by Leslie Crowther, Derek Hobson and Marti Caine. It was produced for the ITV network by ATV, and later by Central.
Original series: 197 ...
'', became a regular panellist on ''
Blankety Blank'' and then the warm-up man for
Larry Grayson on the ''
Generation Game
''The Generation Game'' is a British game show produced by the BBC in which four teams of two people from the same family, but different generations, compete to win prizes.
The game
There are eight competitors, hence the catchphrase "Let's me ...
''
and also for
Little and Large theatre shows. In the early days, Barrymore used to do impressions of
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese ( ; born 27 October 1939) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Emerging from the Cambridge Footlights in the 1960s, he first achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and ...
and
Norman Wisdom, among others.
Television career (1976–2002)
Barrymore rose to fame via appearances on ''
Blankety Blank'' and ''
Who Do You Do?
''Who Do You Do?'' was a British television comedy impressions sketch programme produced by London Weekend Television for ITV from 1972 to 1976.
Many notable impressionists/comedians appeared on the show. The format was quickfire, with many i ...
'' and his television career began firstly by having his own sketch show entitled ''The Michael Barrymore Show'' in 1983, which starred a young
Nicholas Lyndhurst
Nicholas Simon Lyndhurst (born 20 April 1961) is an English actor. He began his career as a child actor and became best known for his role as Rodney Trotter in the sitcom '' Only Fools and Horses'' (1981–2003). He also had major roles in oth ...
, and he also appeared in ''Russ Abbott's Madhouse'' as various characters between 1981 and 1982. He walked out of his contract with LWT, who produced ''The Michael Barrymore Show'', after only one series; he then landed the presenter's role on the BBC gameshow, ''Get Set Go!''.
He appeared in a number of ''
Royal Variety Performance
The ''Royal Variety Performance'' is a televised variety show held annually in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity (of which King Charles III is life-patron). It is attended by senior members of the British royal ...
'' shows, his first being in 1983. He became the host of
ITV gameshow ''
Strike It Lucky
''Strike It Lucky'' (known as ''Michael Barrymore's Strike It Rich'' from 1996 to 1999) is a British television game show that ran from 29 October 1986 to 23 August 1999, originally produced by Thames Television for ITV, and presented by the ...
'' (which later became ''Strike It Rich'') in 1986 and it grew in popularity over the years and this was watched by 18 million viewers at its peak.
This was Barrymore's first successful presenting role (''Get Set Go!'' had been cancelled after only one single series
), which led then to his own light entertainment show, ''
Barrymore'' in 1991. However, before that he had his own show between 1988 and 1989, produced for the BBC entitled ''Michael Barrymore's Saturday Night Out'';
it was set in Jersey and the theme tune, "Doin' the Crab" had been released as a single in 1987.
In 1991, Barrymore was given his own show entitled ''Barrymore'' where he interviewed guests, performed his comedy routines and joined in with other performers on the show. The show lasted throughout the 1990s right up to 2000, and was consistently nominated for awards over the years in the UK. Among the many famous guests that appeared on ''Barrymore'' were
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million s ...
,
Uri Geller
Uri Geller ( ; he, אורי גלר; born 20 December 1946) is an Israeli-British illusionist, magician, television personality, and self-proclaimed psychic. He is known for his trademark television performances of spoon bending and other ...
, and
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan (16 April 1918 – 27 February 2002) was an Irish actor, comedian, writer, musician, poet, and playwright. The son of an English mother and Irish father, he was born in British Colonial India, where he spent his ...
.
Following his appearance on the 1993 ''Royal Variety Performance'', where he performed a version of "
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" with soldiers, he became popular on television and on the stage. The Royal Variety Show performance brought the house down and cemented Barrymore's place at the heart of the British public. Barrymore became well known through his catchphrases of "Awight!", on making his entrance, and on ''
Strike It Lucky
''Strike It Lucky'' (known as ''Michael Barrymore's Strike It Rich'' from 1996 to 1999) is a British television game show that ran from 29 October 1986 to 23 August 1999, originally produced by Thames Television for ITV, and presented by the ...
'', "Top, middle or bottom?" and "What is a hot spot not?", to which the studio audience would reply "Not a good spot".
Following on from the success, Barrymore had a very public battle with substance abuse. He went into rehab due to his alcohol and drug addiction in 1994. He left after a couple of months and went on to write a best-selling book about his experiences, including rehab, and he also went on a stage tour called ''Back in Business'' in 1994.
He then regained his former status and made another series of ''Barrymore'' and recorded a new series called ''My Kind of People''. He came out as gay on 19 August 1995 and split from his wife in 1996. He made a new series of ''Strike It Lucky'', now called ''Strike It Rich'' and another ''Barrymore'' series. More editions of ''Strike It Rich'' and ''Barrymore'' were shown in 1997 and he also appeared in ''
Spice World'' as Mr. Step.
A spin-off talent show, ''
My Kind of People
''My Kind of People'' was an ITV television show presented by British entertainer Michael Barrymore broadcast from 26 October to 26 December 1995.
Format
Barrymore travelled around the country in his customised sports car visiting shopping cent ...
'' and game show ''
My Kind of Music'' followed the success of both ''Barrymore'' and ''Strike It Rich''. Following a dip in ratings, ''Barrymore'' was cancelled in 1997 (it later returned in 2000). He went on to new projects with ''
Kids Say the Funniest Things'', ''Animals Do the Funniest Things'' and ''Barrymore on Broadway''.
He was voted the UK's favourite TV star several times, and became one of the highest-paid stars on TV. Barrymore won the
National Television Award for Most Popular Entertainment Presenter five out of the first six years, last at the
6th NTAs in 2000. This makes him the last winner of that award before
Ant and Dec, who since the
7th NTAs in 2001 have been named Most Popular Entertainment Presenter (or, since 2016, Most Popular TV Presenter) every year the awards were held, 19 in all as of January 2020.
He recorded two new series called ''My Kind of Music'' and ''Kids Say the Funniest Things'' in 1998 along with more ''Strike It Rich''. Newer editions of all three series were shown and another series of ''Barrymore'' was recorded and shown in 2000. The year 2000 also saw Barrymore move into acting in ''
Bob Martin'' where he played the character of Bob Martin; he recorded two series of the comedy (2000–01).
Barrymore also presented a second series of ''Kids Say the Funniest Things'' which aired in late 2000 and also a fourth series of ''My Kind of Music'' which was on the air at the time that Stuart Lubbock died in Barrymore's pool on 31 March 2001. Following Lubbock's death, both ''Bob Martin'' and ''My Kind of Music'' stayed on the air but whilst the investigation was ongoing, he did not record any further programmes for ITV. They constantly backed him when asked by the newspapers and simply waited for investigations to conclude. In October 2001, Barrymore was given a drugs caution and began recording a new series of ''My Kind of Music''.
Death of Stuart Lubbock
Party
Following a party at Barrymore's house in Essex in the early hours of 31 March 2001, a 31-year-old man, Stuart Lubbock, drowned in Barrymore's swimming pool. Three witnesses – including Barrymore – claimed to have found him motionless in the pool. Witnesses disagreed on whether Lubbock was found floating on top of the pool or at the bottom. Barrymore had said he was on top of the pool. Lubbock, described as a "bubbly partygoer", had traces of drugs and alcohol in his system. In the postmortem, pathologists discovered severe
anal injuries, which several experts, including senior Home Office pathologist Nathaniel Cary, later agreed were consistent with a
sexual assault
Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence, whi ...
.
[Leveson, Brian]
"Appeal: Parker v CC Essex Police"
" Court of Appeal", 11 November 2018
Many
tabloid newspaper
A tabloid is a newspaper with a compact page size smaller than broadsheet. There is no standard size for this newspaper format.
Etymology
The word ''tabloid'' comes from the name given by the London-based pharmaceutical company Burroughs W ...
s accused Barrymore of holding drug-fuelled gay
orgies
In modern usage, an orgy is a sex party consisting of at least five members where guests freely engage in open and unrestrained sexual activity or group sex.
Swingers' parties do not always conform to this designation, because at many swin ...
in his home and asserted he had some responsibility for the death. Kylie Merritt, a partygoer, had claimed that Barrymore had been seen at the party rubbing cocaine onto Lubbock's gums, an allegation Barrymore denied.
Arrest and inquest
Barrymore received a
police caution for possession and use of
cannabis
''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: '' Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternativel ...
. Barrymore and two other people at the party, unemployed Justin Merritt and
drag queen
A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and part o ...
Jonathan Kenney, were arrested on suspicion of
murder on 6 June 2001. No other charges were laid against him or anyone else in connection with the death. The
inquest
An inquest is a judicial inquiry in common law jurisdictions, particularly one held to determine the cause of a person's death. Conducted by a judge, jury, or government official, an inquest may or may not require an autopsy carried out by a co ...
that took place in September 2002 reached an
open verdict. In light of the verdict, Cheryl Barrymore was approached by a friend of the Lubbock family. She provided the family's solicitor with both an
affidavit
An ( ; Medieval Latin for "he has declared under oath") is a written statement voluntarily made by an ''affiant'' or '' deponent'' under an oath or affirmation which is administered by a person who is authorized to do so by law. Such a statemen ...
and subsequent court testimony that her ex-husband had lied under oath, and could in fact swim; she also alleged he had rubbed
cocaine
Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Am ...
onto the gums of other people as well as his own.
In November 2002, Barrymore's lawyers successfully demanded that
Essex Police
Essex Police is a territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Essex, in the East of England. Essex Police is responsible for a population of over 1.8 million people and an area of .
The chief constable is Ben-Julian Harri ...
re-investigate matters surrounding Lubbock's death. Their focus was on Barrymore's allegations that the injuries inflicted upon Lubbock's body could have occurred while it was lying unguarded in the
mortuary
A morgue or mortuary (in a hospital or elsewhere) is a place used for the storage of human corpses awaiting identification (ID), removal for autopsy, respectful burial, cremation or other methods of disposal. In modern times, corpses have c ...
. A pathologist's report found that Lubbock's wounds were only four hours old at the time of the examination at 4 pm, while Lubbock had been pronounced dead at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in
Harlow at 8.20 am that morning. Barrymore told
Five Live: "We want to prove the fact that the anal injuries could not have happened at the house." He added: "If these injuries had happened then, why have the police not charged anyone with anything?" An investigation into these claims by Essex Police in 2003 found "no evidence" to support them, instead concluding there was "strong evidence" the injuries were sustained before the arrival of paramedics.
Private prosecution
On Barrymore's high-profile return to the UK in January 2006 to take part in ''
Celebrity Big Brother
''Big Brother VIP'', is an adaptation of the ''Big Brother'' reality television series. It is the celebrity version of its parent franchise ''Big Brother'', the celebrity version airs in several countries, however, the housemates or houseguests ...
'', former solicitor, politician and local activist
Anthony Bennett initiated a private prosecution, comprising six charges regarding Barrymore's alleged misuse of drugs on the night of Stuart Lubbock's death. The action commenced in
Epping Magistrates' Court in January 2006 and, on 10 February 2006, a
District Judge at Southend Magistrates' Court blocked the private prosecution against Barrymore on the grounds of insufficient evidence being available for the case to continue. Bennett was no longer a solicitor and was acting independently of Terry Lubbock, Stuart's father.
Reopened investigation
In an interview with
Piers Morgan
Piers Stefan Pughe-Morgan (; né O'Meara; born 30 March 1965) is a British broadcaster, journalist, writer, and television personality. He began his Fleet Street career in 1988 at '' The Sun''. In 1994, aged 29, he was appointed editor of the ...
in the December 2006 edition of ''
GQ'', Barrymore stated there were other witnesses to the events who were hiding information. On 2 December 2006, police announced they were re-opening the investigation into Lubbock's death. The re-investigation followed a lengthy dossier submitted by Bennett, who was now Terry Lubbock's solicitor, cataloguing a series of alleged failures by Essex Police in the original investigation and claiming that there had been an elaborate cover-up of the true circumstances of Lubbock's death.
Complaints processes
On 22 December 2006, following a successful complaint to the
Press Complaints Commission
The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) was a voluntary Regulation, regulatory body for British printed newspapers and magazines, consisting of representatives of the major publishers. The PCC closed on Monday 8 September 2014, and was replaced ...
by Bennett, ''
The Sun'' published a letter from Terry Lubbock replying to the newspaper's five-page feature on Barrymore earlier in the year which featured Terry's meeting with Barrymore.
On 1 March 2007, the
Independent Police Complaints Commission
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) was a non-departmental public body in England and Wales responsible for overseeing the system for handling complaints made against police forces in England and Wales.
On 8 January 2018, ...
(IPCC), following a complaint lodged the previous December by Terry Lubbock, announced an investigation into aspects of the police inquiry into Lubbock's death after receiving complaints from the Lubbock family. It was reported that complaints surrounded information Essex Police gave to a coroner and pathologist after Lubbock's death. In May the IPCC agreed with Terry Lubbock a schedule of 36 separate complaints relating to the original investigation into Lubbock's death.
Further arrests
On 14 June 2007, Essex Police arrested Barrymore and two other men on suspicion of murder and
sexual assault
Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence, whi ...
in the Lubbock case. The two other men arrested were Jonathan Kenney, Barrymore's partner at the time of the death, and Justin Merritt, an unemployed former dustman at the time, all present at the party when Lubbock died. The three men were held for questioning at
South Woodham Ferrers police station.
This followed reports in ''The Harlow Herald'' that police had seized tapes from the home of Barrymore's literary agent,
Tony Cowell
Anthony "Tony" Cowell (born 1950) is an author, journalist and showbiz reporter, columnist for Best Magazine. He co-wrote his younger half-brother Simon Cowell's autobiography, '' I Don't Mean to be Rude, but...''
Work
Cowell is a weekly column ...
, allegedly containing conversations between Cowell and Barrymore.
On 15 June 2007, police were given permission to question Barrymore and one other man for a further 12 hours. Barrymore's solicitor Henri Brandman confirmed his client was one of the men arrested. Later that day Barrymore was released on
police bail
Bail is a set of pre-trial restrictions that are imposed on a suspect to ensure that they will not hamper the judicial process. Bail is the conditional release of a defendant with the promise to appear in court when required.
In some countries, ...
pending further enquiries. His solicitor stated that Barrymore "categorically denied" the allegations made and had not been charged with any offence.
Investigation dropped
On 31 July 2007, it was announced that Barrymore had been re-bailed to appear at an Essex Police station on 10 September. He answered bail on 10 September at a police station in
Harlow, Essex. Police were then granted a further 12 hours to question him. On that date, Barrymore and the other two men were told that they would not face charges for the events that occurred. The case was left open.
In July 2008 Lubbock's father published the book ''Not Awight: Getting Away With Murder'', co-authored with Bennett, explaining their theory that Stuart had died as a result of a violent attack on him, which Barrymore and his associates that night covered up.
Civil action
In July 2015, Barrymore began the process of suing Essex Police over his arrest. In October 2016, it was reported that High Court papers showed police had admitted that Barrymore was
wrongfully arrested and detained. This was because "the arresting officer, PC Cootes, was not fully aware of the grounds for arrest ... and not by reason of a lack of reasonable grounds to suspect the claimant."
Hugh Tomlinson QC, for Mr Barrymore, had told the High Court judge that Mr Barrymore was never charged with any offence and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) later made it “crystal clear” that there was no basis for any charges.
On 18 August 2017, the High Court in London ruled that Barrymore would be entitled to "more than nominal" damages against Essex Police after being wrongly arrested 10 years previously. The judge did not decide on the sum to be awarded, as his ruling dealt only with the preliminary issue of the level of damages to be awarded. Barrymore was not present for the decision but valued his claim at more than £2.4 million. Essex Police released a statement on 1 July 2019 to announce that the claim for damages had been dropped, and that no payment had been made to Barrymore, following an appeal; the Court of Appeals judges determined instead that Barrymore was entitled only to ‘nominal’ damages.
Renewed appeal
On 4 February 2020 Essex Police offered a £20,000 reward for information leading to a conviction. The cash reward, funded by Essex Police and the charity
Crimestoppers
Crime Stoppers or Crimestoppers is a community program that helps people to provide anonymous information about criminal activity. Often managed by non-profit groups or the police, it operates separately from the emergency telephone number sys ...
, was in response to a new
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
documentary on the incident, ''
Barrymore: The Body in the Pool'', that aired on 6 February 2020.
On 17 March 2021, Essex Police confirmed that they had arrested a 50-year-old man from
Cheshire
Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's coun ...
in connection with the
indecent assault
Indecent assault is an offence of aggravated assault in some common law-based jurisdictions. It is characterised as a sex crime and has significant overlap with offences referred to as sexual assault.
England and Wales
Indecent assault was a broa ...
and murder of Stuart Lubbock, as a result of the appeal. He was later released without charge.
Career revivals
Following the revelation of Lubbock's death,
ITV terminated Barrymore's contract and his television career collapsed. A new series of ''Kids Say the Funniest Things'' recorded prior to the scandal was pulled from the ITV schedule and never broadcast. ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper
A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background.
Newspapers can cover a wide ...
'' reported that the
BBC cancelled publication of Barrymore's life story. In September 2003, Barrymore staged a one-man show at London's
Wyndham's Theatre
Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by actor/manager Charles Wyndham (the other is the Criterion Theatre). Located on Charing Cross Road in the City of Westminster, it was designed c.1898 by W. G. R. Sprague, the archite ...
, which closed after a few days. He subsequently immigrated to New Zealand to live with his partner, Shaun Davis. He has since had live stage shows in New Zealand and Australia. In 2005, he appeared in ''
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
'' in
Napier, New Zealand
Napier ( ; mi, Ahuriri) is a city on the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Hawke's Bay region. It is a beachside city with a seaport, known for its sunny climate, esplanade lined with Norfolk Pines and extensi ...
.
''Celebrity Big Brother''
In December 2005, it was announced that Barrymore was being paid
£150,000 by
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
to take part in ''
Celebrity Big Brother
''Big Brother VIP'', is an adaptation of the ''Big Brother'' reality television series. It is the celebrity version of its parent franchise ''Big Brother'', the celebrity version airs in several countries, however, the housemates or houseguests ...
'' commencing 5 January 2006. He had a difficult relationship with housemate
George Galloway
George Galloway (born 16 August 1954) is a British politician, broadcaster, and writer who is currently leader of the Workers Party of Britain, serving since 2019. Between 1987 and 2010, and then between 2012 and 2015, Galloway was a Member o ...
, which culminated in a 20-minute heated argument between the two men. On 27 January 2006 he finished runner-up to
Chantelle Houghton.
After ''Celebrity Big Brother''
Remaining in the UK, Barrymore was booked to be the guest host on
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
's ''
The Friday Night Project'' for the edition broadcast on 3 February 2006. This is the last time that Barrymore appeared on a show as the presenter. The months following Barrymore's appearance on ''Big Brother'' were full of speculation that Barrymore was in talks with a number of television channels over the possibility of new shows, but nothing ever came of this. Barrymore's appearance on the ''Friday Night Project'' is the last time he presented a primetime television show.
It was announced that for Christmas 2006, Barrymore would play the title role in
Bill Kenwright
William Kenwright, CBE (born 4 September 1945) is an English West End theatre producer and film producer. He has also been the chairman of Everton Football Club since 2004.
Kenwright was born in Liverpool and attended Booker Avenue County Pri ...
's production of ''
Scrooge – The Musical''. He performed the lead role at the Empire Theatre,
Sunderland
Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...
, but the production's scheduled transfer to the
West End
West End most commonly refers to:
* West End of London, an area of central London, England
* West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England
West End may also refer to:
Pl ...
was cancelled. In January 2008, Barrymore took the role of comedian and writer
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan (16 April 1918 – 27 February 2002) was an Irish actor, comedian, writer, musician, poet, and playwright. The son of an English mother and Irish father, he was born in British Colonial India, where he spent his ...
in the stage play ''Surviving Spike''. It played Windsor and later the
Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as The Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest arts and media festival, which in 2019 spanned 25 days and featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 dif ...
, but again, its West End transfer was cancelled. In February 2010, he appeared on Irish television on ''
The Saturday Night Show'', where he unexpectedly performed numerous bizarre and controversial antics, including pretending to be
Jedward
John and Edward Grimes (born 16 October 1991), collectively known as Jedward (a portmanteau of their first names), are an Irish singing and television presenting duo. They are identical twins who first appeared as John & Edward in the sixth ...
's father. In May 2010, Barrymore startled his co-contestants on a reality TV show by revealing that he had fallen in love with a woman. Barrymore was filming an episode of Channel 4 show ''
Come Dine with Me'', with former ''
Generation Game
''The Generation Game'' is a British game show produced by the BBC in which four teams of two people from the same family, but different generations, compete to win prizes.
The game
There are eight competitors, hence the catchphrase "Let's me ...
'' host
Anthea Redfern and presenters
Pat Sharp
Patrick Sharpin, known professionally as Pat Sharp (born 25 October 1961), is an English radio presenter, television presenter and DJ. In the UK, he is known mainly for his work on the children's ITV programme '' Fun House'', and his extensi ...
and
Jenny Powell
Jenny Powell (born 8 April 1968) is an English television and radio presenter. After appearing on '' No Limits'', she went on to present series such as ''Wheel of Fortune'', '' UP2U'', ''Gimme 5'', '' Live Talk'', ''Wordplay'' and '' Daybreak'' ...
, when he said he was going to have a party to celebrate that he was "
coming back in".
His personal publicity, particularly in the tabloid press, continues to be negative. In December 2011, he was convicted of cocaine possession and fined £780. Although ''
Strike It Rich'' and ''
Strike It Lucky
''Strike It Lucky'' (known as ''Michael Barrymore's Strike It Rich'' from 1996 to 1999) is a British television game show that ran from 29 October 1986 to 23 August 1999, originally produced by Thames Television for ITV, and presented by the ...
'' have been repeated on the digital channel
Challenge
Challenge may refer to:
* Voter challenging or caging, a method of challenging the registration status of voters
* Euphemism for disability
* Peremptory challenge, a dismissal of potential jurors from jury duty
Places
Geography
*Challenge, C ...
, his entertainment shows such as ''
Barrymore'' and ''
My Kind of People
''My Kind of People'' was an ITV television show presented by British entertainer Michael Barrymore broadcast from 26 October to 26 December 1995.
Format
Barrymore travelled around the country in his customised sports car visiting shopping cent ...
'' are never repeated anywhere and his work is never included on clip shows, such as those marking
ITV's 50th anniversary or the 100th anniversary of the
London Palladium
The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in the famous area of Soho. The theatre holds 2,286 seats. Of the roster of stars who have played there, many have televised performances. Between 1955 a ...
.
His only work in 2012 was on local radio stations, and on hospital radio. One was on
Minster FM
Minster FM was a local radio station serving York and the surrounding areas such as Selby, Tadcaster, Thirsk, Northallerton and Goole. The station closed on 31 August 2020 and its frequency is now a relay of Greatest Hits Radio Yorkshire York & ...
, on Greg Scott's breakfast show on 25 February 2012, where he was surprised to meet one of his all-time favourite television guests,
Fiona Iverson, who had appeared on his show twenty years earlier.
In 2013, Barrymore appeared on RTÉ show ''The Saturday Night Show'' for the second time, his first appearance was in February 2010, on this show he talked about his harsh treatment by the press, his addiction and also the possibility of a new show called ''My Kind of Twits''. He subsequently claimed on Twitter that a pilot for ''My Kind of Twits'' would be filmed in May, but this did not happen. Barrymore also appeared on ''
The Nolan Show
''The Nolan Show'', hosted by Stephen Nolan, airs on weekdays on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio Foyle from 9:00am – 10:30am.
Nolan has also moved onto a network platform, hosting ''Question Time Extra Time'' every Thursday night and a three-h ...
'' in June 2013.
In March 2019 Michael appeared on Piers Morgan Life Stories which generated a warm welcome and praise for the TV star.
In September 2019, it was announced that Barrymore would take part in the
twelfth series of ITV's ''
Dancing on Ice
''Dancing on Ice'' is a British television series presented by Phillip Schofield alongside Holly Willoughby from 2006 to 2011, who then returned in 2018, and Christine Bleakley from 2012 to 2014. The series features celebrities and their pr ...
'' starting in January 2020. However on 18 December 2019, he had to withdraw because of a broken hand and was replaced by former ''
Blue Peter
''Blue Peter'' is a British children's television entertainment programme created by John Hunter Blair. It is the longest-running children's TV show in the world, having been broadcast since October 1958. It was broadcast primarily from BBC Te ...
'' presenter
Radzi Chinyanganya.
Personal life
Barrymore met his former wife Cheryl Cocklin in 1974 while she was performing as a dancer in a West End theatre show.
[My kind of autobiography]
Scotsman.com; accessed 27 February 2017. They married in 1976.
Cocklin became his manager and was the mastermind behind Barrymore's rise to fame. Cocklin later said that Barrymore had problems with alcohol and depression, and as a result of his attack on her at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles, she was placed by British police on the "at risk" register.
["I feared Barrymore would kill me"]
scotsman.com; accessed 27 February 2017.
At the height of his popularity, Barrymore suffered increasing
alcohol
Alcohol most commonly refers to:
* Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom
* Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks
Alcohol may also refer to:
Chemicals
* Ethanol, one of sev ...
problems. Barrymore claims he wanted to seek help, but that Cheryl continually told him: "No, you're not (alcoholic). Don't be stupid."
Sexuality
In mid-1995, at the height of his fame, he went to ''The White Swan''
gay pub
A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) clientele; the term ''gay'' is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBT communities.
Gay bars once served as ...
in London's
East End
The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It does not have uni ...
, where he gave an impromptu stage performance to the largely local crowd singing the words: "Start spreading the news – I'm gay today". Within 48 hours, every
tabloid
Tabloid may refer to:
* Tabloid journalism, a type of journalism
* Tabloid (newspaper format), a newspaper with compact page size
** Chinese tabloid
* Tabloid (paper size), a North American paper size
* Sopwith Tabloid, a biplane aircraft
* ''Ta ...
newspaper had printed its own version of the evening's events, including an untrue claim that Barrymore had thrown away his wedding ring.
In November 1995, Barrymore attended the
National Television Awards
The National Television Awards (often shortened to NTAs) is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are vot ...
. At an after-show party on a live late night radio show, he publicly declared he was gay and "no longer wanted to live a lie", following which he split with Cheryl. She later claimed that Barrymore took the step and did not tell her because of his talks with
Diana, Princess of Wales.
Divorce
After several aborted reunions, Cheryl and Michael divorced in 1997; she went on to publish the autobiography ''Catch a Falling Star'' in 2002, which contained details of their acrimonious split. The couple subsequently had no contact, and Cheryl at her request ceased to be Barrymore's agent or manager. Barrymore later suggested in his 2006 autobiography ''Awight Now: Setting the Record Straight'' that Cheryl was a control freak who controlled his every movement including his clothes, and she had created the character that was "Michael Barrymore", which consequently drove him to alcohol, drugs and gay affairs. In an interview in 2002, Barrymore stated he had an alcohol addiction and was in recovery.
On 1 April 2005, Cheryl died of
lung cancer
Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, malign ...
, aged 55, at the
Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth in
St John's Wood
St John's Wood is a district in the City of Westminster, London, lying 2.5 miles (4 km) northwest of Charing Cross. Traditionally the northern part of the ancient parish and Metropolitan Borough of Marylebone, it extends east to west fr ...
.
Filmography
Stand-up videos
References
Further reading
* ''
The New Zealand Herald
''The New Zealand Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment, and considered a newspaper of record for New Zealand. It has the largest newspaper circulation of all newspaper ...
'' Barrymore not to blame for son's death, said fathe
Barrymore not to blame for son's death, says father – Life & Style – NZ Herald News*
*
*
*
External links
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Barrymore, Michael
1952 births
20th-century English male actors
21st-century English male actors
20th-century English comedians
21st-century English comedians
BBC people
Bisexual male actors
Butlins Redcoats
Comedians from London
English game show hosts
English male comedians
English male television actors
English people convicted of drug offences
English people of Irish descent
ITV people
British LGBT broadcasters
Bisexual comedians
English LGBT actors
Living people
People from Bermondsey