Johnny Vegas Biography

Johnny Vegas (born Michael Joseph Pennington on 11 September 1971) is an English actor and comedian. He is known for his angry rants, surrealism, portly figure, high husky voice and support of St Helens rugby league club. More recently he has moved into dramatic acting. He also does radio adverts for J Davidson Scrap Metal.

Early life

He was born in Thatto Heath, St Helens, Lancashire, the youngest of four children of Laurence and Patricia Pennington. Vegas has two older brothers (Robert and Mark) and an older sister (Catharine). He was brought up as a Roman Catholic. At the age of eleven, he attended St Joseph's College in Upholland, a Roman Catholic boarding-school seminary, to train for the priesthood, but came back homesick after four terms. He also attended West Park School, Alder Hey Road, St Helens.

He studied art and ceramics at Middlesex University for three years and gained a third class degree. He returned to Thatto Heath, St Helens and became a barman at the Brown Edge pub in Thatto Heath.

Comedy career

In 1996 Vegas made his TV debut as a contestant on Win, Lose or Draw in the UK under his real name of Michael, but made references to the fact he wanted to be a comedian and that his stage name was "Johnny Vegas". His appearance was briefly shown during Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups and BBC Three's Almost Famous 2. In the mid-'90s, Vegas spent time living in London and Glasgow with the intention of becoming a stand-up comedian. In London, he was mentored by 'comedy godfather' Malcolm Hardee.

In 2002, he starred in Radio 4 sitcom Night Class, written by him, Tony Burgess and Tony Pitts, and directed by Dirk Maggs. Vegas played a former Butlin's redcoat teaching evening classes in pottery. It was a runner-up for best comedy at the Sony Radio Academy Awards.

He followed this up with the BBC3 sitcom Ideal (2005"2011).

In 2001 Vegas starred as Al in adverts for ITV Digital with a puppet named Monkey (voiced by Ben Miller) and later in. 2007 for adverts for tea brand PG Tips.

Filmography

Feature films

• The Virgin of Liverpool (2003)... Jackie Symes

• Cheeky (2003)... Alf Price

• Blackball (2003)... Trevor

• Sex Lives of the Potato Men (2004)... Dave

• Terkel in Trouble (2004)... Uncle Stewart (Voice in English language version)

• The Libertine (2004)... Sackville

Television

• Win, Lose or Draw (1996)
• Attention Scum (2001)...... 24 News Reader who's been up for 24 hours
• Happiness (2001"2003, 12 episodes)... Charlie Doyle
• Black Books (2002, 1 episode)... The Landlord
• Shooting Stars (2002, 19 episodes)
• Tipping the Velvet (2002)... Gully Sutherland
• Ed Stone Is Dead (2003, 1 episode)... Waiter
• Top Gear (2003, 1 episode)
• 18 Stone of Idiot (2005)
• Bleak House (2005, 6 episodes)... Krook
• Dead Man Weds (2005, 6 episodes)... Lewis Donat
• ShakespeaRE-Told (2005, episode based on A Midsummer Night's Dream)... Bottom
• Ideal (2005"2011, 53 episodes)... Moz
• Benidorm (2007"2009)92014-) (24 episodes, Series 1-3)(Series 6-) ... Geoff Maltby (The Oracle)
• QI (2007-2013, 7 episodes)
• Massive (2008, 6 episodes)... Tony
• Dave's One Night Stand (2010, 1 episode)
• Celebrity Juice (2011-2012, 2 episodes)
• The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff (2011) ... The Artful Codger
• 8 out of 10 Cats (2005"2012, 10 episodes) ... Himself
• Rude Tube (2012, 2 episodes) ... Computer
• Moone Boy (2012, 6 episodes) ... Crunchie Haystacks
• A League Of Their Own (2012, 1 episode) ... Himself
• Mr Stink (2012)
• Have I Got News for You (2013)

Radio

• Diary of a Nobody (2012) ...Mr. Charles Pooter
• Chequebook & Pen ...Les Dawson
• Night Class (2002)

Ceramics

Having achieved fame in entertainment, Vegas received plaudits for his ceramic work. Ceramic Review praised him, leading to a role in Pot Shots (collaborating with Roger Law), a film made for an international gathering of potters. This led to his work being acquired for a collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum and a commission from Old Spice to design a bottle for their aftershave.

In 2005 he participated in the celebrity special edition of The Generation Game demonstrating how to make a pot, before judging the participants' attempts.

Personal life

Vegas married Catherine "Kitty" Donnelly in August 2002 and sold pictures of the wedding to Viz magazine for a pound. The couple separated in 2004. They reunited briefly (twice) in 2005. Vegas and Donnelly were divorced by agreement on 11 March 2008 after having lived apart for more than two years. In early April 2011, Vegas married columnist and Irish TV producer, Maia Dunphy in Seville.

Vegas admitted on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in May 2008 that he has been losing weight after being diagnosed with gout. On 30 October 2008, on an episode of 8 out of 10 Cats, he mentioned that he had lost 4 stone (25 kilograms/56 pounds).

He fulfilled a lifetime ambition by appearing for St Helens in Keiron Cunningham's testimonial rugby league game, a friendly against Hull, in 2005.

Johnny Vegas is a Christian, having recently returned to religion after having lapsed during adolescence.

On the English Television show, TV Heaven, Telly Hell Vegas stated that he is a socialist.