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 2006, he collaborated with ambient house band The Transit Kings on their song "The Last Lighthouse Keeper" which appears on their debut album Living in a Giant Candle Winking at God.
In 2008, Day embarked on his first solo UK stand-up tour, titled 'What a Fool Believes', which saw him play 36 dates during the period 30 October – 15 December, including Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
In 2009, Day collaborated again with Rhys Thomas and wrote and starred in a web series of six videos as the character Brian Pern for the BBC.
In 2010, Day appeared in the long-running BBC TV series Hustle, playing Luke Baincross, a wannabe playboy with a huge country mansion.
In May 2010, Day played a hospital porter in BBC TV series Holby City on his last day at work following his resignation having won the National Lottery. He had an altercation with a patient's relative and received a bang on the head, and he became increasingly lairy during the episode, at one point making a pass at Connie Beauchamp; some people assumed he was drunk, but it transpired that he had developed a Subdural hematoma as a result of the knock on the head.
Day has appeared as a pundit on the long-running BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Pundit Quiz Fighting Talk on a number of occasions, and is most notable for swearing during a live broadcast during a show in 2009. This was later edited out on the podcast version of the show.
Day appeared in an online-only version of The Fast Show sponsored by Lager brand Fosters on 10 November 2011 along with original cast save for Mark Williams.
In 2012, he published his autobiography, Comedy and Error: They Really Were Marvellous Times.
Day has presented his own series, The Simon Day Show on BBC Radio 4 in May to June 2012.
From 2014 to 2017, he co-wrote and starred in the spoof-documentary series Brian Pern, a BBC Four comedy which parodied the life and career of former Genesis singer Peter Gabriel.
In 2015 Day appeared as Charlie Beckett in the BBC TV series Death in Paradise episode 4.2. In 2019 he appeared as Sid Onslow, a pub landlord, in Pennyworth.
Day starred as Big Gary King, father of Tom Davis' titular character in the BBC One sitcom King Gary, appearing in the 2018 pilot episode and the full series broadcast in 2020.
Day reprised his Fast Show character 'Dave Angel, Eco Warrior' in 2023 in energy usage advertising.
Personal life Day was addicted to alcohol, drugs and gambling, and spent some time in borstal for theft during his teenage years. He continued to take illegal drugs including cocaine and crack cocaine into the 1990s at the height of his Fast Show fame.
After failing to pass his driving test for charity during the 2003 Comic Relief Programme, Day later went on to gain an automatic driving licence. He is married to Ruth, a former waitress, with whom he has two children, Lloyd and Evie.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1992Sid the SexistGraham / Various Cockney Characters (voices)1998Shakespeare in LoveFirst BoatmanThe Fast Show LiveVarious rolesDirect-to-video2002The Heart of MeHospital Doctor2007Run Fatboy RunVincent2009The Imaginarium of Doctor ParnassusUncle Bob2010HugeNoel Faulkner2012JonChild Therapist2016Ethel & ErnestAlf (voice)
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1991Vic Reeves Big Night OutVarious roles5 episodes1992The Fat SlagsBaz (voice)MiniseriesWilderness EdgeIan Kaye2 episodesA Bunch of FivesSlow PCEpisode: "The Weekenders"Saturday ZooBruce UrqhartEpisode #1.2The Smell of Reeves and MortimerMilkman2 episodes1994The All New Alexei Sayle ShowVarious charactersEpisode #1.41994, 2006The BillBJ Berry / Stephen Latham2 episodes1994–2014The Fast ShowVarious characters24 episodes1995The Great KandinskyNews ReporterTelevision film1996HeartbeatFenwickEpisode: "Forget Me Not"1997Jonathan CreekJordan StrangeEpisode: "The House of Monkeys"1998In ExileDenzelEpisode #1.6CasualtyCardiothoracic SurgeonEpisode: "New Year and All That"Ted and RalphTall Tom / Cliff Carter / Friend of DorothyTelevision filmRex the RuntConstable Funnyname / Taxi Driver (voices)3 episodes1999You Ain't Seen All These, Right?Various rolesTelevision film2000Peak PracticeConsultantEpisode: "A Test of Faith"Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)SwiftEpisode: "Paranoia"2001HappinessMiserable Dad / Angry Father2 episodesJumpers for GoalpostsClive Graham13 episodesWe Know Where You LiveBilly BleachTelevision film2002Fun at the Funeral ParlourDirty ErnieEpisode: "A Pocket Full of Gravel"Bertie and ElizabethRobert WoodTelevision film2003GrassBilly8 episodesThe Fast Show Farewell TourVarious rolesTelevision film2003–2004Swiss ToniGeoff16 episodes2004He Knew He Was RightClub Member #2Episode: "Part 1"ShaneSuicide ManEpisode #1.6EastEndersCabbieEpisode dated 25 December 20042005CasanovaArgentiEpisode #1.1Space RaceKammlerEpisode: "Race for Rockets"ShakespeaRe-ToldQuinceEpisode: "A Midsummer Night's Dream"2006Mr. Loveday's Little OutingDoctorTelevision film2007Sensitive SkinMikeEpisode: "The Wilderness"LearnersSimonTelevision film2007–2012Harry & PaulVarious character12 episodes2008Love SoupWolfEpisode: "Lobotomy Bay"2009, 2010SkinsLeo Mclair2 episodes2010HustleLuke BaincrossEpisode: "Tiger Troubles"Bellamy's PeopleVarious characters10 episodesHolby CityFrank ChapmanEpisode: "Brutally Frank"Pete & Dud: The Lost SketchesPerformerTelevision film2011Midsomer MurdersCombover GuyEpisode: "The Oblong Murders"The Fast Show FasterDave Angel / Clive / Colonel Mumas3 episodes2011–2012PixelfaceQM26 episodes2012Comedy ShowcaseRhodesyEpisode: "The Function Room"New TricksTony SymesEpisode: "Queen and Country"Mr Blue SkyMr. Bolt3 episodes2013It's KevinVarious / Screaming Pillows PitchmanMount PleasantGerry5 episodes2014Moone BoySean Murphington Esq.Episode: "Handball Duel"The Incredible Adventures of Professor BranestawmColonel DedshottTelevision film2014–2017Brian Pern (Various titles)Brian Pern11 episodes2015Death in ParadiseCharlie BeckettEpisode: "Hidden Secrets"Drunk History: UKLord CarnarvonEpisode: "Tutankhamen/Dick Turpin/Byron's Pet Bear"NurseTony Beckton3 episodesSunTrapHandlebarEpisode: "The Big Sleep"Cradle to GraveShakyEpisode #1.6Professor Branestawm ReturnsColonel DedshottTelevision film2016BoomersVaughanEpisode: "Naming Ceremony"The Amazing World of GumballNarratorEpisode: "The Love"Lost SitcomsAlf GarnettEpisode: "Till Death Us Do Part"2017LoadedJeff3 episodesZappedDaggettEpisode: "Pear Fair"2018Dave Allen at Peace Lew GradeTelevision filmA Year in the Life of a YearVariousEpisode: "2018"2018–2020King GaryBig Gary King8 episodes2019–2020PennyworthSid Onslow15 episodes2020The WindsorsMike MiddletonEpisode #3.2The Kemps: All TrueNeighbourTelevision film2021Elliott from EarthVarious voices5 episodes
References
External links
Japanese site with pictures of characters he plays