Michael Fenton Stevens
Encyclopedia
Michael Fenton Stevens sometimes credited as Michael Fenton-Stevens, is a UK
actor and comedian, a founder member of The Hee Bee Gee Bees and the voice behind the Spitting Image
1986 number 1 hit "The Chicken Song
". He also starred in KYTV, and its Radio 4
predecessor, Radio Active.
He featured in the regular role of Ralph in Andy Hamilton
's 2003 television sitcom Trevor's World of Sport
, and also in the Radio 4 version which was broadcast in 2004. Stevens had previously appeared in a guest role in Drop the Dead Donkey
, another television comedy series written by Hamilton, and appears regularly in various roles in Hamilton's Radio 4 sitcom Old Harry's Game
. He has also featured in Ian Hislop
's sitcom My Dad's the Prime Minister
as the Home Secretary
. He played a guest role in Coronation Street
in November 2004. He plays the eponymous Inspector Steine
in Lynne Truss
' long-running Radio 4 comedy series.
From 2004 until 2005 he appeared in two series of Julia Davis
's dark comedy series Nighty Night
as the Reverend Gordon Fox.
He also appeared in various roles in the Tertiary, Quandary and Quintessential Phases
of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio series. In 2006, he guest-starred in the Doctor Who
audio adventure The Kingmaker
. In 2007, he played Michael Wenton Weeks in Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
.
He is a very successful Pantomime Dame, having written and appeared in a number of pantos
over the years. From December 2006 until January 2007, he starred in and wrote the Cambridge Arts Theatre
pantomime version of Aladdin
in the role of Widow Twankey
. More recently, he has provided the voice of Mr Beakman, a toucan
, in the CBeebies
show 3rd & Bird
.
He is a recurring character in the sitcom My Family, as Mr Griffith, the boss of the dental corporation "Cavitex".
He also played Mr. Bean
's neighbour in "Mr. Bean in Room 426".
He appeared in Series 3 Episode 3 of Outnumbered
, as a substitute player called 'Lance' in a tennis match, and in the "Music 2000" episode of Look Around You
as the chairman of the Royal Pop and Rock Association.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actor and comedian, a founder member of The Hee Bee Gee Bees and the voice behind the Spitting Image
Spitting Image
Spitting Image is a British satirical puppet show that aired on the ITV network from 1984 to 1996. It was produced by Spitting Image Productions for Central Television. The series was nominated for 10 BAFTA Awards, winning one for editing in 1989....
1986 number 1 hit "The Chicken Song
The Chicken Song
-12" vinyl:-Chart performance:...
". He also starred in KYTV, and its Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
predecessor, Radio Active.
He featured in the regular role of Ralph in Andy Hamilton
Andy Hamilton
Andrew Neil Hamilton is a British comedian, game show panellist, television director, comedy screenwriter and radio dramatist.-Early life:...
's 2003 television sitcom Trevor's World of Sport
Trevor's World of Sport
Trevor's World of Sport began as a 2003 BBC television sitcom written and directed by Andy Hamilton and starring Neil Pearson as Trevor. Only one television series was made, and Hamilton felt mistreated by the BBC over the scheduling of the show. The first episode attracted an average of 3.4...
, and also in the Radio 4 version which was broadcast in 2004. Stevens had previously appeared in a guest role in Drop the Dead Donkey
Drop the Dead Donkey
- Major characters :* Gus Hedges — The unctuous Chief Executive of the company, and yes-man to Sir Roysten Merchant. A management stereotype, complete with clichés and clumsy metaphors, he swiftly transforms GlobeLink from a serious news network to a ratings-chasing tabloid channel...
, another television comedy series written by Hamilton, and appears regularly in various roles in Hamilton's Radio 4 sitcom Old Harry's Game
Old Harry's Game
Old Harry's Game is a UK radio comedy written and directed by Andy Hamilton, who also plays the cynical, world-weary Satan. "Old Harry" is one of many names for the devil...
. He has also featured in Ian Hislop
Ian Hislop
Ian David Hislop is a British journalist, satirist, comedian, writer, broadcaster and editor of the satirical magazine Private Eye...
's sitcom My Dad's the Prime Minister
My Dad's the Prime Minister
My Dad's the Prime Minister is a British sitcom written by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman. It centres around the life of the Prime Minister, his family and his spin doctor...
as the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
. He played a guest role in Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
in November 2004. He plays the eponymous Inspector Steine
Inspector Steine
Inspector Steine is a radio comedy drama series written by Lynne Truss and produced by Sweet Talk for BBC Radio 4. The producer is Karen Rose and music is by Anthony May....
in Lynne Truss
Lynne Truss
Lynne Truss is an English writer and journalist, best known for her popular book Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation.-Early life:...
' long-running Radio 4 comedy series.
From 2004 until 2005 he appeared in two series of Julia Davis
Julia Davis
Julia Davis is an English comedy writer and performer, best known for writing and starring in the BBC Three comedy Nighty Night.-Background:...
's dark comedy series Nighty Night
Nighty Night
Nighty Night is a British dark comedy sitcom written by and starring Julia Davis. It was first broadcast on 6 January 2004 on BBC Three before moving to BBC2....
as the Reverend Gordon Fox.
He also appeared in various roles in the Tertiary, Quandary and Quintessential Phases
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Tertiary to Quintessential Phases
The Tertiary Phase, Quandary Phase and Quintessential Phase are radio adaptations of the books Life, the Universe and Everything, So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish and Mostly Harmless produced in 2003 and 2004 by Above the Title Productions for BBC Radio 4...
of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio series. In 2006, he guest-starred in the Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
audio adventure The Kingmaker
The Kingmaker
The Kingmaker is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The drama was written by Nev Fountain who is better known for his work on the radio and television series Dead Ringers, and also stars Jon Culshaw who in the same...
. In 2007, he played Michael Wenton Weeks in Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency is a humorous fantasy detective novel by Douglas Adams, first published in 1987. It is described by "the author" on its cover as a "thumping good detective-ghost-horror-who dunnit-time travel-romantic-musical-comedy-epic".The book was followed by a sequel,...
.
He is a very successful Pantomime Dame, having written and appeared in a number of pantos
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
over the years. From December 2006 until January 2007, he starred in and wrote the Cambridge Arts Theatre
Cambridge Arts Theatre
Cambridge Arts Theatre is a 666-seat theatre on Peas Hill in central Cambridge, England. The theatre presents a varied mix of drama, dance, opera and pantomime. It attracts some of the highest-quality touring productions in the country, as well as many shows direct from, or prior to, seasons in the...
pantomime version of Aladdin
Aladdin
Aladdin is a Middle Eastern folk tale. It is one of the tales in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights , and one of the most famous, although it was actually added to the collection by Antoine Galland ....
in the role of Widow Twankey
Widow Twankey
Widow Twankey is a female character in the pantomime Aladdin. The character is a pantomime dame, portrayed by a man; and is a comic foil to the principal boy, Aladdin – played by an actress.-History:...
. More recently, he has provided the voice of Mr Beakman, a toucan
Toucan
Toucans are members of the family Ramphastidae of near passerine birds from the Neotropics. The family is most closely related to the American barbets. They are brightly marked and have large, often colorful bills. The family includes five genera and about forty different species...
, in the CBeebies
CBeebies
CBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both...
show 3rd & Bird
3rd & Bird
3rd & Bird is a television programme aimed at young children, commissioned by Michael Carrington and broadcast on the BBC, which revolves around a community of birds and their adventures. The series premiered on CBeebies in July 2008...
.
He is a recurring character in the sitcom My Family, as Mr Griffith, the boss of the dental corporation "Cavitex".
He also played Mr. Bean
Mr. Bean
Mr. Bean is a British comedy television programme series of 14 half-hour episodes written by and starring Rowan Atkinson as the title character. Different episodes were also written by Robin Driscoll, Richard Curtis and one by Ben Elton. The pilot episode was broadcast on ITV on 1 January 1990,...
's neighbour in "Mr. Bean in Room 426".
He appeared in Series 3 Episode 3 of Outnumbered
Outnumbered
Outnumbered is a British sitcom. Airing on BBC One since 2007, it stars Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner as a father and mother outnumbered by their three children...
, as a substitute player called 'Lance' in a tennis match, and in the "Music 2000" episode of Look Around You
Look Around You
Look Around You is a British television comedy series devised and written by Robert Popper and Peter Serafinowicz, and, in the first series, narrated by Nigel Lambert...
as the chairman of the Royal Pop and Rock Association.