Alexander Armstrong is an English actor, presenter, and baritone singer best known as one half of the comedy duo Armstrong and Miller, and as host of BBC TV gameshow Pointless since its inception in 2009. He has presented several panel shows, most notably Have I Got News For You, where he is the most frequent guest presenter, and has done a range of voiceover work in children's TV, including the titular role in Danger Mouse. He is recognised for his endearing, graceful, gentlemanly style.
Biography
Born and raised in Northumberland, almost 5km from the nearest village, Alexander Armstrong is the youngest of three children. He was educated at various private schools such as St Mary's Musical School in Edinburgh, where he was a chorister at St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, and Durham School, at which he was awarded a prestigious music scholarship. He would go on to study English at Trinity College, Cambridge, earning himself another choral scholarship, and his love of classical music, a constant throughout his life, is often parodied in early Armstrong and Miller sketches.
Shortly after leaving university, Jez Butterworth introduced him to the man who would be his comedy partner for many years, Ben Miller. After joining forces they gradually honed their act, eventually winning a nomination for the Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1996. Soon they were awarded a contract to produce the sketch show Armstrong and Miller, which ran from 1997 to 2001, while Armstrong also performed sketches in The Sunday Format. After splitting temporarily, they reunited in 2007 for BBC TV's The Armstrong and Miller Show, which was nominated for two BAFTAs, winning one.
Armstrong has also hosted several panel-shows, including Alexander Armstrong's Big Ask, Don't Ask Me Ask Britain, Best of the Worst, and The Imitation Game. Moreover, he has hosted Have I Got News For You more times than anyone else, and was reportedly offered the job on a permanent basis in 2003, before the BBC changed its mind and reverted to a guest-presenter format.
Armstrong has also provided the voice for several cartoons, narrating Hey Duggee, playing the title role on Danger Mouse, and bringing Mr Wolf and Policeman Stag to life on Peppa Pig.
He turned down the opportunity to host Channel 4's Countdown in 2008, after Des O'Connor's retirement, but in 2009 accepted the presenting role on a new BBC game-show, Pointless, alongside former university friend Richard Osman. The aim of the game is to provide the correct but least obvious answer, and thus score the lowest number of points (hence the name). After 1000 episodes and counting, he has become a national treasure due to his politeness, charm, and gentle wit.
After over a decade in television, radio, and comedy, Armstrong returned to his other great love: music. A bass baritone blessed with a rich, tuneful voice, in 2015 he hosted Frank Sinatra: Our Way on BBC One, and since September 2014 has presented the Saturday afternoon programme on Classic FM. He has released two solo vocal albums, 2015's A Year of Songs and 2016's Upon a Different Shore.
Armstrong has four children with wife Hannah Bronwen Snow, keeps an eclectic range of animals, including dogs, hens, and ponies, and is well-loved for his sunny optimism and warmth.
- AKA
- Xander Armstrong
- Member of
- Gender
- Male
- Nationality
- England
- BAFTA Television Awards 2010 - Best Comedy: Winner
- BAFTA Television Awards 2008 - Best Comedy: Nominee
- Edinburgh Comedy Awards 1996 - Best Comedy Show: Nominee
- Born
- Monday 2nd March 1970 (50 years-old)
Awards
Known for
Credits
Year | Production | Role |
---|---|---|
2020 | Have I Got News For You - Have I Got 30 Years For You | Self |
2020 | Have I Got News For You - Series 60
|
Host / Presenter |
2020 | Have I Got News For You - Series 59
|
Host / Presenter |
2019 | Alexander Armstrong: All Mouth And Some Trousers | Self |
2019 | Have I Got News For You - Series 58
|
Host / Presenter |
2019 | Horrible Histories: The Movie - Rotten Romans | Catus Decianus |
2019 | The Jonathan Ross Show - Series 14 | Guest |
2019 | Michael McIntyre's Big Show - Michael McIntyre's Big Surprises | Guest |
2018 | We Are Most Amused & Amazed | Host / Presenter |
2018 | Saluting Dad's Army | Host / Presenter |
2018 | Have I Got News For You - Series 56
|
Host / Presenter |
2018 | The Imitation Game | Host / Presenter |
2018 | Have I Got News For You - Series 55
|
Host / Presenter |
2017 | Have I Got News For You - Series 54
|
Host / Presenter |
2017 | Danger Mouse - Series 2 | Danger Mouse (Voice) |
2017 | Have I Got News For You - Series 53
|
Host / Presenter |
2017 | Don't Ask Me Ask Britain | Host / Presenter |
2017 | Drunk History - Series 3
|
Alfred The Great |
2017 | Drunk History - Series 3
|
Sir Arthur Harris |
2016 | Fern Britton Meets Alexander Armstrong | Self |
2016 | Michael McIntyre's Big Show - Series 2
|
Guest |
2016 | Nigel Farage Gets His Life Back | Self |
2016 | Have I Got News For You - Series 52
|
Host / Presenter |
2015 | Hunderby | Brother Joseph |
2015 | Have I Got News For You - Series 50
|
Host / Presenter |
2015 | Danger Mouse - Series 1 | Danger Mouse (Voice) |
2015 | Horrible Science | Tannoy (Voice) |
2015 | Tonight At The London Palladium - Series 2 | Host / Presenter |
2015 | Have I Got News For You - Series 49
|
Host / Presenter |
2015 | Room 101 - Series 4 | Guest |
2015 | Cockroaches
|
Doctor |
2014 | Have I Got News For You - Series 48
|
Host / Presenter |
2014 | Not Going Out - Series 7
|
Self |
2014 | Have I Got News For You - Series 47
|
Host / Presenter |
2014 | Alexander Armstrong's Real Ripping Yarns | Host / Presenter |
2013 | Have I Got News For You - Series 46
|
Host / Presenter |
2013 | My Hero: Ben Miller On Tony Hancock | Self |
2013 | Have I Got News For You - Series 45
|
Host / Presenter |
2013 | Alexander Armstrong's Big Ask - Series 2 | Host / Presenter |
2012 | Have I Got News For You - Series 44
|
Host / Presenter |
2012 | Hunderby | Brother Joseph |
2012 | Have I Got News For You - Series 43
|
Host / Presenter |
2012 | Would I Lie To You? - Series 6
|
Guest |
2012 | Alexander Armstrong's Big Ask - Series 1 | Host / Presenter |
2012 | Hacks | David Bullingdon |
2011 | Felix & Murdo | Murdo |
2011 | Felix & Murdo | Executive Producer |
2011 | What's So Funny? - Series 2
|
Guest |
2011 | Have I Got News For You - Series 42
|
Host / Presenter |
2011 | Epic Win | Host / Presenter |
2011 | Alexander Armstrong's Big Ask - Pilot | Host / Presenter |
2011 | Have I Got News For You - Series 41
|
Host / Presenter |
2010 | Have I Got News For You - Series 40
|
Host / Presenter |
2010 | The Armstrong & Miller Show - Series 3 | Various |
2010 | The Armstrong & Miller Show - Series 3 | Writer |
2010 | The Armstrong & Miller Show - Series 3 | Executive Producer |
2010 | Reggie Perrin - Series 2 | David |
2010 | Being Here - The Peter Sellers Story | Host / Presenter |
2010 | Rev. - Series 1 | Patrick Yam |
2010 | Have I Got News For You - Series 39
|
Host / Presenter |
2010 | The Story Of Are You Being Served? | Narrator |
2009 | Have I Got News For You - Series 38
|
Host / Presenter |
2009 | The Armstrong & Miller Show - Series 2 | Various |
2009 | The Armstrong & Miller Show - Series 2 | Writer |
2009 | The Armstrong & Miller Show - Series 2 | Executive Producer |
2009 | Micro Men | Sir Clive Sinclair |
2009 | Friday Night With Jonathan Ross - Series 17 | Guest |
2009 | Have I Got News For You - Series 37
|
Host / Presenter |
2009 | The Justin Lee Collins Show
|
Guest |
2008 | Have I Got News For You - Series 36
|
Host / Presenter |
2008 | Mutual Friends | Patrick Turner |
2008 | Have I Got News For You - Series 35
|
Host / Presenter |
2008 | When Were We Funniest? | Host / Presenter |
2007 | To The Manor Born - 25th Anniversary Special | Adam fforbes-Hamilton |
2007 | The Armstrong & Miller Show - Series 1 | Various |
2007 | The Armstrong & Miller Show - Series 1 | Executive Producer |
2007 | Have I Got News For You - Series 34
|
Host / Presenter |
2007 | Have I Got News For You - Series 33
|
Host / Presenter |
2007 | After You've Gone - Series 1
|
Dr Howard Banks |
2006 | Best Of The Worst | Host / Presenter |
2006 | Have I Got News For You - Series 32
|
Host / Presenter |
2006 | Weak At The Top - Series 2 | John Weak |
2006 | Have I Got News For You - Series 31
|
Host / Presenter |
2006 | The Ultimate Sitcom | Narrator |
2005 | Have I Got News For You - Series 30
|
Host / Presenter |
2005 | QI - Series C
|
Guest |
2005 | Weak At The Top - Series 1 | John Weak |
2005 | Have I Got News For You - Series 29
|
Host / Presenter |
2004 | Have I Got News For You - Series 27
|
Host / Presenter |
2003 | Have I Got News For You - Series 26
|
Host / Presenter |
2003 | Have I Got News For You - Series 25
|
Host / Presenter |
2002 | TLC | Dr. Stephen Noble |
2002 | Time Gentlemen Please - Series 2
|
Dean |
2001 | Armstrong And Miller - Series 4 | Various |
2001 | Armstrong And Miller - Series 4 | Writer |
2001 | Beast - Series 2 | Nick |
2000 | Beast - Series 1 | Nick |
1999 | Armstrong And Miller - Series 3 | Various |
1999 | Armstrong And Miller - Series 3 | Writer |
1999 | Plunkett & Macleane | Winterburn |
1998 | Children's Hour... With Armstrong And Miller | Martin Bain-Jones |
1998 | Children's Hour... With Armstrong And Miller | Writer |
1998 | Is It Legal? - Series 3
|
Nick |
1998 | The Very World Of Milton Jones - Series 1
|
Ensemble Actor |
1998 | Armstrong And Miller | Various |
1997 | Armstrong And Miller - Series 2 | Various |
1997 | Armstrong And Miller - Series 2 | Writer |
1997 | Armstrong And Miller - Series 1 | Various |
1997 | Armstrong And Miller - Series 1 | Writer |
1997 | Brass Eye
|
Ensemble Actor |
1996 | The Sunday Format - Pilot
|
Ensemble Actor |
1995 | The Thin Blue Line - Series 1 (as Alex Armstrong)
|
Posh Man |
1995 | Elastic Planet
|
Ensemble Actor |
1988 | Comic Relief
|
Self |
1980 | An Audience With... | Self |
Armstrong And Miller: The Quality Shag | Self |
Non-comedy TV and film credits might be found here:
Alexander Armstrong on IMDb