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Russell Kane

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Russell Kane
Kane in 2019
Born
Russell David Anthony Grineau

(1975-08-19) 19 August 1975 (age 49)
London, England
Occupation(s)Writer, comedian, actor[1]
Years active2004–present
Spouses
Sadie Hasler
​
​
(m. 2010; div. 2011)​
Lindsey Cole
​
(m. 2014)​
Websiterussellkane.co.uk

Russell Kane (born Russell David Anthony Grineau; 19 August 1975)[2][3] is an English writer, comedian, and actor. He has four times been nominated at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, winning the Best Comedy Show award in 2010. Although known mainly for stand-up comedy, for television, he has presented Big Brother's Big Mouth (2007), I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here - Now (2009-2011), Freak Like Me (2010), Geordie Shore: The Reunion and Britain Unzipped (2012), Live at the Electric (2013), Stupid Man, Smart Phone (2016), and hosted the BBC Radio 4 series Evil Genius in 2018 as well as a television show by the same name on Sky History in 2023.

Early life

Kane was born to David and Julie Grineau in Enfield, North London and brought up in Essex, where he still lives.[2][4] He studied English at Middlesex University and graduated with a degree in Media Writing.[5]

Career

Kane's father had worked as an extra, and he himself took on a couple of youthful acting roles in the early 90s, under the name Russell Grineaux.[6][7]

Turning to comedy, in 2004, Kane won the Laughing Horse New Act of the Year,[1][8] and in the same year he was runner-up to Nick Sun in So You Think You're Funny.[9] In 2005, he joined Ray Peacock, Russell Howard and Reginald D. Hunter on the national Paramount Edinburgh and Beyond tour.[10] He was a roving reporter alongside Annie Mac, for the live music event Guerrilla Gig, which aired on BBC Three in March 2006.[11] In July 2006, he wrote and presented travelogues for the newly launched Five US.[12]

In August 2006, Kane performed his debut comedy show The Theory of Pretension at the Edinburgh Fringe, where he was nominated for a best newcomer Edinburgh Comedy Award.[13] He presented Big Brother's Big Mouth[8] on E4 and Channel 4 in June 2007.[14]

In 2008, Kane was the host of BBC Radio 2's Out to Lunch from series 4 onwards.[14][15] He presented a Sunday afternoon show on the relaunched Q Radio digital radio station.[1] Later the same year, he took his stand-up show Gaping Flaws to Glasgow and the Edinburgh Festival, earning 2008 Best Comedy Show Nominee at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards.[16] He also wrote an hour-long play, The Lamentable Tragedie of Yates's Wine Lodge based on his own creation of Fakespeare.[17] On 20 November 2008, Kane performed at the Hammersmith Apollo for the BBC's Live at the Apollo.[16][18]

In 2009, Kane returned to Edinburgh with a stand-up show entitled Human Dressage, which was nominated for 2009 Best Comedy Show Edinburgh Comedy Award for the second time.[19][20] Kane appeared on the presenting team of the 2009 ITV2 spin-off show I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here – Now, which he co-hosted with Laura Whitmore and Joe Swash.[21] Two contestants that year were Gino D'Acampo and Katie Price.[21] He returned to Australia for the show in 2010 and 2011.[8]

In April 2010, while appearing on the Australian TV show Good News Week, Kane made a joke centred on autistic children, prompting an apology from the network and criticism from the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities.[22] Later that year, Kane appeared live in Cardiff, along with his impressionist and comedienne wife Sadie Hasler, who preceded his act.[23] Kane was narrator and presenter Freak Like Me on BBC Three during the winter of 2010.[24]

In August 2011, he appeared for the first time on the BBC Radio Four comedy panel game Just a Minute, which he won.[25] In November 2011, he won a Children in Need edition of Celebrity Mastermind, with the specialist subject "The Life and Novels of Evelyn Waugh".[26] On 5 July 2011 and 27 March 2012, he presented Geordie Shore: The Reunion for MTV.[27]

His debut novel, The Humorist, was published by Simon & Schuster in April 2012.[28] In 2012, he co-presented Britain Unzipped with Greg James on BBC Three, which was renamed Unzipped for series 2.[29] He was the presenter of the BBC Three show Live at the Electric, which ran for three series, and co-hosted the 2013 chat show Staying In with Greg James.[29]

In 2016, Kane presented the BBC Three travel series Stupid Man, Smart Phone.[30]

In January 2018, Kane participated in And They're Off! in aid of Sport Relief.[8]

In March 2018, Kane started hosting the BBC Radio 4 series Evil Genius. This programme is an exploration of famous people in contemporary history.[31]

Awards

Personal life

Kane married fellow comedian Sadie Hasler in 2010. They met while studying at Middlesex University.[35] They divorced nine months later.[36] He married hair and makeup artist and model, Lindsey Cole in 2014.[37][38] They had met when Cole had attended one of his shows and later connected through social media.[39] They have one daughter.[38] Kane mentions he is often mistaken for Nick Grimshaw.[40][41]

In 2015 it was revealed that Kane had been lying about his age, claiming to be five years younger than his true vintage.[42][43][44][45]

Kane has been an ambassador for The Prince's Trust, a charity.[46]

Bibliography

  • The Humorist, 2012 (novel)[47]
  • Son of a Silverback, 2019 (memoir)[48][49]

Stand-up DVDs

  • Smokescreens & Castles Live (7 November 2011)
  • Live (30 November 2015)

References

  1. ^ a b c Barnett, Laura (7 June 2010). "Portrait of the Artist: Russell Kane, comedian". The Guardian.
  2. ^ a b Logan, Brian (18 September 2011). "Russell Kane: 'What am I going to do when I'm not the next big thing?'". The Guardian.
  3. ^ Dessau, Bruce (26 March 2016). "News: The Truth About Russell Kane's Youth". Beyond the Joke.
  4. ^ "My Secret Life: Russell Kane". The Independent. London. 11 December 2010.
  5. ^ "Comedian to tie the knot in Southchurch Hall ceremony". Basildon Canvey Southend Echo. 6 January 2010.
  6. ^ "Screen Two – O Mary this London (1994) Dir. Suri Krishnamma". YouTube.
  7. ^ "The Bill Series 7 Episode 54 (S07E54) Targets". YouTube.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Reddin, Lorelei (14 October 2021). "Russell Kane to play intimate warm up gig at St Mary's". Daily Echo.
  9. ^ "So You Think You're Funny, Finalists & Runners up 1988 – 2022". soyouthinkyourefunny.co.uk. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  10. ^ "Peocock & Gamble". peacockandgamble.com. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Guerilla shakes up music television". bbc.co.uk. 10 March 2006.
  12. ^ Wilkes, Neil (29 August 2006). "Russell Kane named "face" of Five US". Digital Spy.
  13. ^ "Russell Kane's Theory Of Pretension". comedy.co.uk. 2006.
  14. ^ a b "Dave's One Night Stand Russell Kane Interview". comedy.co.uk. 2 November 2010.
  15. ^ "Out To Lunch – Production Details". comedy.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
  16. ^ a b "Russell Kane 2008 Best Comedy Show Nominee – Gaping Flaws". comedyawards.co.uk. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  17. ^ "Russell Kane Presents Fakespeare: The Lamentable Tragedie Of Yates's Wine". chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  18. ^ "Live at the Apollo series 4, episode 2". bbc.co.uk. 19 May 2012.
  19. ^ "Russell Kane 2009 Best Comedy Show Nominee – Human Dressage". comedyawards.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  20. ^ Logan, Brian (28 August 2009). "Russell Kane: Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh". The Guardian.
  21. ^ a b "Russell Kane in I'm a Celebrity". echo-news.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  22. ^ Dunkerley, Susanna (21 April 2010). "Channel 10 apologises for Good News Week autism joke". news.com.au.
  23. ^ "Comedy festival: Russell Kane and Sadie Hasler". walesonline.co.uk. 21 July 2010.
  24. ^ "Freak Like Me". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  25. ^ "Radio 4 Russell Kane on Just A Minute". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  26. ^ "Comedian specializing in Evelyn Waugh wins BBC Mastermind quiz". evelynwaughsociety.org. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  27. ^ "Geordie Shore Reunion preview". metro.co.uk. 27 March 2012.
  28. ^ Page, Benedicte (11 November 2011). "S&S buys debut from comedian Kane". The Bookseller.
  29. ^ a b "BBC Three – Britain Unzipped". BBC iPlayer. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  30. ^ "BBC Three – Stupid Man, Smart Phone Episode Guide". BBC iPlayer. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  31. ^ "Radio 4 Evil Genius with Russell Kane". BBC iPlayer. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  32. ^ "Edinburgh comedy awards shortlist announced". The Guardian. 23 August 2006.
  33. ^ a b c Thorpe, Vanessa (28 August 2010). "Russell Kane wins Edinburgh Comedy Award". The Guardian.
  34. ^ "Russell Kane to perform Isles of Scilly show". BBC News. 6 September 2014.
  35. ^ "Comedian to tie the knot in Southchurch Hall ceremony". Echo News. 6 January 2010.
  36. ^ Sperling, Daniel (29 December 2011). "Russell Kane uncomfortable with sex: 'I'd rather watch Dog Whisperer'". Digital Spy.
  37. ^ "Lindsey Cole". model mayhem. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  38. ^ a b "Russell Kane says he would have postponed his wedding for a big gig". The Irish News. 22 May 2017.
  39. ^ "Russell Kane: 'I had a year of partying and it was soulless. The sex wasn't even good'". London Evening Standard. 12 June 2013.
  40. ^ "X Factor reignites Russell Kane and Grimmy confusion". BBC News. 31 August 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  41. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Russell Kane: 1 in 2 People Think I'm Nick Grimshaw". Yahoo Finance. 27 November 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  42. ^ "Russell Kane has been lying about his age – but WHY?!". Heat. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  43. ^ Strang, Fay (21 April 2015). "Russell Kane is older than he claims - any ideas of his age?". mirror. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  44. ^ "INTERVIEW: Russell Kane on being 'in denial' about his age, why stand-up is still his passion and being a 'lord'". Warrington Guardian. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  45. ^ Strang, Fay; Updated (21 April 2015). "Russell Kane is older than he claims - any ideas of his age?". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  46. ^ Cherrington-Cook, Jayne (18 May 2020). "Russell Kane: The Prince's Trust has put me in the most ridiculous situations". Yahoo Entertainment. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  47. ^ Kane, Russell (21 October 2012). The Humorist. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0857209252.
  48. ^ Kane, Russell (31 October 2019). Son of Silverback. Penguin. ISBN 9781473554160.
  49. ^ Son of a Silverback. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
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