Nigel Planer

Nigel Planer is a British actor, writer and musician who was among the founders of the London Comedy Store and The Comic Strip, pioneers of British alternative comedy. He is best known as Neil, a hippie in the BBC sitcom The Young Ones, shown in 1982 and 1984. His television work includes The Comic Strip Presents..., Filthy Rich and Catflap and The Grimleys, and he narrated Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids, earning a BAFTA nomination. His films include Yellowbeard (1983), Brazil (1985), Carry On Columbus (1992), The Land Girls (1998), Hogfather (2006), Flood (2007) and I Give It a Year (2013). His stage breakthrough came when he understudied David Essex as Che Guevara during Evita's original West End run. He later appeared in Chicago, We Will Rock You, Wicked and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the last bringing an Olivier nomination. In 1984 his single Hole in My Shoe reached number two and won him a BRIT award.