Flamboyant British comedian Alan Carr was born in Weymouth, Dorset and later lived in Northampton, where he worked a variety of uninspiring jobs and dreamed of pursuing a life as an entertainer. He studied drama and theatre at Middlesex University, but his true passion lived on the stand-up stage, where he spent his formative comedic years. In 2001, the BBC honored Carr with the "Best New Stand-Up" Award, and that exposure led to a variety of successful television appearances--including a 2004 spot on chat show "Today with Des and Mel" and a 2006 fling on the anagram-driven game show "Countdown." In 2008, riding high on his newfound celebrity, Carr developed his own show: "Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong," an extremely quirky blend of game show, celebrity gossip and all-around wackiness that served as a perfect summation of his low-brow style. Although the program lasted only two short seasons (at a whopping total of 12 episodes), it led to plenty of other work, including a stand-up gig that same year on the BBC program "Live at the Apollo." With the Channel 4 talk show "Alan Carr: Chatty Man," which premiered in 2009, Carr found a longer-lasting host position, earning critical acclaim and huge ratings while chatting with some of the world's biggest celebrities.
