Dominic Holland

Dominic Anthony Holland^[1] (born 6 May 1967)^[1] is an English comedian, author, and broadcaster. He won the 1993 Perrier Best Newcomer Award in Edinburgh. His BBC Radio 4 series, The Small World of Dominic Holland (a reference to his 5'6" height), won a Comic Heritage Award.^[2] Holland has also published three novels.

Early life

Holland was born in London, the son of Teresa (née Quigley), a nurse from Ireland, and John Charles Anthony Holland, a teacher from the Isle of Man.^[1][3] Raised Catholic, he attended the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School. He later studied textile management at Leeds University,^[4] where he met his future wife, photographer Nicola Frost.

Career

Stand-up comedy

Holland started performing stand-up comedy in 1991, making his debut at The Comedy Café, Rivington Street, London. In 1993 was briefly managed by Eddie Izzard. In Holland's first year at the Edinburgh fringe his one-man show won the Perrier Best Newcomer award and good notices. Later in the autumn of 1993, Holland supported Eddie Izzard on his national tour. In 1994, Holland returned to Edinburgh. In 1996, his show at the Edinburgh festival was nominated for the Perrier Award.Holland returned to the Edinburgh festival in 2006.^[5] In October 2012 Holland recorded his first stand up DVD at the Court Theatre in Tring.^[6]

The Sunday Times described Holland as "The UK’s master of observational comedy" and Daily Telegraph commented that "he is a top notch stand up who everyone should see". Bob Monkhouse called him "Britain's funniest not yet famous comedian".^[2]

Television

Holland made his TV debut appearance in 1993 on Central Television's Lafter Hours with Harry Hill. He was a team captain for two series of Bring Me the Head of Light Entertainment for Channel Five – with Graham Norton hosting in 1998. In 1999 and 2000, Holland appeared twice as a guest on Have I Got News for You, They Think It's All Over, and in 2000 The Royal Variety Performance.^[7] He has appeared on Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive. He has been a regular panellist on the daytime debate show The Wright Stuff.^[8]

Holland has made numerous guest appearances on such television shows The Clive James Show, The Brian Conley Show, The Des O'Connor Show, and Never Mind the Buzzcocks. He has participated in Richard and Judy Show as well as Boom Bang-a-Bang and the National Lottery Draw Show.^[9] He has written for the first animated British sitcom, Warren United, originally titled The Wild World of Warren, produced for ITV by Baby Cow Productions. Six episodes were made, two co-written by Holland.^[9][10]

Radio

The Small World of Dominic Holland is a radio programme written and presented by Holland, revolving around his stand-up, but including sketches. One series of the show was commissioned in 2000. This was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4^[11] and won a Comic Heritage Award. It has been repeated on BBC 7.^[9][12]

His second radio series on Radio 4, Holland's Shorts was a series of comic monologues written and performed by Holland.^[13] He appeared in 2011 on Radio 4's The News Quiz, hosted by Sandi Toksvig. Hal is a sit-com commissioned by BBC Radio 4, starring Hal Cruttenden. Holland has co-written the series and will appear in it.^[14] He also made regular appearances in the early seasons of BBC Radio 5 Live's comedy sports panel show, Fighting Talk.^[9]

Film

Holland debuted in 1982 in a small role of 'schoolboy' in Channel 4 film P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang. In 1998 he played "Bob" in The Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star. In 1999 he appeared as "Cello Player" in Tube Tales. Holland has written four screenplays, three of which have been sold to producers, but as yet, have not been made in to films.

Writing

Holland has written material for Bob Monkhouse, Lenny Henry, Harry Enfield, Des O'Connor, Clive Anderson and many others. Holland has published two comic novels, Only in America^[15] and The Ripple Effect.^[16] He has recently published his third novel, A Man’s Life.^[17] For two years Holland wrote the Funny Money column for The Guardian .^[18] In January 2013 Holland published How Tom Holland Eclipsed His Dad.^[19][20][21]

Personal life

Holland and his wife, photographer Nicola Frost, have four sons together,^[1] including actor and dancer Tom.^[22][23][24]

Bibliography

• How Tom Holland Eclipsed His Dad, Amazon.co.uk, 2013, ASIN: B00B0XBSG6
• A Man's Life (novel) Smashwords, 2012, ISBN 9781301463633
• The Ripple Effect (novel) Flame, 2003, ISBN 0-340-81987-1; ISBN 978-0-340-81987-6
• Only in America (novel) Flame, 2002, ISBN 0-340-82128-0; ISBN 978-0-340-82128-2
• Sit-Down Comedy (contributor to anthology, ed Malcolm Hardee & John Fleming) Ebury Press/Random House, 2003, ISBN 0-09-188924-3; ISBN 978-0-09-188924-1
• Ha Bloody Ha: Comedians Talking (contributor, ed William Cook) Fourth Estate 1994, ISBN 1-85702-180-0; ISBN 978-1-85702-180-6

References