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Writer, director, novelist and actor, it seems there is no end to the
talents of Stephen Fry - with the list of projects to which his name is
attached being both extensive and varied.
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As a writer, TV credits include The Cambridge Footlights; Not The Nine
O'Clock News; Mastermind; Saturday Night Live and A Bit Of Fry And Laurie
(series three).
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His projects for radio include Injury Time; Frybeat; Loose Ends and Saturday
Night Fry.
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Not content with writing for TV and radio, Fry branched out into literature,
publishing a succession of bestsellers such as The Liar; Paperweight and
Moab Is My Washpot.
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But it is for acting that the Cambridge intellectual is perhaps best
loved. From TV roles in The Young Ones (1982); Blackadder (series one
to four); A Bit Of Fry And Laurie; Jeeves and Wooster; Cold Comfort Farm;
Gormanghast; Fortysomething (2002) and most recently Q.I, to big screen
projects such as A Fish Called Wanda; Peter's Friends; I.Q; SpiceWorld;
The Wind In The Willows; Wilde and Gosford Park (2001), it is a career
which has encompassed many genres - serving to reinforce Fry's enormous
talent.
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Adding to his many-stringed bow, Fry stepped behind the camera to direct
Bright Young Things in 2002, and most recently his dulcet tones could
be heard as the narrator in the film version of Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's
Guide to the Galaxy.
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John Bird came into prominence at London's first satirical nightclub,
The Establishment Club (1961), and since then has appeared in innumerable
television series, films, and plays and has written scripts for radio,
television and film.
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His television appearances include The Melting Pot; A Very Peculiar
Practice; The Growing Pains Of Adrian Mole; Inspector Morse; two series
of El CID; A Bit Of Fry And Laurie; In The Red; Filthy, Rich and Clatflap;
and two series of Chambers.
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But Bird is perhaps most famous for his political satire and has received
great acclaim for his work with John Fortune in the long running series,
The Two Johns.
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In addition, their subsequent pairing with stand up comic and impressionist
Rory Bremner for The Rory Bremner Show has resulted in one of the most
enduring comedy partnerships, with The Two Johns adding real bite to Bremner's
routine.
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The plaudits rained down on the three, as further series were commissioned:
Rory Bremner Who Else and most recently, Bremner, Bird and Fortune - for
which Bird received two Bafta nominations.
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With satire in his blood, it is no surprise to see him reprising his
role as the erstwhile Martin McCabe, wingman and partner in crime to Charles.
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Zoe Telford – Alison Jackman
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The chameleon-like Zoe Telford first achieved notoriety through a stunning
central performance in Channel 4's harrowing drama Men Only, but Telford immediately
changed tack in the role of the outspoken Maggie in the first series of
Teachers.
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This was followed by the critically acclaimed 91Èȱ¬ drama, Real Men (2002),
in which Telford played Christina, a social worker who abuses the children
in her care.
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Recent credits include the role of Eva Braun, Adolf Hitler's lover in
Channel 4's Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2002); Dulcima Goodrush, the super-strict
nanny in Cutting It (2004); and also Rosalie Otterbourne in Poirot's Death
on the Nile (2004).
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James Lance – Jamie Front
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With a starring role in the 91Èȱ¬ comedy drama Absolute Power, James Lance
further consolidates his position as one of the UK's most talented young
actors.
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His roles in TV cult hits such as Steve Coogan's I'm Alan Partridge (1997),
where he played Ben the receptionist; Spaced (1999) and Smack The Pony
(1999) and independent films such as Late Night Shopping (2001) reveal
his flair for dark comedy.
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His dual role - as heroin addict Lachlan and his arrogant, cheating brother
Barnaby - in Channel 4's The Book Group (2002), and his on-screen incarnation
as Matt in Teachers series three, have seen him reach new lows in charismatic
treachery. Other recent credits include Rescue Me (2004).
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He will shortly be seen in Sofia Coppola's adaptation of Marie Antoinette
and in the forthcoming 91Èȱ¬ dark comedy Sensitive Skin, alongside Joanna
Lumley and Denis Lawson.
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Nicholas Burns – Nick Mayer
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Nicholas Burns' recent performance as Nathan Barley (2004) knew no bounds
as the loud, uncouth, self-obsessed editor of Trashbat.co.uk. Hoxton Square
was left reeling!
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His comedy credentials don't stop there - he played Edward Teller in
Swiss Toni, the 91Èȱ¬ comedy about a smooth-talking car salesman (2004).
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Other credits include television drama Cambridge Spies (2002), Manchild
(2002) and A Touch of Frost (2003).
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His theatre credits include Demetrius in A Midsummer Night's Dream at
the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre (2003) and Tony Blear in The Madness
of George Dubya at the Arts Theatre in London (2003).
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