The Harry Hill Show

From 1997 Hill had his own Channel 4 television series called The Harry Hill Show (listed simply as Harry Hill on screen) which ran for three series. The show was essentially a reworking of the Radio series Harry Hill's Fruit Corner. Among the regular characters were Hill's big brother, 'Alan' (played by the comedian Al Murray) and his adopted son 'Little Alan' (played by Dr. Matt Bradstock). Burt Kwouk appeared in many episodes of the Harry Hill Show and occasionally in Hill's major live standup shows. Kwouk plays Harry's "Chicken Catcher" and each week he will have an excuse as to why he has not yet captured a chicken, followed by a performance of the song Hey Little Hen. In later series Hill and Kwouk appeared in sketches as Karl Lagerfeld and Gianni Versace. Hill's screen wife May Sung also made appearances on the show, mainly around the theme of trying to steal Hill's bank savings book. Another favourite on the show was Stouffer the cat, a curious-looking cat glove puppet made of blue rubber. Stouffer normally sits in a throne supported by a rubber arm in the style of Rod Hull, and is employed to intimidate guests during Hill's standup routines and as part of a strange children's TV parody sketch on his TV show. Stouffer's catchphrases are "he got a big face" and "sorted — respect due". The end of each episode was supposed to include an event called "The Badger Parade", a parade of puppet badgers that includes Gareth Southgate badger and Tasmin Archer badger, among others. But every week there would be some kind of problem resulting in the badgers being unable to perform. In place of the badger parade, Hill would usually sing a song, with a guest he had invited onto the show.

Harry Hill's TV Burp

In 2001 Hill moved to ITV presenting an all-new show Harry Hill's TV Burp, which the show has had nine series since of March 2010. The BAFTA award-winning show is a comic look at the week's television, showing clips from various UK television programmes and framing them with commentary or intercutting additional footage. Also broadcast on ITV1 was The All New Harry Hill Show, similar to his Channel 4 show, but with a bigger budget and more celebrity guests. Regular features included the Hamilton Challenge (featuring Neil and Christine Hamilton), and a Butterfly in Blue Jeans finale. In 2005 Hill moved into new territory with Harry Hill's Shark Infested Custard, a 13-part show broadcast in the CITV slot. While many of his previous characters including Stouffer and Garry Hill (Hill's fictional layabout son from his first marriage) remained, it also showcased several new characters including Speed Camera Boy, about an outsider who is half boy and half speed camera, and Evelynne Hussey and her Amazing Instruments. While the show featured a game show element, Help the Aged, it was very similar in structure to The Harry Hill Show.

Other Projects

Hill's instantly recognisable voice has led to work in voice-over roles on television commercials such as the holiday adverts for Boots in 2004. Hill also provides the voice over for You've Been Framed and once sang a song entitled "Bring on the Branston!" for the Branston Pickle adverts. Hill has appeared on the BBC Radio 4 series I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. In 2002 Hill's first novel, Flight from Deathrow, was published. It is based around the unlikely antics of real-life celebrities and politicians as seen through the eyes of the storyteller, whilst in and out of a coma. His second book, Tim the Tiny Horse, was published in October 2006, and his third, The Further Adventures of the Queen Mum, in October 2007. Also available is Harry Hill's Fun Book, a Christmas spin-off from his Channel 4 TV show, Harry Hill's Whopping Great Joke Book and Tim the Tiny Horse At Large, which is the sequel to the first book. In October 2009, Ebury Press published Harry Hill's TV Burp Book, a tie-in to the popular television programme, which included comics, spoofs and pin ups. In November 2010, Harry is set to release his debut comic album 'Funny Times'.The album will be preceded by the release of the single 'I Want a Baby'.

Hill has released a selection of DVDs, Videos and Audio Books, many of which feature recordings of his sell-out live tours. The first, entitled 'Live', was released in 1995, featuring a performance from The Queen's Theatre, London.

In 2003, Hill was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy. In a 2005 poll to find The Comedian's Comedian, he was voted amongst the top 50 comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders. In 2007 he was voted number five on Channel 4's hundred greatest stand-ups. On 13 December 2006, he won two Highland Spring British Comedy Awards, over the favourites Ant and Dec, which Hill made light of in his acceptance speeches. In 2008 he won two Baftas and another in 2009 for best Entertainment Performance. In 2009 he won two British Comedy Awards, making it his sixth award.

Hill was born in Woking, Surrey and educated at Cranbrook School in Kent and St George's Hospital Medical School before training to be a brain surgeon, University of London. He spent part of his childhood living in Hong Kong where he attended Island School. He married illustrator Magda Archer in 1996 in Wandsworth, London. They have three daughters, all born in Kensington and Chelsea, London: Kitty Clover (born 1997), Winifred Millicent (born 1998) and Frederica Aster (born 2004). Hill currently owns property in West Beach in the seaside town of Whitstable in Kent. In February 2006, Hill was a victim of identity theft; a sum of £280,000 was stolen from his bank account. In September 2008, Hill worked with Fairtrade to release Harry's Nuts, a brand of fairtrade peanuts. Hill, who worked as a doctor at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, said he quit the medical profession because he didn't feel in control of what was happening.