Adrian Edmondson
Adrian Edmondson was born in Bradford, Yorkshire. He went to Manchester University to study drama. Whilst he was there he met Rik Mayall, and the pair began performing as 20th Century Coyote. The act continued after university when Adrian & Rik moved to London, and they became two of the leading lights in the new 'alternative comedy' scene, performing at the newly established Comedy Store, and setting up their own club, The Comic Strip, with 'Peter Richardson', Nigel Planer, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, and Alexei Sayle. This spawned two 1980s TV series: The Young Ones (1982), and The Comic Strip Presents... (1982) In the 1990's Ade & Rik continued their partnership with a new series called Bottom (1991), which ran for three seasons and became a major success on the live circuit. It was basically a live sitcom, liberally sprinkled with slapstick humour, and the pair did 5 long tours between 1993 and 2003. Simultaneously, Adrian established himself as an actor, doing two improvised TV films under the Screen One and Screen Two umbrella, with director Les Blair: Screen Two: Honest, Decent and True (1986), and Screen One: News Hounds (1990) (winner of the BAFTA for best single drama). He was a regular in the hospital drama Holby City (1999) from 2005 - 2008. He took the lead in a drama documentary about the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster in the series Surviving Disaster (2006), and appeared as Henry Austen in the TV movie Miss Austen Regrets (2008), the film Blood (2012), and the drama series Prey (2014). But his most notable dramatic role to date is that of Count Rostov in the BBC series War & Peace (2016).
Known For
Credits
- 2025 · Alien: Earth as Atom Eins
- 2025 · Bergerac as Nigel
- 2024 · Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story as Phil
- 2024 · Bottom: Exposed as Himself
- 2024 · 3 Body Problem as Denys Porlock
- 2023 · imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter as Self
- 2023 · Toad & Friends as Toad
- 2022 · A Spy Among Friends as Sir Roger Hollis
- 2021 · The Trick as Edward Acton
- 2021 · The Pact as Richard
- 2021 · Letters Live from the Archive: Union Chapel as Self
- 2020 · King Rocker as Self (archive footage)
- 2020 · Out of Her Mind as Lewis
- 2020 · Between the Covers as Self
- 2019 · The Rizen: Possession as The Interviewer
- 2019 · Back to Life as John Boback
- 2019 · Cheat as William Vaughan
- 2018 · Celebrity Catchphrase as Self - Contestant
- 2018 · Save Me as Gideon Charles
- 2018 · RSC Live: Twelfth Night as Malvolio
- 2017 · Star Wars: The Last Jedi as Captain Peavey
- 2017 · Bancroft as Superintendent Cliff Walker
- 2017 · Richard Osman's House of Games as Self - Contestant
- 2017 · Interlude in Prague as Herr Luptak
- 2017 · The Rizen as Interviewer
- 2017 · Genius as David Hilbert
- 2017 · Urban Myths as Leslie Conn
- 2016 · One of Us as Peter Elliot
- 2016 · Upstart Crow as Dogberry
- 2016 · War and Peace as Ilya Rostov
- 2015 · Rocky Horror Show Live as Narrator
- 2014 · Ronja, the Robber's Daughter as Noodle Pete (voice, English version)
- 2014 · Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled as Self
- 2014 · Prey as DCI Warner
- 2013 · Catchphrase as
- 2012 · Gadget Man as
- 2012 · Blood as Tom Tiernan
- 2012 · The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff as Headmaster Wackville
- 2012 · The Great Sport Relief Bake Off as Self - Contestant
- 2011 · Ade in Britain as
- 2011 · Death in Paradise as Charles Crabtree
- 2010 · Monte Carlo or Bust as
- 2009 · Let's Dance for Comic Relief as Self - Contestant
- 2008 · Blackadder's Most Cunning Moments as Self - Baron von Richthoven (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2008 · Teenage Kicks as
- 2008 · Miss Austen Regrets as Henry Austen
- 2007 · The Alan Titchmarsh Show as Self
- 2007 · Would I Lie to You? as Self
- 2007 · Britain's Got More Talent as Self
- 2007 · The Graham Norton Show as Self
- 2006 · The One Show as Self - Guest
- 2006 · School's Out as Self
- 2006 · Great British Menu as Self - Guest Judge
- 2006 · Surviving Disaster as
- 2005 · The Comic Strip - A Retrospective as Self
- 2005 · Twisted Tales as Ed Barnes
- 2004 · Doctors and Nurses as Dr. Roy Glover
- 2003 · Celebrity Mastermind as
- 2003 · Bottom Live 2003: Weapons Grade Y-Fronts Tour as Edward Hitler
- 2003 · Spine Chillers as
- 2003 · Comic Relief Does Fame Academy as
- 2002 · The Best of French & Saunders as Various
- 1999 · Guest House Paradiso as Eddie Elizabeth Ndingombaba
- 1999 · Holby City as Percy "Abra" Durant
- 1997 · Captain Star as
- 1997 · Jonathan Creek as Brendan Baxter
- 1997 · Midsomer Murders as Hugo Welles
- 1995 · Look at the State We're In! as Dewhurst
- 1995 · The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Treasure of the Peacock's Eye as Zyke
- 1994 · Ready, Steady, Cook as Self - Guest
- 1993 · If You See God, Tell Him as Gordon Spry
- 1993 · Demonella as Sid Vicious
- 1993 · Space Virgins from Planet Sex as 'K' / Air Traffic Controller
- 1992 · Absolutely Fabulous as Hamish
- 1992 · Red Nose of Courage as John Major/Coco the Clown
- 1991 · Pebble Mill as Self
- 1991 · Bottom as Edward Elizabeth Hitler
- 1991 · The Pope Must Die as Father Rookie
- 1990 · Rita Rudner as
- 1990 · Oxford as 2nd MI5 Man / Fan
- 1989 · Snakes and Ladders as Giles Tewkesbury
- 1989 · Press Gang as Simon Knowles
- 1989 · The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball as Self
- 1989 · Just Like That! as Self
- 1988 · An Audience With Victoria Wood as Self
- 1988 · This Morning as Self
- 1988 · The Yob as Michael
- 1988 · More Bad News as Vim Fuego
- 1987 · Eat the Rich as Charles
- 1987 · Going Live! as Self
- 1987 · French & Saunders as John
- 1987 · Hardwicke House as Tiny
- 1987 · Filthy Rich & Catflap as Edward Catflap
- 1986 · The Comic Relief Utterly Utterly Rude Video Live as Self
- 1986 · Honest Decent & True as Alun Pickersgill
- 1986 · Saturday Live as
- 1986 · The Dangerous Brothers as Sir Adrian Dangerous
- 1986 · Dangerous Brothers Present: World of Danger as Sir Adrian Dangerous
- 1985 · The Supergrass as Dennis Carter
- 1985 · Happy Families as Guy Fuddle
- 1984 · Slags as Ace
- 1984 · A Fistful of Travellers' Cheques as Billy
- 1983 · Five Go Mad on Mescalin as Dick
- 1983 · Natural World as Narrator
- 1983 · Blackadder as Baron von Richtoven
- 1983 · Bad News as Vim Fuego/Alan Metcalfe
- 1983 · War as Various Roles
- 1983 · Dead on Time as Fool
- 1982 · The Young Ones as Vyvyan
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Dick
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Eddie Monsoon
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Mike/Hatchett/Julio/Bolsen/Man in Cage/Jenkins/Zarkoff
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Desmond
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Gordon/Bill
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as John
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Peter
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Martin
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Billy
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Vim Fuego
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Ace
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Bean
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Dreamy Time Escort
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Brian
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Adrian/Slim/Policeman
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Michael
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Billy/Prince/Giles Cricket Bat Portland
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as 2nd MI5 Man/Fan
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as Bestman
- 1982 · The Comic Strip Presents... as
- 1980 · Boom Boom... Out Go the Lights as
- 1978 · An Audience with... as Self
- Future · Ade at Sea as Self
- 2026 · Sam & Ade Go Birding as
- 2022 · The Best Birthday Ever as Granny (voice)
- 2019 · Completely Bad News as Vim Fuego
- 2018 · How The Young Ones Changed Comedy as
- 2012 · Five Go to Rehab as Dick
- 2012 · Britain Beware! as Self (Presenter)
- 2008 · Rocky Horror Tribute Show as Brad
- 2008 · The Dangerous Brothers - Dangervision as Sir Adrian Dangerous
- 2007 · If It Ain't Stiff: The Stiff Records Story as Self (Narrator)
- 2007 · The Making of 'The Young Ones' as Self (Archived Footage)
- 2006 · Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band - 40th Anniversary Celebration as Self
- 2004 · Bottom Mindless Violence as Vyvyan / Eddie Catflap / Sir Adrian Dangerous / Dreamy Time Escort / Eddie Hitler / Eddie Ndingombaba (archive footage)
- 2001 · Bottom Live 2001: An Arse Oddity as Eddie
- 2000 · Four Men in a Plane as Ian Crisp
- 1999 · Big Bottom Live - The Best of Bottom Live as
- 1999 · The Making of 'Guest House Paradiso' as Self
- 1999 · The Man as Ash
- 1998 · Jack and the Beanstalk: The ITV Pantomime as Dame Dolly
- 1998 · Four Men in a Car as Ian
- 1997 · Bottom Live 3: Hooligan's Island as Eddie Hitler
- 1996 · Bottom Fluff as
- 1995 · Bottom Live 2: The Big Number 2 Tour as Eddie
- 1994 · French and Saunders' Christmas Carol as Tim Goodchance
- 1993 · Bottom Live: The Stage Show as Eddie
- 1993 · Gregory: Diary of a Nutcase as Gregory Dawson
- 1992 · Holy - Bottom: Christmas Special as Edward Elizabeth Hitler
- 1990 · News Hounds as Phil Burke
- 1990 · Les Dogs as Best Man
- 1990 · South Atlantic Raiders: Part 2 Argie Bargie! as Billy
- 1990 · South Atlantic Raiders: Part 1 as Billy
- 1990 · GLC: The Carnage Continues as Billy/Prince Charles/Giles Cricket Bat Portland
- 1988 · Mr Jolly Lives Next Door as Dreamy Time Escort
- 1988 · The Strike as Adrian/Slim/Policeman
- 1987 · Filthy Rich & Catflap as Edward Catflap
- 1986 · Private Enterprise as Brian
- 1986 · Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders) as John
- 1985 · Happy Families as Guy Fuddle / Grandpa Harold Fuddle
- 1984 · Eddie Monsoon - a Life? as Eddie Moonson
- 1984 · Gino: Full Story and Pics as Gordon/Bill
- 1984 · Susie as Martin
- 1984 · Dirty Movie as Bean
- 1983 · Summer School as Peter
- 1983 · The Beat Generation as Desmond
- 1982 · Five Go Mad in Dorset as Dick
- 1982 · Kevin Turvey: The Man Behind the Green Door as Keith Marshall
- 1981 · The Comic Strip as
- 1976 · The Secret Policeman's Ball as Self
- Future · Codes as Head of MI6