COMEDY
FITZ OF LAUGHTER
BAFTA nominated and British Comedy Award winner Neil Fitzmaurice, first burst onto our TV screens in the
late 90s and then into the Noughties, both starring in and penning some of the the most successful British
comedy series of recent times.
With a portfolio as long as your arm, Neils’ accolades include many roles as a serious actor, but it his writing
and performances in comedy,that has made his him such a favourite.
Neil very kindly took time out of his hectic schedule,to talk to Richard James of FireStyle Magazine.................
Neil, how did you break into comedy?
“ It was the mid nineties and my brother had a
bar in Liverpool called Rimini’s. It was at the time
when i was trying to break into the acting world,but
not a lot was happening. My brother Tony was
about to start a comedy night at his bar and
suggested i gave it a go! After a few ‘shandies’
i contemplated the idea and told Tony
that i ‘might’ consider it. He then came
back to me and said he had already
done the posters and if i didn’t get up,
he would strangle me!
I have to thank his persuasive
approach, as having done so, i soon
found myself with the Liverpool Echo
Comedian of the Year Award. I then
went on to perform in competitions in
Edinburgh and the final of the BBC
Comedian of the Year,
where i first met Peter
Kay.
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Myself and Peter kept in touch and it was then
Peter asked me to become involved and write
a part in a project of his called,’The Services’.
Things started to move very fast at this point
and Peter, Dave Spikey and I wrote,’That Peter
Kay Thing’, for which we received the British
Comedy Award.
Then ‘Phoenix Nights’ came along
which Peter (Brian), myself (Ray
Von) and Dave (Jerry) wrote
and it was a massive success. In
fact it became the fastest selling
TV DVD of all time!”
Following on from the critical
acclaim of ‘Phoenix Nights’, Neil
decided it was time for him
to concentrate on his own
project for the big screen.