Frank Skinner

Skinner was born on 28 January 1957 in West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England, and grew up in a council house in neighbouring Oldbury.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgIcqvmJbzo Frank Skinner om Frank Skinner], 2001 ITV Documentary. Produced and directed by Paul Wilmshurst. He was the youngest of four children born to John Collins (1918–1990) and his wife Doris (1919–1989).

Skinner wrote in his autobiography that his father, who was born in West Cornforth, County Durham, played for Spennymoor United before the Second World War, and met his mother in a local pub after Spennymoor had played West Bromwich Albion in an FA Cup game in 1937. Club officials and historians could not find his father in their records.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7093537.to-be-frank-its-all-a-bit-of-a-mystery/|title = To be Frank, it's all a bit of a mystery| date=7 November 2001 }}

Skinner attended Moat Farm Infant School from 1961 to 1964, St Hubert's Roman Catholic Junior School from 1964 to 1968, and then Oldbury Technical Secondary School from 1968 to 1973. He passed two O-levels in summer 1973 and took A-levels in English language and art, along with several O-level resits, at Oldbury Technical School Sixth Form. He subsequently took four A-levels (including English language and literature) at Warley College of Technology and graduated from Birmingham Polytechnic (now Birmingham City University) in 1981 with a degree in English. This was followed by a master's degree in English literature at the University of Warwick in Coventry the following year.{{Cite web |url=http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2008/12/31/frank-skinner-talks-comedy |title=Archived copy |access-date=25 August 2012 |archive-date=22 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422094743/http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2008/12/31/frank-skinner-talks-comedy/ |url-status=dead }}

Despite his given first name of Christopher, his parents called him by his middle name Graham;{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9773205/Frank-Skinner-Id-like-to-go-through-a-dark-night-of-the-soul.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9773205/Frank-Skinner-Id-like-to-go-through-a-dark-night-of-the-soul.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Frank Skinner: 'I'd like to go through a dark night of the soul'|last=Gordon|first=Bryony|date=2 January 2013|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=6 June 2018|quote=To wit: his name isn't even Frank Skinner. It is Christopher Graham Collins. His parents still call him Graham, but when he was getting into stand-up comedy there was already a Chris Collins registered with Equity, a man who happened to be a singer from Burnley, so the comedian from the West Midlands had to change his name.}}{{cbignore}} all his friends referred to him, and some still do, as Chris.{{cite news|url=http://www.kentonline.co.uk/whats-on/news/suits-you-frank-26473/|title=Frank Skinner's Man In A Suit tour comes to Tunbridge Wells and Margate, November 2014|last=Roberts|first=Jo|date=5 November 2014|publisher=Kent Online|access-date=6 June 2018|quote=There's a few friends who still call me Chris, but even some of those have started calling me Frank. I became Frank in about 1988 and now, if anybody asks me my name, I'd say 'Frank'. That is how I think of myself, 99% of the people I know call me that.}} Skinner once explained that whenever someone called at his house to ask if "Chris" was there, his mother would say yes, only to then turn around and shout for "Graham". He adopted the stage name Frank Skinner when the actors' union Equity told him there was already a singer from Burnley on their books called Chris Collins.{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12154174.He_apos_s_so_puerile_and_so_proud_of_it/|title=He's so puerile and so proud of it|date=13 January 2001|work=The Herald|access-date=6 June 2018}} He took the name from a member of his late father's dominoes team.{{cite news|url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/leisure/tatheatre/11557645.life-on-tour-still-appeals-as-frank-skinner-returns-to-stand-up/|title=Life on tour still appeals as Frank Skinner returns to stand-up|last=Clayton|first=Emma|date=24 October 2014|work=Telegraph & Argus|access-date=25 September 2018}}

After graduating, Skinner spent three-and-a-half years on unemployment benefit before finding work as a lecturer in English at Halesowen College. In 1987, he decided to give stand-up comedy a try on the side. Skinner performed his first stand-up gig in 1987 and made his television debut a year later. In 1990, he co-wrote and starred in the comedy variety show Packet of Three on Channel 4 but continued to see his reputation as a stand-up grow. Before becoming a full-time performer in 1989, he suffered a bout of influenza in September 1986 that made him give up drinking, and he remains a high-profile recovering alcoholic.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14934650 |location=London|work=BBC News |title=Frank Skinner tells 5 live about his alcohol addiction|date=15 September 2011 |access-date=28 October 2014}}

Skinner won the 1991 Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Fringe, beating Jack Dee and Eddie Izzard. He has worked with David Baddiel, notably on the popular late-night entertainment show Fantasy Football League from 1994 to 2004 and on Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned from 2000 to 2005. The duo also co-wrote and performed the football song "Three Lions" with the Lightning Seeds and the England national football team for Euro 1996, and re-recorded it for the 1998 World Cup. The song reached #1 in the UK charts both times. In 2001, he released his autobiography Frank Skinner by Frank Skinner, which became a bestseller. The accompanying TV show, Frank Skinner on Frank Skinner, in which Skinner showed where he lived as a child and interviews with Skinner, his friends and family members, was recorded and shown on ITV in 2001. In July 2018, "Three Lions" re-entered the charts at number 1. Fans were celebrating the progress of England at the 2018 FIFA World Cup,{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-44818894|date=10 July 2018|title=Three Lions breaks chart record|work=BBC News|access-date=13 July 2018}} with the phrase "it's coming home" featuring heavily on social media and television.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/07/sports/world-cup/england-vs-sweden.html|title=England Takes Another Step Toward Bringing 'It' Home|last=Keh|first=Andrew|date=7 July 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=9 July 2018}}{{Cite news|url=https://deadspin.com/gather-your-mates-and-have-a-laugh-at-englands-its-com-1827454445|title=Gather Your Mates And Have A Laugh at England's "It's Coming Home" World Cup Meme|last=Ley|first=Tom|date=9 July 2018|work=Deadspin|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709194855/https://deadspin.com/gather-your-mates-and-have-a-laugh-at-englands-its-com-1827454445|archive-date=9 July 2018|url-status=live}}

In 1998, Skinner took part in a documentary titled A Little Bit of Elvis. He paid over £11,000 at auction for a shirt which he believed was worn by Elvis Presley at his famous 1956 Tupelo concert. Skinner visited the US to find out if the shirt was the genuine article. After a slightly awkward conversation with Dave Hebler, Presley's bodyguard, it appeared the shirt did once belong to Presley, but it was not worn at the concert. Skinner is a fan of Elvis.{{cite web|url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/elvis-presley-the-sun-years-by-frank-skinner-feature|title=Elvis Presley: The Sun Years by Frank Skinner - Uncut|date=2 March 2012|access-date=11 October 2014|archive-date=17 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017090333/http://www.uncut.co.uk/elvis-presley-the-sun-years-by-frank-skinner-feature|url-status=dead}}

In 1999, Skinner wrote a script for a sitcom Heavy Revie, where he played Frank, a former heavy metal rock-star who has gone off the boil, and is forced by his manager to record with a boy band. A pilot was taped, but the series wasn't picked up by ITV.{{Cite web |last=Hobson |first=Rich |date=December 18, 2024 |title=How Frank Skinner became a born-again metalhead |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/frank-skinner-interview-2024 |website=Metal Hammer}}{{Cite news |last=Grant |first=Paul |date=July 22, 1999 |title=Paul's Bump Start |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000271/19990722/263/0041?browse%20=%20false |work=Liverpool Echo |pages=41}}

From 1995 to 1998, Skinner had his own chat show on BBC One, which ended when the BBC refused to meet pay demands of a reported £20 million.{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/skinner-makes-a-skyhigh-demand-so-bbc-walks-out-1115074.html|title=Skinner makes a sky-high demand so BBC walks out|author=Jane Robins and Paul McCann|work=The Independent|date=2 September 1999|location=London}} After a short break, the show found a new home at ITV in 1999, where it ran until late 2005. He has appeared in a number of self-written sitcoms, including Blue Heaven (1994) and Shane (2004).{{cite web|url=http://www.sitcom.co.uk/news/news.php?story=00097|title=Shane gets an American re-make - British Comedy Guide|first=British Comedy|last=Guide|date=20 December 2006|access-date=28 October 2014|archive-date=17 December 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217115847/http://www.sitcom.co.uk/news/news.php?story=00097|url-status=dead}}

In 2000, Skinner appeared as Buttons in the ITV Panto adaptation of Cinderella. In 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy.{{cite news |title=The A-Z of laughter (part two) |work=The Observer |date=7 December 2003 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2003/dec/07/comedy.thebestofbritishcomedy |access-date=28 October 2014}} In 2005, Skinner announced he was going to leave behind his television work in favour of returning to the stand-up comedy circuit. A second series of Shane had been made, but never shown.

In February 2006, Skinner received an honorary degree from the University of Central England (now Birmingham City University).{{Cite news

| title=Honour for comic Skinner |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date = 2006-02-22}} Skinner and David Baddiel covered the 2006 FIFA World Cup by podcast for The Times. The podcasts received a nomination for the 2007 Sony Radio Academy Awards.

File:Frank Skinner.jpg in 2008]]

In 2007, Skinner performed a new live stand-up tour, his first for 10 years, starting at a warm-up gig at the Swindon Arts Centre, continuing through to the Edinburgh Festival for 2 weeks at The Pleasance, the venue where he won the Perrier Award, and a 69 date national tour including three sold-out homecoming performances at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham in the autumn.

In November 2008, after senior broadcasting figures such as ITV chairman Michael Grade and presenter Terry Wogan called for TV to reduce its use of vulgar language, Skinner decided to experiment with removing swear words altogether from his stand-up live act, although he said it would be a shame if 'clever swearing' was lost.{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7732000/7732899.stm|work=BBC News|title=Frank Skinner defends 'eloquent' swearing|date=17 November 2008|access-date=2 May 2010}} He also stood in for an ill Paul Merton as a team captain on 21 November edition of Have I Got News for You.{{Cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a136261/merton-misses-have-i-got-news-with-illness.html|title=Merton misses 'Have I Got News' with illness|first=Alex |last=Fletcher|work=Digital Spy|access-date=21 November 2008|date=21 November 2008}}

From March 2009, Skinner started to present the Saturday Morning Breakfast Show on Absolute Radio.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/jun/16/frank-skinner-absolute-radio|title=Frank Skinner extends contract at Absolute Radio|work=The Guardian|access-date=16 June 2009|date=16 June 2009|location=London|first=John|last=Plunkett}}

File:The George Formby Society (cropped).jpg in 2018]]

Skinner plays the banjo ukulele and in 2010, he contributed ukulele parts to a song by Fairport Convention called "Ukulele Central" which featured on their album Festival Bell. A great admirer of George Formby, he hosted a BBC Four TV documentary, Frank Skinner on George Formby, which aired on 27 October 2011.

In 2011, Skinner wrote and performed a Radio 4 comedy series, Don't Start, with Katherine Parkinson. Each episode was based on an argument between Skinner's character Neil and Neil's girlfriend Kim. Skinner said each episode was only 15 minutes as it was "too intense" to be any longer. Don't Start returned for a second series in 2012, and aired its third and final series in 2015-2016.

From 2012 to 2018, Skinner was the host of BBC show Room 101.{{cite web |title=Frank Skinner to host Room 101 on BBC One |date=5 January 2012 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2012/0501room.html |work=BBC Media Centre |access-date=28 October 2014}} In August 2013, he was a team captain on the BBC comedy show I Love My Country.

A longtime fan of Doctor Who, Skinner appeared alongside Peter Capaldi's Doctor in the 2014 episode Mummy on the Orient Express.{{cite news |title=Frank Skinner to star in Doctor Who - BBC News |work=BBC News |date=16 May 2014 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-27441329 |access-date=31 May 2021}}{{cite web |title=BBC One - Doctor Who, Series 8, Mummy on the Orient Express| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04lny6c |access-date=31 May 2021}} He subsequently featured in the 2019 Big Finish Productions audio release The Sinestran Kill, the first episode of Doctor Who: The Fourth Doctor Adventures, Season 8.{{cite web |title=Doctor Who - The Fourth Doctor Adventures 8.1. Doctor Who: The Sinestran Kill| url=https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/doctor-who-the-sinestran-kill-1644 |access-date=31 May 2021}}

In 2015, Skinner appeared in the inaugural season of Taskmaster. In an interview with Greg Davies and Alex Horne, Davies said that as the show was untried, there were some concerns about whether contestants "were going to be made fools of." Horne said that since the show was unscripted and contestants would just have to trust them, "that was a big step" of faith for people to make. Horne went on to say that Skinner's agreeing to be on the show was "a big moment".{{cite web |title=Greg Davies & Alex Horne Behind the Scenes of Taskmaster | website=YouTube | date=18 July 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx7v64Tr48k |access-date=11 June 2023}} Skinner performed moderately well on the show, and ended up tying for second place.{{cite web |title=Taskmaster: Frank Skinner |url=https://dave.uktv.co.uk/taskmaster/article/taskmaster-frank-skinner/ |access-date=21 June 2021}}

In 2020 Skinner began a podcast, Frank Skinner's Poetry Podcast, in which he analyses and discusses his favourite poems.{{Cite web |last=Jackman |first=Robert |title=Frank Skinner: 'I could never be a poet' {{!}} The Spectator |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/frank-skinner-i-could-never-be-a-poet- |access-date=2022-09-14 |website=spectator.co.uk |date=14 June 2021}}[https://podfollow.com/frankskinnerpoetry Frank Skinner's Poetry Podcast]

Skinner was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to entertainment.{{London Gazette|issue=63918|supp=y|page=N17|date=31 December 2022}}{{Cite news |date=2022-12-30 |title=New Year Honours 2023: Brian May and Lionesses on list|work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-64125449 |access-date=2022-12-30}}

Skinner took part in A Show for Gareth Richards at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2023, which was staged by fellow comedians Mark Simmons and Danny Ward to honour Richards's life after he died in a car-crash in April 2023. The show won the first Victoria Wood award at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2023 {{cite web | url=https://www.comedyawards.co.uk/winners | title=2023 Winners }} and raised almost £20,000 for Gareth's family.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

In March 2024, Skinner's contract with Absolute Radio was not extended, ending 15 years of his Saturday morning show on the station in May 2024. {{Cite news |date=2024-03-23 |title=Frank Skinner announces departure from Absolute Radio after 15 years|work=ITV News |url=https://www.itv.com/news/2024-03-23/frank-skinner-announces-departure-from-absolute-radio-after-15-years |access-date=2024-03-25}}

In October 2024, Skinner started a podcast, Frank Off The Radio, with a format similar to his previous Absolute Radio show and featuring the same fellow presenters.{{cite web | url=https://avalonuk.com/2024/10/07/from-frank-skinner-on-the-radio-to-frank-skinner-off-the-radio/ | title=FROM FRANK SKINNER ON THE RADIO TO FRANK SKINNER OFF THE RADIO - Avalon | date=7 October 2024 }}

In 2024, Skinner performed his show 30 Years of Dirt.{{cite web | url=https://mancunion.com/2024/11/19/frank-skinner-30-years-of-dirt-hurt-and-standing-up/ | title=Frank Skinner: 30 years of dirt, hurt, and standing up - the Mancunion | date=19 November 2024 }}

File:FSkinnerSoho081117-6 (24410637888) (cropped).jpg in 2017]]

Skinner married in 1990,{{Cite web|last=McCaffrey|first=Julie|date=2019-08-20|title=Frank Skinner on proposing and giving up x-rated jokes that made him 90s icon|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/frank-skinner-proposing-giving-up-18972627|access-date=2021-12-20|website=mirror|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Fishwick|first=Samuel|date=2019-11-22|title=Jack Thorne: Why I've fought to address disability diversity|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/jack-thorne-why-i-ve-fought-to-address-disability-diversity-on-stage-and-screen-a4294096.html|access-date=2021-12-20|website=www.standard.co.uk|language=en}} but the marriage was annulled shortly after. He and his longtime partner, Cath Mason, married at Camden Town Hall in May 2025{{cite web |last1=Rackham |first1=Annabel |title=Frank Skinner finally gets married after four proposal rejections |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0mr1yewlr0o |website=BBC News |access-date=17 May 2025 |date=16 May 2025}} and have a son, who was born in 2012.{{Cite news|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2012/01/28/14751/frank_skinner_to_be_a_dad_at_55|title=Frank Skinner to be a dad|publisher=chortle.co.uk|access-date=28 January 2012|date=28 January 2012}}{{cite news|title=Frank Skinner is a dad at 55... and his son is named Buzz Cody|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/frank-skinner-is-a-dad-at-55and-his-son-849092|work=Daily Mirror|date=27 May 2012|access-date=28 October 2014}}

Raised Roman Catholic, Skinner reconnected with the faith in his 20s, and remains a practising Roman Catholic.

He is a supporter of West Bromwich Albion, and regularly attends games.[http://fourfourtwo.com/interviews/celebrityfans/48/article.aspx Frank Skinner profile], atfourfourtwo.com; accessed 26 December 2014.

Skinner was a victim of the credit crunch in the late 2000s after investing in AIG, losing millions of pounds as a result.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10304087.stm|work=BBC News|title=Skinner reveals 'lost millions'|date=13 June 2010}} He eventually got most of the money back.[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/fameandfortune/10759586/Frank-Skinner-I-thought-I-had-lost-everything.html Frank Skinner I thought I had lost millions], telegraph.co.uk; accessed 12 December 2019.

Skinner stopped drinking alcohol at age 29, having become concerned when he changed from having sherry for breakfast to Pernod.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/nov/23/frank-skinner-comedian-body-soul|title=My body & soul: Frank Skinner, comedian, 51|date=23 November 2008|website=The Guardian}} He started performing stand-up comedy shortly afterwards.{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/frank-skinner-interview-turning-60-was-great-it-was-turning-30-that-i-found-traumatic-c6p8dvqrr|title=Frank Skinner interview: 'Turning 60 was great. It was turning 30 that I found traumatic'|first=Julia Llewellyn|last=Smith|date=25 September 2018|via=www.thetimes.co.uk}} He has said that he has never been able to replace the "white heat of joy" he got from alcohol and that his social life has never recovered from stopping drinking.{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/food-drink/article/whats-wrong-with-100-units-a-week-adrian-chiles-on-life-as-a-middleclass-drinker-xvf0zxkmt|title=What's wrong with 100 units a week? Adrian Chiles on life as a middle‑class drinker|first=Damian|last=Whitworth|date=21 August 2018|via=www.thetimes.co.uk}}

In July 2019, Skinner told The Times that he had always voted for the Labour Party, but said he would probably vote for the Green Party at the next election.{{cite web | url= https://www.thetimes.com/world/russia-ukraine-war/article/frank-skinner-interview-on-political-comedy-pernod-for-breakfast-and-his-return-to-stand-up-phxwpg8fj | title= Frank Skinner interview: on political comedy, Pernod for breakfast, and his return to stand-up | work=The Times | first=Stephen | last=Armstrong | date=14 July 2019 | access-date=13 August 2021}}

In October 2001, Skinner's autobiography, Frank Skinner by Frank Skinner, was published.{{ASIN|0099426870|country=uk}} In August 2009, he released a book centred on his return to stand-up after ten years: Frank Skinner on the Road: Love, Stand-up Comedy and the Queen of the Night.{{ASIN|0099458039|country=uk}}

In 2011, The Collected Wisdom of Frank Skinner; Dispatches from the Sofa was published.{{ASIN|B005NAD5X6}} It consists of his weekly columns for The Times, written from 2009 to 2011.

In September 2020, he released a book, How to Enjoy Poetry.

Skinner, who is a practising Christian, released a book of prayers, A Comedian's Prayer Book, in 2021.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/03/26/frank-skinner-people-like-hear-demons-not-believe-actual-demons/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/03/26/frank-skinner-people-like-hear-demons-not-believe-actual-demons/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Frank Skinner: 'It's easier to come out as an alcoholic than a Christian'|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=26 March 2021|last1=Stanford|first1=Peter}}{{cbignore}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.frankskinnerlive.com Official Website]
• [http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/2179/archbishop-rowan-and-frank-skinner-in-conversation Audio and transcript of conversation with Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams]
• {{IMDb name|0804245}}
• {{British Comedy Guide|people|frank_skinner}}

{{Absolute Radio}}

{{Edinburgh Comedy Award winners}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Skinner, Frank}}

Category:1957 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century English comedians

Category:21st-century English comedians

Category:Actors from West Bromwich

Category:Alumni of Birmingham City University

Category:Alumni of the University of Warwick

Category:Comedians from Staffordshire

Category:English autobiographers

Category:English male comedians

Category:English male television actors

Category:English Roman Catholics

Category:English male songwriters

Category:English television talk show hosts

Category:Epic Records artists

Category:Labour Party (UK) people

Category:Male actors from Staffordshire

Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire

Category:People from Oldbury, West Midlands