Humphrey Ker

Ker was born to David Peter James Ker, a fine art dealer, and Alexandra Mary, daughter of Vice-Admiral Sir Dymock Watson.The Times (Wednesday, 27 March 1974), p. 18.{{cite web|url=http://www.william1.co.uk/t43.htm|title=Tudor 43|accessdate=16 October 2012}} He is also a descendant on his father's side of the politician Henry Howard, 18th Earl of Suffolk.Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage 107th edition, vol. 3, ed. Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage Ltd, 2003, p. 3816A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Ireland, Sir Bernard Burke (revised by A. C. Fox-Davies), Harrison & Sons, 1912, p. 368{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/tales-from-a-townland-1.1032678|title=Tales from a townland|newspaper=The Irish Times }}

Ker is {{convert|6|ft|7|in|m|abbr=on}} tall. He was educated at Ludgrove School{{cite news |last1=Sutcliffe |first1=Richard |title=Wrexham and the Prince of Wales (William, not Paul Mullin) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5309984/2024/03/02/wrexham-prince-william-mullin/ |access-date=14 May 2024 |work=New York Times}} and Eton College, alongside classmate William, future Prince of Wales.{{cite web |url=http://www.etoncollege.com/ShowArticle.aspx?id=484 |title=News Article – Fringe Awards |publisher=Etoncollege.com |date=2 August 2011|accessdate=13 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304192438/http://www.etoncollege.com/ShowArticle.aspx?id=484 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}http://www.etoncollege.com/userfiles/file/FRINGEAT%20ETONA.pdf {{dead link|date=December 2016}} According to Ker, he and William "literally shared a bedroom from [age] 7 until 10".{{Cite web |last=Stivale |first=Shelby |date=2024-05-31 |title=Welcome to Wrexham and Prince William Have a Surprising Connection |url=https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/welcome-to-wrexham-and-prince-william-have-a-surprising-connection/ |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=Us Weekly |language=en-US}} He later studied history at the University of Edinburgh,{{cite news|title=A dreadful guide to Edinburgh|url=http://www.threeweeks.co.uk/article/ed2011-a-dreadful-guide-to-edinburgh/|publisher=threeweeks.co.uk|date=9 August 2011}}{{cite news|title=How We Met: Humphrey Ker & Dan Snow|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/how-we-met-humphrey-ker--dan-snow-6263217.html|publisher=independent.co.uk|date=20 November 2011}} and performed in Edinburgh University Theatre Company pantomime productions.{{Cite web |url=http://www.eutc.org.uk/people/1550 |title = Edinburgh University Theatre Company | Humphrey Kerr |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121224014308/http://www.eutc.org.uk/people/1550 |archive-date=24 December 2012 |url-status=dead}} Ker performed with fellow students David Reed and Thom Tuck as a member of this comedy troupe.{{cite news|title=Our Edinburgh: The Penny Dreadfuls|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/features/our-edinburgh-the-penny-dreadfuls-2062106.html|publisher=independent.co.uk|date=26 August 2010}}

In 2006, Ker, together with Reed and Tuck, formed The Penny Dreadfuls, who have performed their Victorian sketch shows across Britain, including at the Edinburgh Fringe with Aeneas Faversham in 2006 and Aeneas Faversham Returns in 2007.[http://www.skinnymag.co.uk/content/view/1317 The Skinny] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060928234136/http://www.skinnymag.co.uk/content/view/1317 |date=28 September 2006 }} Since then, he has appeared in Comedy Shuffle for BBC Three and the short film I am Bob, starring Bob Geldof.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2813872 |title=David Reed (IX)|website=IMDb.com|accessdate=18 December 2016}} Ker was also co-anchor on the short-lived internet-based satirical news programme Log.tv.{{cite web|url=http://www.log.tv/Default.aspx?alias%3Dwww.log.tv%2Fhumphreyker |title=Artist Log - Humphrey Ker |accessdate=16 March 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080114013739/http://www.log.tv/Default.aspx?alias=www.log.tv%2Fhumphreyker |archivedate=14 January 2008 }} with Rufus Hound.

The Penny Dreadfuls radio series The Brothers Faversham was first broadcast on BBC 7 in early January 2008. The second series, More Brothers Faversham, was aired in October 2008 and later repeated on Radio 4. The trio also wrote and starred in a 2010 comedy drama for BBC Radio 4 about Guy Fawkes.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b016rfd2 |title=Radio 4 Extra Programmes – The Penny Dreadfuls Present: Guy Fawkes |publisher=BBC |date= |accessdate=13 May 2012}} More recently, Ker has been working increasingly as a solo artist. He was a regular in the improvisational comedy show Fast and Loose, hosted by Hugh Dennis in early 2011. Later that year, he appeared as part of the 24 Hour Panel People charity show hosted by David Walliams for Red Nose Day 2011, in the Whose Line Is It Anyway? section. He has also appeared on 8 Out of 10 Cats, and in August 2013, on the show's crossover with Countdown. He also appeared as a regular on the BBC Three show Live at the Electric.{{cite web|url=http://www.liveattheelectric.com/ |title=Independent fansite for the new BBC Three show that will uniquely mix stand-up, sketch comedy and musical comedyLive At The Electric |publisher=Live at the Electric |accessdate=13 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820011052/http://liveattheelectric.com/ |archivedate=20 August 2013 }}

In August 2011 Ker presented a feature-length debut solo show at the Edinburgh Fringe entitled Humphrey Ker is...Dymock Watson: Nazi Smasher!, for which he won the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer.{{cite web |url=http://www.comedyawards.co.uk/newcomers.asp |title=Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2011 – newcomers |publisher=Comedyawards.co.uk |date= |accessdate=13 May 2012 |archive-date=6 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006102935/http://comedyawards.co.uk/newcomers.asp |url-status=dead }} The show was loosely based on the real-life story of his grandfather, Dymock Watson, who was a Special Operations Executive agent in WWII.{{cite web|author=Veronica Lee |url=http://www.theartsdesk.com/comedy/edinburgh-comedy-awards-winners |title=Edinburgh Comedy Awards winners | Comedy reviews, news & interviews |publisher=The Arts Desk |date=2 August 2011|accessdate=13 May 2012}} Ker has performed Dymock Watson: Nazi Smasher! at London's Soho Theatre, the West End's Fortune Theatre and in Los Angeles at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.{{cite web|url=http://losangeles.ucbtheatre.com/shows/view/3001 |title=UCB Theatre • Humphrey Ker is Dymock Watson, Nazi Smasher! |publisher=Losangeles.ucbtheatre.com |date= |accessdate=13 May 2012}}

Ker has appeared as a guest on various BBC Radio 4 shows, including It's Your Round with Angus Deayton, Sandi Toksvig and Milton Jones and Dilemma with Sue Perkins, Phill Jupitus and Susan Calman. He is the host of the upcoming BBC Radio 4 sketch show Sketcherama.{{cite web|url=http://www.comedy.co.uk/news/story/00000775/sketchorama_radio_4_comedy_showcase_acts_announced/ |title=Sketchorama radio showcase line-up announced – News – British Comedy Guide |publisher=Comedy.co.uk |date=1 March 2012|accessdate=13 May 2012}} In April 2012 Ker appeared as a panelist on BBC's Have I Got News for You,{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01gknnc |title=BBC One – Have I Got News for You, Series 43, Episode 2 |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=2 April 2012|accessdate=13 May 2012}} in May 2013, on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz,{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01s4vfg |title=BBC Radio 4 – The News Quiz, Series 80, Episode 4 |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=4 May 2013 |accessdate=4 May 2013}} and in August 2013 on 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.{{cite web|url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/8-out-of-10-cats-does-countdown/4od#3557096 |title=Archived copy |accessdate=18 December 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503062717/http://www.channel4.com/programmes/8-out-of-10-cats-does-countdown/4od |archivedate=3 May 2016 }} Ker also guest-starred on the NBC comedy Sean Saves the World in January 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2014/01/17/nbc-to-flip-the-michael-j-fox-show-sean-saves-the-world-next-thursday-january-23-106414/20140117nbc04/ |title=Breaking News – NBC to Flip "The Michael J. Fox Show," "Sean Saves the World" Next Thursday, January 23 |website=TheFutonCritic.com |date= |accessdate=18 December 2016}}

In 2013, Ker was the Curator in series 6 of the BBC Radio 4 comedy panel game The Museum of Curiosity.

In 2018, Ker was cast in the reboot of Greatest American Hero for ABC,{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2018/02/the-greatest-american-hero-ellie-reed-humphrey-ker-cast-abc-reboot-pilot-1202303503/|title='The Greatest American Hero': Ellie Reed & Humphrey Ker Cast in ABC Reboot Pilot|date=26 February 2018}} and appeared in an episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

In December 2021, Ker began playing the part of Elliot on the NBC sitcom American Auto.{{cite news |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |url= https://deadline.com/2021/12/justin-spitzer-the-office-superstore-american-auto-connection-tca-1234889249/ |title=Justin Spitzer On How 'The Office' & 'Superstore' Led To 'American Auto' – TCA|work=Deadline Hollywood |date=10 December 2021|accessdate=8 March 2022}}

Ker appears in the Apple TV+ original show Mythic Quest, which was co-created by his wife, Megan Ganz.

In November 2025, Ker and David Reed's comedy play Sherlock Holmes and The 12 Days of Christmas will premiere at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. It will feature original songs by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

While filming the opening season of Mythic Quest, Ker introduced his fandom for English football, and watching midweek matches of Liverpool F.C., to fellow actor, and Executive Producer of Mythic Quest, Rob McElhenney. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Ker recommended McElhenney watch the sports series documentaries Sunderland ’Til I Die and All Or Nothing. Ker later said of McElhenney:{{Cite web |author1=Ryan Herman |date=2021-10-29 |title=Why did Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney buy Wrexham? The full story of the National League club and the Hollywood owners |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/wrexham-owners-ryan-reynolds-and-rob-mcelhenney-national-league |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=fourfourtwo.com |language=en}}

"I thought, 'That’s the key to this. He's a storyteller. He needs to understand the story of football'... The All Or Nothing documentaries are very good, but they don't cut to the heart of the game, which is the fans. Rob being Rob, he devoured every documentary. He's a doer, so he said, 'Let's buy a football club'."{{Cite web |author1=Ryan Herman |date=2021-10-29 |title=Why did Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney buy Wrexham? The full story of the National League club and the Hollywood owners |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/wrexham-owners-ryan-reynolds-and-rob-mcelhenney-national-league |access-date=2023-09-12 |website=fourfourtwo.com |language=en}}

In September 2020, McElhenney and Reynolds announced their intention to buy Wrexham A.F.C. In February 2021, Ker was announced as executive director at the club following the takeover by McElhenney and Reynolds.{{cite web| url = https://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/news/humphrey-ker-new-executive-director-outlines-vision-for-wrexham-afc| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210215132733/https://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/news/humphrey-ker-new-executive-director-outlines-vision-for-wrexham-afc| archive-date = 15 February 2021| title = HUMPHREY KER {{!}} New Executive Director outlines vision for Wrexham AFC {{!}} Wrexham AFC}}

The process of Ker's involvement with the club and McElhenney and Reynolds' investment in Wrexham is covered by the multi-season TV documentary series Welcome to Wrexham.

{{Reflist}}

• {{IMDb name|id=2914657|name=Humphrey Ker}}
• {{Cite web |url=http://www.pennydreadfuls.co.uk/ |title=Official Penny Dreadfuls website |access-date=16 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071226233926/http://www.pennydreadfuls.co.uk/ |archive-date=26 December 2007 |url-status=dead }}
• [http://www.pbjmgt.co.uk/artist/humphrey-ker/ PBJ Artist Page]

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Category:1982 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century British male actors

Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh

Category:British male comedians

Category:British male radio actors

Category:British male stage actors

Category:British male television actors

Category:Comedians from London

Category:Male actors from London

Category:People educated at Eton College

Category:People educated at Ludgrove School