Paul Zerdin
{{Short description|British comedian and ventriloquist}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{BLP sources|date=October 2016}}
{{Independent sources|date=October 2015}}
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| image =
| caption =
| name = Paul Zerdin
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1972|8|21}}
| birth_place = London, England
| nationality = English
| education =
| agent = https://intertalentgroup.com/
| occupation = Ventriloquist, comedian
| years_active = {{Flatlist|
- 1993
- 1996
- 2008
- 2015–present
}}
| notable_works = America's Got Talent (season 10) (Winner)
| television = See list
| height =
| spouse =
| children =
| parents =
| relatives =
| website = {{URL|http://www.paulzerdin.com}}
| signature =
| signature_size =
}}
Paul Zerdin (born 21 August 1972) is a British comedian and ventriloquist from London. He was the winner of the 10th season of America's Got Talent.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-22 |title=Paul Zerdin {{!}} 11/22/24 |url=https://www.ktnv.com/morningblend/paul-zerdin-11-22-24 |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=Channel 13 Las Vegas News KTNV |language=en}}
Early life
When Zerdin was 10, a family friend made him a puppet theatre which he used to put on shows. Having failed his GCSEs, Zerdin got a job in a magic shop, developing his magic skills along the way. Simultaneously, he was also developing a sideline as a children's entertainer.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}
Career
Zerdin made his TV debut as a magician on the BBC's Tricky Business. Shortly afterwards, at the age of 20, Zerdin landed a two-year contract presenting the Disney-produced children's programme Rise and Shine for GMTV.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/comedians/paul-zerdin-british-ventriloquist-wins-americas-got-talent/|title=British ventriloquist Paul Zerdin wins America's Got Talent|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2017-04-27|language=en-GB}}
In 1996, Zerdin was the first outright winner – by over 100,000 votes – of LWT's The Big Big Talent Show, hosted by Jonathan Ross.{{cn|date=April 2025}} Lythgoe secured Zerdin a spot on The Prince's Trust Gala Show in 1997.[http://www.paulzerdin.com/paul Paul Zerdin's biography] – Paul Zerdin
During the 2016-17 Christmas season, Zerdin played Cinderella's sidekick Buttons in the London Palladium production of the pantomime Cinderella, leading the Radio Times to dub him "inspired casting." The magazine added that "His quick wit, rapport with the crowd and astonishing skills with puppet Sam turn the often toe-curling audience participation bits (don't sit in the front row) into genuinely hilarious moments."{{Cite news|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-12-16/cinderella-review-paul-ogrady-and-julian-clary-are-spectacularly-bonkers|title=Cinderella review: Paul O'Grady and Julian Clary are spectacularly bonkers ★★★★|work=RadioTimes|access-date=2017-06-05|language=en}}
''Got Talent''
In 2015, Zerdin auditioned for the tenth season of America's Got Talent, successfully earning a place in the live rounds of the contest, before eventually winning the finals on 16 September 2015. Alongside winning $1 million, Zerdin was given his own headline show in Las Vegas. Entitled Mouthing Off, it ran for four months in 2016, between 14 May and 4 September, at Planet Hollywood, before closing due to low attendance figures.{{cite web|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/entertainment-columns/kats/zerdins-mouthing-off-to-go-silent-at-planet-hollywood/|title=Zerdin's 'Mouthing Off' to go silent at Planet Hollywood|date=24 August 2016|access-date=20 September 2018}} In 2019, Zerdin returned to partake in the programme's spin-off contest, America's Got Talent: The Champions, in January, and the spin-off contest, Britain's Got Talent: The Champions,{{Cite web |title=MSN |url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/tv/americas-got-talent-winner-to-perform-in-milton-keynes/ar-AA1BtEd5?ocid=BingNewsVerp |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=www.msn.com}} in July later that year, but failed to reach the final of either show.
Filmography
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 1993
| Rise and Shine | Presenter | GMTV (Kids) |
| rowspan=2|1996
| The Big Big Talent Show | Himself | Winner |
| Sooty & Co.
| Little Cousin Paul |ITV |
| 2008
| rowspan=2| Himself |
| 2015
| rowspan=2| America's Got Talent | Winner |
| rowspan="2" |2016
|Himself and Guest |NBC |
| Newzoids
| Himself |ITV |
| 2017
| Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? | Himself and Guest |ABC |
| rowspan="2" |2019
| rowspan="3" | Himself | rowspan="2" |ITV |
| Tenable All Stars |
| 2021 |
=Stage=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Venue/ Place ! Notes |
|---|
| 1998
| Paul Zerdin in Paradise | rowspan="2" | Himself | Paradise Room in The Casino (11 July - 7 November) |
| 2017, 2018, 2020
| Paul Zerdin LIVE | Butlins (Minehead, Bognor and Skegness) | School summer holidays only and February half term (2018 only) {{cite web|url=https://www.butlins.com/breaks/february-half-term/index.aspx|title=February Half Term Breaks - UK Holidays 2019 - Butlins|website=Butlins|access-date=20 September 2018}} |
| 2016
| Buttons | |
| rowspan="2" | 2017
| Paul Zerdin All Mouth | Himself | UK Tour | |
| Dick Whittington
| Idle Jack | rowspan="4" | The London Palladium | |
| 2018
| Muddles | |
| 2019
| Goldilocks & the Three Bears | Silly Billy | |
| 2022
| Silly Simon | |
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2018
| Karts in Suzuka | Sam Zerdin | |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
- {{IMDb name|1368368}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box|title=America's Got Talent winner|before=Mat Franco|after=Grace VanderWaal |years=Season 10 (Summer 2015)}}
{{s-end}}
{{America's Got Talent}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zerdin, Paul}}
Category:America's Got Talent winners