Haven’t I Seen You Before? Part Two
Earlier this week, as part of our IT Crowd 4.0 celebrations, we started a helpful rundown of familiar faces who have cropped up in previous episodes, in aid of those viewers who just can’t quite put a name to a face.
The series has had its fair share of cameos, especially during its first season, and a number of familiar faces have appeared on our screens alongside Jen, Roy, Moss, Douglas, Denholm and Richmond.
To help jog your memory, we’ve created a two part crash-course into all of these faces, so you can finally figure out exactly where you know each guest star from! Here then, is part two, which covers all of the second and third series – with the promise of a third part at the conclusion of the forthcoming series.
Don’t forget, you can watch the first episode of series four online now, and it airs on Channel 4 this Friday at 10pm. Keep peeling the onion this week. as we’ve got a few more treats lined up for you faithful fans of all at Renholm Indulstries.
The Work Outing
© Talkback Thames
In an episode full of notable cameos, the Booshiest of all is the wonderful Nick Burns, camping it up to the extreme as Jerome.
As well as appearances in Man Stroke Woman, Benidorm and Absolute Power, Nick is best known as the titular character in Nathan Barley, in which he co-starred with Julian Barratt and Richard Ayoade amongst others. He also memorably appeared as The King Of Xooberon in The Mighty Boosh episode The Fountain Of Youth.
© Talkback Thames
© Talkback Thames
© Talkback Thames
And this episode has one final cameo in store for us – in the form of producer Ash Atalla.
Atalla has been responsible for some of the biggest comedies of the last decade, with the likes of The Office, Look Around You, Man Stroke Woman and of course, The IT Crowd under his belt. This episode marks his ‘acting debut’!
Return Of The Golden Child
© Talkback Thames
Possibly the most notable guest star in this episode has one of the most thankless roles – that of Denholm’s flustered and overworked PA, Barbara – portayed by Belinda Stewart Wilson.
As well as appearing in the likes of Primeval, Goodnight Sweetheart, Jekyll and The Inbetweeners, Stewart-Wilson is perhaps best known to comedy fans for her work with Peter Serafinowicz. In Look Around You she memorably portrayed a computer inventor with a silent surname, Belinda . This was later followed with a regular supporting role in the award winning sketch series The Peter Serafinowicz Show.
Meanwhile, the part of the ruthless exec Derek Pippen is portrayed by Silas Carson – who has appeared in numerous tv series over the years (including a semi regular stint on The Bill), but is perhaps best known for his appearance in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith and even more notably, as the voice of the Ood in Doctor Who since 2006.
© Talkback Thames
Also in the episode is Alex Macqueen as the somewhat flustered vicar. You may not know his name, but with appearances in the likes of Holby City, The Inbetweeners, The Thick Of It and Krod Mandoon to name but a few, we’re sure you’ll know his face!
For a more Booshy connection, he co-starred in The Wrong Door alongside Matt Berry, made an appearance with Rich Fulcher in Trexx and Flipside and recently appeared in Chris Morris’ fantastic feature film Four Lions.
Moss And The German
© Talkback Thames
The Dinner Party
© Talkback Thames
Another gem in the British sitcom circuit, Catherine Shepherd appears in one of the most famous episodes of The IT Crowd as Jessica, the stuttering and awkward date who manages to seduce Richmond with talk of eating fish and “having a conversation”.
Shepherd is perhaps best known for her regular appearances in The Peter Serafinowicz Show, but she has also clocked up guest slots on Black Books, Peep Show (and the Mitchell & Webb movie Magicians), Ruddy Hell It’s Harry & Paul, Hyperdrive and, linking back to Booshdom, the mostly forgotten ‘yoof’ comedy Trexx & Flipside featuring Rich Fulcher back in 2008.
Smoke And Mirrors
© Talkback Thames
The role of Jen’s idol, Helen Buley (who mistakes the burning Abracadabra as a giant practical joke) was filled by the remarkable Amelia Bullmore, whose career in often hard-hitting comedy and drama are worlds apart from the way many people first saw her – as Steph Barnes in Coronation Street for several years, she had the nation gripped through some of the most shocking storylines the soap had then covered.
Immediately going against type, Amelia utilised her talents as a writer (with two episodes of popular drama This Life under her belt) to write material for, and star in the surreal sketch show Big Train – created by Arthur Matthews & Graham Linehan, and featuring the likes of Julia Davis, Simon Pegg, Kevin Eldon & Mark Heap amongst others. This, and her appearances in Brass Eye led her to work with Chris Morris on the ambient nightmare dreamscape that is Jam, and Bullmore followed this up with the role of Sonja in the second series of Steve Coogan’s sublime I’m Alan Partridge.
In recent years, Amelia has returned to dramatical performances, with regular roles in both State Of Play and Ashes To Ashes. Her cameo here suggests the comedy bug may not have quite left her system yet…
From Hell
© Talkback Thames
Jen’s builder, Gary, is played by Jonathan Ryland – a well known face thanks to his regular role in ITV comedy drama Fat Friends.
With movie roles including a blink & you’ll miss him appearance in The Dark Knight and the recent Russell Brand comedy Get Him To The Greek, and tv guest slots in the likes of Pulling and Gavin & Stacey, it’s safe to say you’ll have seen him somewhere, somehow. However, its the shadow of his two-episode stint in Spaced as Dexter’s lackey Cromwell that forever looms large over his career – as generation after generation will no doubt be learning the rules of Robot Club long after we’re all gone.
Tramps Like Us
© Talkback Thames
If you didn’t recognise the Tramp in this episode, you may be on the wrong website!
Yes, of course, it’s none other than Tom Meeten, forever immortalised as Lance Dior in The Mighty Boosh episode The Power Of The Crimp. However, there is much more to Tom than this, or his other appearance in the Boosh, as Xooberon artist Peppo in The Fountain Of Youth.
One half of Oram & Meeten (along side fellow tramp ‘Donny’ from The Strange Tale Of The Crack Fox, Steve Oram), the duo have been entertaining live audiences in London and beyond for many years, as well as creating a series of hilarious comedy shorts which are available on YouTube. The pair also appeared together in Ant Muzak – a hilarious if relatively unseen short that offers a proposed night at the supermarket for Adam and the Ants.
Tom is also a large part of Jackal Films alongside Alice Lowe, Jacqueline Wright and Antony Elvin – and has appeared in numerous shorts with Lowe throughout the year, as well as the sublime wonderment of Lifespam for BBC3 in 2009. He has also appeared with Alice in Sky Movies short Dead Happy and Channel 4 sitcom Beehive, and also crops up via a video cameo during Rich Fulcher & Dave Brown’s stage show An Audience With Eleanor The Tour Whore!
And that’s not all… with appearances in Dan Clark’s How Not To Live Your Life, Steve Coogan’s Saxondale, and forgotten sketch show Blunder with Simon Farnaby, Rhys Thomas and David Mitchell further strengthening the ties to Booshdom. Tom is not so much a strand as an important artery, and long may he continue to make us laugh!
The Speech
© Talkback Thames
Series three holds one last notable surprise in the form of Lucy Montgomery as April – a fresh love interest for Douglas who just happens to be from Iran used to be a man: a fact she struggles to tell the dimwitted boss.
And this won’t be the first place you’ll have seen Lucy in Booshdom, with appearances in AD/BC: A Rock Opera and a small role as a townsperson in The Priest And The Beast episode of The Mighty Boosh. Montgomery is also a regular on sketch show Titty Titty Bang Bang and most recently appeared in Bellamy’s People alongside her husband, Fast Show and Nathan Barley star Rhys Thomas.
Isn’t it grand how all of these people link together?
We hope to post a follow up edition of this feature after the fourth series.
