Adrian Edmondson
Biography
Adrian Edmondson was born in Bradford, Yorkshire. He went to Manchester University to study drama. Whilst he was there he met Rik Mayall, and the pair began performing as 20th Century Coyote. The act continued after university when Adrian & Rik moved to London, and they became two of the leading lights in the new 'alternative comedy' scene, performing at the newly established Comedy Store, and setting up their own club, The Comic Strip, with 'Peter Richardson', Nigel Planer, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, and Alexei Sayle. This spawned two 1980s TV series: The Young Ones (1982), and The Comic Strip Presents... (1982) In the 1990's Ade & Rik continued their partnership with a new series called Bottom (1991), which ran for three seasons and became a major success on the live circuit. It was basically a live sitcom, liberally sprinkled with slapstick humour, and the pair did 5 long tours between 1993 and 2003. Simultaneously, Adrian established himself as an actor, doing two improvised TV films under the Screen One and Screen Two umbrella, with director Les Blair: Screen Two: Honest, Decent and True (1986), and Screen One: News Hounds (1990) (winner of the BAFTA for best single drama). He was a regular in the hospital drama Holby City (1999) from 2005 - 2008. He took the lead in a drama documentary about the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster in the series Surviving Disaster (2006), and appeared as Henry Austen in the TV movie Miss Austen Regrets (2008), the film Blood (2012), and the drama series Prey (2014). But his most notable dramatic role to date is that of Count Rostov in the BBC series War & Peace (2016).
Known For
Midsomer Murders
1997
The Graham Norton Show
2007
Holby City
1999
Death in Paradise
2011
The One Show
2006
Ready, Steady, Cook
1994
Natural World
1983
Screen Two
1985
Would I Lie to You?
2007
Genius
2017
Film '72
1971
The Alan Titchmarsh Show
2007
Filmography
Midsomer Murders
as Hugo Welles · 1997
The Graham Norton Show
as Self · 2007
Holby City
as Percy "Abra" Durant · 1999
Death in Paradise
as Charles Crabtree · 2011
The One Show
as Self - Guest · 2006
Ready, Steady, Cook
as Self - Guest · 1994
Natural World
as Narrator · 1983
Screen Two
as Alun Pickersgill · 1985
Would I Lie to You?
as Self · 2007
Genius
as David Hilbert · 2017
Film '72
as Self · 1971
The Alan Titchmarsh Show
as Self · 2007
Pebble Mill
as Self · 1991
3 Body Problem
as Denys Porlock · 2024
An Audience with...
as Self · 1978
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
as Captain Peavey · 2017
Great British Menu
as Self - Guest Judge · 2006
Richard Osman's House of Games
as Self - Contestant · 2017
Alien: Earth
as Atom Eins · 2025
Blackadder
as Baron von Richtoven · 1983
Absolutely Fabulous
as Hamish · 1992
Jonathan Creek
as Brendan Baxter · 1997
The Young Ones
as Vyvyan · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Dick · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Eddie Monsoon · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Mike/Hatchett/Julio/Bolsen/Man in Cage/Jenkins/Zarkoff · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Desmond · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Gordon/Bill · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as John · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Peter · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Martin · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Billy · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Vim Fuego · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Ace · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Bean · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Dreamy Time Escort · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Brian · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Adrian/Slim/Policeman · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Michael · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Billy/Prince/Giles Cricket Bat Portland · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as 2nd MI5 Man/Fan · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
as Bestman · 1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
· 1982
Celebrity Mastermind
· 2003
Going Live!
as Self · 1987
Celebrity Catchphrase
as Self - Contestant · 2018
War and Peace
as Ilya Rostov · 2016
Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled
as Self · 2014
Screen One
as Phil Burke · 1989
Urban Myths
as Leslie Conn · 2017
French & Saunders
as John · 1987
Britain's Got More Talent
as Self · 2007
Press Gang
as Simon Knowles · 1989
Upstart Crow
as Dogberry · 2016
A Spy Among Friends
as Sir Roger Hollis · 2022
Catchphrase
· 2013
Saturday Live
· 1986
Bottom
as Edward Elizabeth Hitler · 1991
Comic Relief Does Fame Academy
· 2003
Between the Covers
as Self · 2020
The Secret Policeman's Ball
as Self · 1976
Save Me
as Gideon Charles · 2018
Bergerac
as Nigel · 2025
The Pact
as Richard · 2021
This Morning
as Self · 1988
Let's Dance for Comic Relief
as Self - Contestant · 2009
Prey
as DCI Warner · 2014
Bancroft
as Superintendent Cliff Walker · 2017
Back to Life
as John Boback · 2019
The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff
as Headmaster Wackville · 2012
Twisted Tales
as Ed Barnes · 2005
Gadget Man
· 2012
Cheat
as William Vaughan · 2019
Spine Chillers
· 2003
One of Us
as Peter Elliot · 2016
Happy Families
as Guy Fuddle · 1985
The Great Sport Relief Bake Off
as Self - Contestant · 2012
Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story
as Phil · 2024
Filthy Rich & Catflap
as Edward Catflap · 1987
Hardwicke House
as Tiny · 1987
Toad & Friends
as Toad · 2023
Doctors and Nurses
as Dr. Roy Glover · 2004
If You See God, Tell Him
as Gordon Spry · 1993
Look at the State We're In!
as Dewhurst · 1995
Guest House Paradiso
as Eddie Elizabeth Ndingombaba · 1999
The Dangerous Brothers
as Sir Adrian Dangerous · 1986
Out of Her Mind
as Lewis · 2020
School's Out
as Self · 2006
Captain Star
· 1997
Rita Rudner
· 1990
Blood
as Tom Tiernan · 2012
Interlude in Prague
as Herr Luptak · 2017
Surviving Disaster
· 2006
Snakes and Ladders
as Giles Tewkesbury · 1989
Ade in Britain
· 2011
Five Go Mad in Dorset
as Dick · 1982
The Best Birthday Ever
as Granny (voice) · 2022
imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter
as Self · 2023
Boom Boom... Out Go the Lights
· 1980
Miss Austen Regrets
as Henry Austen · 2008
Eat the Rich
as Charles · 1987
Summer School
as Peter · 1983
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Treasure of the Peacock's Eye
as Zyke · 1995
The Rizen
as Interviewer · 2017
The Pope Must Die
as Father Rookie · 1991
An Audience With Victoria Wood
as Self · 1988
South Atlantic Raiders: Part 1
as Billy · 1990
Mr Jolly Lives Next Door
as Dreamy Time Escort · 1988
Sam & Ade Go Birding
· 2026
The Making of 'Guest House Paradiso'
as Self · 1999
Gino: Full Story and Pics
as Gordon/Bill · 1984
French and Saunders' Christmas Carol
as Tim Goodchance · 1994
Rocky Horror Show Live
as Narrator · 2015
Five Go to Rehab
as Dick · 2012
Four Men in a Car
as Ian · 1998
Teenage Kicks
· 2008
Eddie Monsoon - a Life?
as Eddie Moonson · 1984
Letters Live from the Archive: Union Chapel
as Self · 2021
Space Virgins from Planet Sex
as 'K' / Air Traffic Controller · 1993
Five Go Mad on Mescalin
as Dick · 1983
Monte Carlo or Bust
· 2010
The Comic Strip
· 1981
Rik Mayall: Magnificent B'Stard
as Self · 2026
Bad News
as Vim Fuego/Alan Metcalfe · 1983
Rocky Horror Tribute Show
as Brad · 2008
Bottom: Exposed
as Himself · 2024
Completely Bad News
as Vim Fuego · 2019
The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball
as Self · 1989
The Trick
as Edward Acton · 2021
Red Nose of Courage
as John Major/Coco the Clown · 1992
Holy - Bottom: Christmas Special
as Edward Elizabeth Hitler · 1992
Four Men in a Plane
as Ian Crisp · 2000
Rik Mayall's Sketches: Rare And Unseen
as Self (archive footage) · 2026
The Comic Strip - A Retrospective
as Self · 2005
Dangerous Brothers Present: World of Danger
as Sir Adrian Dangerous · 1986
More Bad News
as Vim Fuego · 1988
The Comic Relief Utterly Utterly Rude Video Live
as Self · 1986
RSC Live: Twelfth Night
as Malvolio · 2018
The Supergrass
as Dennis Carter · 1985
GLC: The Carnage Continues
as Billy/Prince Charles/Giles Cricket Bat Portland · 1990
Bottom Live 2003: Weapons Grade Y-Fronts Tour
as Edward Hitler · 2003
A Fistful of Travellers' Cheques
as Billy · 1984
War
as Various Roles · 1983
Dead on Time
as Fool · 1983
How The Young Ones Changed Comedy
· 2018
Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band - 40th Anniversary Celebration
as Self · 2006
Oxford
as 2nd MI5 Man / Fan · 1990
Les Dogs
as Best Man · 1990
Codes
as Head of MI6
Bottom Live 2: The Big Number 2 Tour
as Eddie · 1995
Gregory: Diary of a Nutcase
as Gregory Dawson · 1993
News Hounds
as Phil Burke · 1990
The Best of French & Saunders
as Various · 2002
Jack and the Beanstalk: The ITV Pantomime
as Dame Dolly · 1998
Bottom Live 3: Hooligan's Island
as Eddie Hitler · 1997
Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)
as John · 1986
If It Ain't Stiff: The Stiff Records Story
as Self (Narrator) · 2007
Bottom Live: The Stage Show
as Eddie · 1993
Blackadder's Most Cunning Moments
as Self - Baron von Richthoven (archive footage) (uncredited) · 2008
The Making of 'The Young Ones'
as Self (Archived Footage) · 2007
Private Enterprise
as Brian · 1986
Britain Beware!
as Self (Presenter) · 2012
Big Bottom Live - The Best of Bottom Live
· 1999
Kevin Turvey: The Man Behind the Green Door
as Keith Marshall · 1982
The Beat Generation
as Desmond · 1983
Bottom Live 2001: An Arse Oddity
as Eddie · 2001
South Atlantic Raiders: Part 2 Argie Bargie!
as Billy · 1990
The Rizen: Possession
as The Interviewer · 2019
Just Like That!
as Self · 1989
Demonella
as Sid Vicious · 1993
Honest Decent & True
as Alun Pickersgill · 1986
Bottom Mindless Violence
as Vyvyan / Eddie Catflap / Sir Adrian Dangerous / Dreamy Time Escort / Eddie Hitler / Eddie Ndingombaba (archive footage) · 2004
Dirty Movie
as Bean · 1984
The Man
as Ash · 1999
King Rocker
as Self (archive footage) · 2020
Ade at Sea
as Self · 2014
Bottom Fluff
· 1996
The Yob
as Michael · 1988
The Strike
as Adrian/Slim/Policeman · 1988
Slags
as Ace · 1984
Susie
as Martin · 1984