- Along with Lee Cornes and Rik Mayall, he is one of only three actors outside of the six core "Blackadder" cast members (Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, Tim McInnerny, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Miranda Richardson) to appear in three different "Blackadder" series: La vipère noire (1982), La vipère noire II (1986) and La vipère noire IV (1989).
- A distinguished Shakespearean, he acted with the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon, the Bristol Old Vic and with the Young Vic in London. His many acclaimed performances include Bardolph, Mercutio and King Lear. He also lent his voice to BBC radio and audio recordings. On screen, he is fondly remembered as the gaoler Mr. Ploppy.
- Was a Cambridge contemporary of Peter Cook.
- Suffered for the last fifteen years of his life from multiple myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer.
- His father was a former fishmonger, turned engineer. His mother was a nurse.
- Attended St. John's College, Cambridge, on a scholarship.
- Leading performer for many years in the BBC Radio 4 topical satirical programme 'Week Ending'.
- Achieved his first stage fame in the late 1960s playing Harold Wilson, the then Prime Minister, in the play "Mrs. Wilson's Diary", based on the famous satirical column in the magazine "Private Eye".
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