Armando Iannucci

Armando Iannucci

Date of birth: 30-11-1963
Half-Italian, half-Scottish Armando Iannucci abandoned his Oxford graduate studies in English to take up a career in broadcasting - and has since become one of the most important catalysts in bringing comedy to the screen.

He started his career in the early Nineties as a radio producer, working on The Mary Whitehouse Experience, Quote... Unquote, The News Quiz and On The Hour. This spoof news show transferred to TV as The Day Today and spawned Alan Partridge, whose award-winning shows on TV and radio Iannucci produced and co-wrote.

Iannucci has also fronted his own satirical shows, including The Saturday (or Friday) Night Armistice on BBC Two, his self-titled show on Channel 4 and his Radio 4 show Armando Iannucci's Charm Offensive. He is also a regular on Radio 4 panel shows such as The News Quiz and The 99p Challenge and has worked on a number of Radio 3 shows, because of his passion for classical music.

More recently, he created the political satire The Thick Of It, about a beleaguered Minister trying to cope with the pressure imposed by his army of spin doctors, and the spoof clip show Time Trumpet.

In 2006, he was made Visiting Professor of Broadcast Media at Oxford University, and was appointed as a BBC executive to develop new comedy shows.

He is also a columnist for The Observer, and a collection of his earlier newspaper work for the Telegraph and the Guardian was published in a 1997 collection, Facts And Fancies, which was also adapted for a Radio 4 series.

Iannucci has also directed a number of TV commercials, for clients incluting Nationwide.

Read More
© PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo

Steve Coogan to play Dr Strangelove on stage

Comic will star in Armando Iannucci and Sean Foley's adaptation

Steve Coogan will take the lead roles in Dr Strangelove in the stage adaption of Stanley Kubrick's classic 1964 cold war satire, it has been announced

In the original, Peter Sellers played US president Merkin Muffley, RAF officer Lionel Mandrake and the titular character – an insane nuclear war expert and former Nazi.

The show is adapted by Armando Iannucci, who worked with Coogan on Alan Partridge before finding success in the likes of The Thick of It and Veep, and acclaimed comedy director Sean Foley.

Coogan said: ‘The idea of putting Dr Strangelove on stage is daunting. A huge responsibility. It’s also an exciting challenge, an opportunity to bring this timeless classic to a new audience. 

‘Knowing that I will be part of a creative team led by Sean Foley and Armando Iannucci means I will be working with the best people. Sean is a master of stage comedy and Armando and I started working with each other over 30 years ago. We made some memorable comedy together so it’s great to be collaborating with him once again.’

The show – originally announced in July – will be the first adaptation of any of Stanley Kubrick’s works to be given official approval by the director’s family. The adaptation will remain a period piece.

Iannucci added: ‘It’s a tale of our time and it needs one of the most amazing talents of our time to tell it: I’ve seen Steve Coogan close-up for many years now, and can tell you that no-one gets right under the skin of a character the way he does. 

‘There’s a total focus on how each character would speak and move and even think, added to which is an instinctive comic timing and dramatic charisma that’s second to none.

‘He’s able to get huge audiences to connect with the vulnerabilities and fine details of each character he brings to life. We’re all so delighted he’ll be bringing these amazing gifts to the stage for the hugely contrasting roles in Dr Strangelove and I for one can’t wait to see Steve make them his own. It’s going to be a thrill for all of us.’

Dr Strangelove will run at the Noël Coward Theatre in London on October 8 to December 21 December with opening night on October 29. Tickets on go on sale tomorrow.

It is being produced by Patrick Miles and David Luff, who previously brought the satirical film Network to the West End and Broadway.

Thanks for reading. If you find Chortle’s coverage of the comedy scene useful or interesting, please consider supporting us with a monthly or one-off ko-fi donation.
Any money you contribute will directly fund more reviews, interviews and features – the sort of in-depth coverage that is increasingly difficult to fund from ever-squeezed advertising income, but which we think the UK’s vibrant comedy scene deserves.
Read More

Published: 26 Sep 2023

Good 4 comedy |   BBC4 unveils new satires

Good 4 comedy

BBC4 is ramping up its comedy content, with new late-night…
15/12/2004

Good 4 comedy |   BBC4 unveils new satires

Good 4 comedy

BBC4 is ramping up its comedy content, with new late-night…
15/12/2004

Playing God... |   Comics set for nativity rock opera

Playing God...

Some of Britain’s top new comic talents are to…
24/11/2004

Oh, happy Day

A never-before-seen pilot episode of The Day Today…
1/03/2004

Norfolk broads

I'm Alan Partridge is returning on Monday November…
28/10/2002

Skip to page

We see you are using AdBlocker software. Chortle relies on advertisers to fund this website so it’s free for you, so we would ask that you disable it for this site. Our ads are non-intrusive and relevant. Help keep Chortle viable.