Dave Spikey

Dave Spikey

Date of birth: 31-08-1950
Former NHS haematologist Dave Spikey’s stand-up career started in 1992 after many years writing routines and sketches for other comedians, TV and radio.

He performed with Rick Sykes as the double act Spikey and Sykey, appearing on ITV's New Faces show. They split up soon afterwards.

In 1991 he won the City Life North West Comedian of the year title.

He went on to host gameshow Chain Letters in 1997, following on from Jeremy Beadle, among others.

His next big break came with his writing collaboration with Peter Kay, first on That Peter Kay Thing and then on Phoenix Nights, in which he also starred as club compere Jerry St Clair. It won the Best Newcomer award at the British Comedy Awards in 2002.

He has performed two tours, Overnight Success (which sold 75,000 copies on DVD) and Living The Dream.

In 2005, he wrote and starred in the ITV comedy-drama, Dead Man Weds, which he also co-starred in, and in 2006 he presented the revival of darts gameshow Bullseye on Challenge

And since 2005 Spikey has been one of the regular team captains on the Channel 4 panel game, 8 Out of 10 Cats.

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Comics join Alma’s Not Normal cast

Thanyia Moore, Dave Spikey and Ben Willbond to appear in Sophie Willan’s sitcom

Comedians Thanyia Moore, Dave Spikey and Ben Willbond have joined the cast of Sophie Willan’s sitcom Alma’s Not Normal.

Chortle last week reported how filming had begun on the six-part series in Bolton and Central Manchester, following the success of a pilot last year.

Now the BBC has officially confirmed the show’s return with the core cast all coming back. Willan, who wrote the semi-autobiographical series, plays Alma with  Siobhan Finneran  as her mum Lin; Lorraine Ashbourne as her Nan Joan, Jayde Adams as Alma’s best friend Leanne, James Baxter as Alma’s ex-boyfriend Anthony and Nicholas Asbury as Jim.

The roles of the new cast members have not been revealed.

Willan said: ‘I’m delighted that filming is under way for series one of Alma’s Not Normal, and even happier to be working alongside such a fantastic group of actors!

‘We can’t wait for audiences to learn more about Alma’s world and the eclectic mix of characters that surround her.’

Last week, this week the cast and crew were spotted at work at Bolton Library, and before that at the high-rise Hilton hotel in Manchester’s Deansgate.

In an Instagram post, Willan said: ‘I’ve done quite well with his script because I’ve basically been like, "she’s in posh fancy hotel and looking fabulous" - I’ve just got that in it loads which means I get to look fabulous and mince around.’

Nerys Evans, executive producer for progamme-makers Expectation, added: ‘We’re delighted to be making a full series of Alma’s Not Normal, after such a wonderful response to the pilot.

‘Sophie is an incredible talent - she is such a gifted writer and performer and has written something that feels both utterly modern and yet timeless.’

No broadcast date has yet been announced for the comedy, which is produced by  Gill Isles and directed by Andrew Chaplin.

The BBC says 'Alma’s Not Normal offers a bitingly funny and unflinching take on class, sexuality, mental health and substance abuse' and 'celebrates women dealing with the hands they’ve been dealt while doggedly pursing their dreams'.

Here's a clip from the pilot:

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Published: 10 May 2021

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