Tribute show to feature Steve Coogan, Rory Bremner, Rob Brydon, Harry Hill and Stewart Lee

Comedians including Steve Coogan, Rory Bremner, Rob Brydon, Harry Hill and Stewart Lee are to celebrate the life of musician Steve Brown, who died earlier this year.

They are among a line-up of stars who will be singing some of the songs he wrote at a gig in London’s Savoy Theatre in September.

As well as his career as an acclaimed composer and lyricist Brown worked on countless comedy shows. He was a long-time collaborator of Hill’s and played bandleader Glenn Ponder on  Knowing Me, Knowing You... With Alan

Partridge. He also wrote many of the songs for Spitting Image and collaborated with the likes of Lenny Henry, Lee Mack and Rory Bremner on their shows.

Tony! The Tony Blair Rock Opera which he wrote with Hill, played the Edinburgh Fringe last year. and they also wrote  I Can't Sing! The X Factor Musical together.  Brown also co-wrote the West End musical Spend Spend Spend about 1960s pools winner Viv Nicholson.

Brown also produced acclaimed debut albums by the singer-songwriters Rumer and Laura Mvula, who will also be performing at the tribute gig. He also wrote the Wonky Donkey jingle for Ant and Dec’s SM:TV

Also on the bill are  Dead Ringers star Jan Ravens, Brown’s first wife, and their son Alfie Brown, the stand-up.

Hill said: ‘Steve wrote great songs for all of us , he  made us all  sound smarter and funnier than we ever were - and here we are, all together  to celebrate what he gave us. It’s going to be brilliant.’

Others on the bill include Charlie Baker, Jon Culshaw, Michael Fenton Stevens,  artist Grayson Perry  and Barbara Dickson – who starred in Spend Spend Spend – all of whom will be backed by The Matt Backer Big Band.

Brown died in February of fibrosis lung disease, at the age of 69.

The memorial show takes place on September 17 and tickets go on sale at 10am on Monday.

Published: 13 Jun 2024