Christopher Biggins

Christopher Biggins was born on December 16, 1948, in Oldham, Lancashire, England, and grew up in Salisbury, Wiltshire. He received elocution lessons and participated in local drama groups, leading to early work with a repertory theatre company. He also studied at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. His acting career began in the 1970s with roles in television series such as ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’ in 1972, ‘Porridge’ (1974–1977) as Lukewarm, and ‘I, Claudius’ (1976) where he played the Roman emperor Nero. His portrayal of Reverend Osborne Whitworth in ‘Poldark’ (1977) further established him in British television.

Biggins expanded his career into children’s television, appearing as Adam Painting in ‘Rentaghost’ (1978–1983) and in ‘Brendon Chase’ (1980). His film credits include ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ (1975) as a Transylvanian, ‘The Tempest’ (1979), and ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ (1999) as The Baker. In theatre, he performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and spent 18 months at the London Palladium in ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’. He became notably associated with pantomime, frequently playing roles such as Widow Twankey in ‘Aladdin’ and Buttons in ‘Cinderella’.

Transitioning into a prominent media personality, Biggins co-hosted ‘Surprise Surprise’ and hosted the children’s game show ‘On Safari’ (1982–1984). He won the seventh series of ‘I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!’ in 2007, solidifying his status as a beloved public figure. He has also participated in ‘Celebrity Come Dine With Me’ (2009) and ‘Celebrity MasterChef’ (2014, 2020). In 2017, he received the Lifetime Achievement award at The Great British Pantomime Awards, acknowledging his significant contributions to the art form.