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Diane Morgan

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Diane Morgan
Born (1975-10-05) 5 October 1975 (age 49)
Bolton, Greater Manchester, England
Alma materEast 15 Acting School
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • writer
Years active2002–present
PartnerBen Caudell

Diane Morgan (born 5 October 1975) is an English actress, comedian and writer. She has portrayed Philomena Cunk on the review programme Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe (2013–2020) and in the mockumentary series Cunk on Britain (2018) and Cunk on Earth (2022). She also played Liz on the BBC Two sitcom Motherland (2016–2022) and Kath in the Netflix dark comedy series After Life (2019–2022), as well as writing and starring in the BBC Two comedy series Mandy (2019–present).

Early life

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Morgan was born in Bolton, Greater Manchester,[1] on 5 October 1975,[2][3] the daughter of a physiotherapist and a stay-at-home mother; she has one brother.[4] She grew up in nearby Farnworth and Kearsley and attended George Tomlinson School in Kearsley.[5][6] When she was 20, she studied at the East 15 Acting School in Loughton.[7] She said in a 2020 interview: "There were a few actors on [my father]'s side of the family: Julie Goodyear, Frank Finlay and Jack Wild. What a dynasty. We're like the Redgraves. Julie's got a touch of the Mandys, actually. Maybe I could cast her as Mandy's mum."[8]

Career

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Morgan had a small acting role, as Dawn in Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights, before taking various other mundane jobs, including as a dental assistant, a telemarketer, a potato peeler at a chip shop, selling Avon, and boxing up worming tablets in a factory.[7] She subsequently made her first attempt at stand-up comedy at age 30.[7] She was placed second in the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year award in 2006, and as runner-up in the 2006 Funny Women Awards.[9]

Morgan and Joe Wilkinson later formed a sketch comedy duo called Two Episodes of Mash.[10] From 2008, they performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for three consecutive years,[11][12][13] and in 2010, they appeared on Robert Webb's satirical news show Robert's Web.[14] In 2012, the act completed its second BBC radio series[15] (co-starring David O'Doherty), and appeared in BBC Three's Live at the Electric.[16] In the same year, she appeared in Him & Her, which featured Wilkinson, and in 2013, she played Nicola in the TV series Pat & Cabbage.[17] In 2014, she made an appearance in the Channel 4 TV series Utopia, as Tess,[18] and in 2015, she appeared in two episodes of Drunk History.[19]

Philomena Cunk

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Morgan is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Philomena Cunk, a dim-witted, ill-informed, yet earnest interviewer and commentator on history, culture and current affairs. The character first appeared on Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe (2013–2015), including as the presenter of a regular segment titled "Moments of Wonder".[18] Cunk has since appeared in other mockumentary contexts. In December 2016, she presented BBC Two's Cunk on Christmas.[20] In April 2018, the five-part historical mockumentary Cunk on Britain began broadcasting on BBC Two.[21][22] In December 2019, Morgan appeared as Cunk for short episodes of Cunk and Other Humans, once again on BBC Two. She returned in a one-off episode of Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe titled "Antiviral Wipe", about the COVID-19 pandemic, in May 2020.[23] Another series, Cunk on Earth, began broadcasting in September 2022.[24] For her performance in the latter, Morgan was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance.[25] In 2024, the BBC announced that Morgan will be appearing as Cunk in the one-off extended special Cunk on Life in December 2024.[26][27]

Other roles

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Morgan played David Brent's public relations expert in the film David Brent: Life on the Road (2016). She has appeared in several short films, including The Boot Sale, which was shortlisted in the Virgin Media Shorts film competition 2010.[28][29]

In 2016, Morgan played Mandy in Sky One's comedy Rovers, appearing in all six episodes of the first series. She appeared in the pilot for the BBC2 comedy We the Jury as Olivia.[30] She also plays receptionist Talia in Sky's comedy drama Mount Pleasant and Liz in the BBC2 sitcom Motherland.[31]

Morgan plays Kath in the Netflix black-comedy series After Life, written by Ricky Gervais.[32] She starred in the Gold sitcom The Cockfields, again alongside Wilkinson,[33] and in comedy-drama Frayed in 2019. In 2019, she wrote, directed, and starred in the BBC2 comedy short Mandy, described as "a comedy by Diane Morgan about Mandy, a woman who really, really wants a sofa, and will stop at absolutely nothing to get it". Carol Decker appeared as herself in the short. The character returned in August 2020 for the full series Mandy, with Shaun Ryder, Maxine Peake, and Natalie Cassidy in guest roles. A Christmas special, We Wish You a Mandy Christmas, loosely based on A Christmas Carol, was broadcast in December 2021.[34]

Also in 2020, Morgan played Gemma Nerrick in the British mockumentary Death to 2020, created by Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones.[35] She reprised the role in Death to 2021. She voiced the character 105E in the 2021 animated Cartoon Network series Elliott from Earth.

In April 2022, Morgan starred as Donna in the first episode of the seventh series of Inside No. 9.[36] In December 2022, Morgan reprised her role as Liz on Motherland for the Christmas special.[37][38]

In 2023, Morgan appeared in a radio advertisement for Pot Noodle Lost the Pot Chicken-flavour noodles as a woman zealously defending the product's status as "champion" against the witless "Julia".

In 2024, Morgan starred in the music video for Paul Heaton's "Fish 'N' Chip Supper".[39] In December 2024, Morgan starred in the Aardman Animations production, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl as Onya Doorstep.[40]

Personal life

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Morgan lives in the Bloomsbury district of London with her boyfriend, BBC comedy producer Ben Caudell.[4]

Interviewed by Stuart Jeffries for The Guardian in 2016, she said: "I've always wanted to make people laugh. It's been my only ambition, ever since my dad introduced me to the genius of the great comedians: Tony Hancock, Woody Allen, people like that. While other kids were into New Kids on the Block, I was into Harold Lloyd and Stan Laurel. I'm still like that. I don't have any hobbies."[7]

In July 2023, Morgan was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Bolton for her contribution to television and comedy.[41][42]

She is "mostly" vegetarian[43] and an animal rights activist.[44][45] A rescue dog owned by Morgan, credited as Robert "Bovril" Morgan, appeared in a Mandy Christmas special in 2021.[46]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
2002 Phoenix Nights Dawn Episode: "Stars in their Eyes"; uncredited
2003 La jalousie Sally Short film
2010 The Boot Sale Diane
Robert's Web Various 4 episodes
2011–2012 Mount Pleasant Talia 12 episodes
2012 The Royal Bodyguard Sharon Episode: "Bullets over Broad Street"
Games On Elaine Price Episode: "XXXL"
Get Lucky Betting Shop Keeper Short film
The Work Experience Susan Butler 6 episodes
Him & Her Gina 3 episodes
Complaints Video short
2012–2014 Live at the Electric Diane 24 episodes, as Two Episodes of Mash
2013 Cheese by Mouth Val Short film
Pat & Cabbage Nicola 6 episodes
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa Girl in crowd
Freshers Narrator
2013–2020 Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe Philomena Cunk 18 episodes, 6 specials
2014 Utopia Tess 2 episodes
The Mimic Psychoanalyst Series 2: Episode 3
Roisin Conaty: Onwards and Onwards Book Group Organiser Episode 3: "Promises"
Paradise Males Pam Short film
What's Wrong? Woman
2015 Baguettes Woman on bench
Uncle Suzan Series 2: Episode 5
So Awkward Mrs Lazarus Series 1: Episode 9
Three Kinds of Stupid Mittens
2016 Cunk on Shakespeare Philomena Cunk
Me Before You Sharon
Rovers Mandy 6 episodes
David Brent: Life on the Road Briony Jones
We the Jury Olivia Pilot episode
Damned Phoebe Ravenscroft Series 1: Episode 4
Cunk on Christmas Philomena Cunk
2018 Cunk on Britain Philomena Cunk 5 episodes
2016–2022 Motherland Liz 20 episodes
2017 Funny Cow Margaret
2018 Chris P. Duck Tracey 6 episodes
Thawed Diane Short film; also writer
2018–2019 The Archiveologists Voice only; 6 episodes; also writer
2019 The Cockfields Donna 3 episodes
Cunk & Other Humans on 2019 Philomena Cunk 6 five minute episodes
2019–2021 Frayed Fiona 12 episodes
2019–2022 After Life Kath All 18 episodes
2019–present Mandy Mandy Carter 20 episodes; also writer, director and creator
2020 Death to 2020 Gemma Nerrick
2021 Elliott from Earth 105E Voice only; 2 episodes
Intelligence Charlotte 3 episodes
Death to 2021 Gemma Nerrick
2022 Inside No. 9 Donna Series 7: Episode 1[36]
The Sandman Gryphon Voice only; Episode: "Dream of a Thousand Cats"
Cunk on Earth Philomena Cunk [47]
Our Boarding School Narrator
2024 The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin Maureen Episode 4: "Curse of the Reddlehag"
The Underdog: Josh Must Win Narrator
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl Onya Doorstep Voice only
Cunk on Life Philomena Cunk One-off extended special[48]
2025 Rogue Trooper Post-production

References

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  1. ^ "Comedy Club: Two Episodes of Mash". BBC. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  2. ^ Morgan, Diane [@missdianemorgan] (1 October 2020). "@sisofnight451 @macmillancancer Happy birthday!! (mines actually 5th October)" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ^ "TV star Diane Morgan on her rescue dog Bobby and what she misses about Lancashire". Great British Life. 21 June 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  4. ^ a b Aitkenhead, Decca (28 October 2017). "Diane Morgan: 'I want to play weirdos'". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  5. ^ "Diane Morgan – Writer & Performer". unitedagents.co.uk. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  6. ^ "2013 looks to be a busy year for funny girl Diane". The Bolton News. 22 January 2013. Archived from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d Jeffries, Stuart (10 May 2016). "Meet Diane Morgan, the genius behind TV dimwit Philomena Cunk". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  8. ^ Hogan, Michael (2 August 2020). "Diane Morgan: 'It sounds mad that I wrote, directed and star in Mandy. Like I'm Orson Welles'". The Observer. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Funny Women Final 2006". chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  10. ^ "Two Episodes of Mash". Radio 2's Comedy Showcase. BBC Radio 2. 2010.
  11. ^ Donaldson, Brian (10 August 2010). "Two Episodes of Mash – Review". Edinburgh Festival List. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  12. ^ Donaldson, Brian (21 August 2008). "Potentially great sketches simmer to nothing". Edinburgh Festival List. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  13. ^ Meek, Thomas (19 August 2009). "Two Episodes of Mash". Edinburgh Festival List. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  14. ^ "Robert's Web". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  15. ^ "Series 2: Two Episodes of Mash". BBC Radio 4.
  16. ^ "Two Episodes of Mash perform the Genie - Live at the Electric". British Comedy Guide.
  17. ^ "Pat & Cabbage – Cast & Crew". comedy.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 September 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  18. ^ a b Harrison, Andrew (4 March 2014). "In Praise of TV Philosophress Philomena Cunk". Esquire. Archived from the original on 29 August 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  19. ^ "Drunk History Season 1, Episode 8". Comedy.co.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  20. ^ "Cunk on Christmas – BBC Two". BBC. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  21. ^ "'She's bulletproof' – Diane Morgan talks 'Cunk on Britain'". NME. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  22. ^ "Cunk on Britain – BBC Two". BBC. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  23. ^ Moses, Toby (22 April 2020). "Charlie Brooker to return to BBC with lockdown special Antiviral Wipe". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  24. ^ "Cunk On Earth begins 19th September". British Comedy Guide. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  25. ^ "BAFTA Television 2023: The Nominations". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  26. ^ "BBC Comedy sends Cunk on a quest for meaning". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  27. ^ "BBC Christmas 2024 TV and iPlayer line-up brings the festive spirit to the UK". BBC Home. 3 December 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  28. ^ Everett, Lucinda (8 October 2010). "Virgin Media Shorts: director Jonathan van Tulleken on his short film The Boot Sale". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  29. ^ "Secrets of Success: The Boot Sale". virginmediashorts.co.uk. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  30. ^ "We the Jury", BBC Two, 5 September 2016.
  31. ^ Guide, British Comedy. "Sounds like you don't like her - Motherland". British Comedy Guide.
  32. ^ Sanusi, Victoria (8 March 2019). "After Life cast: who stars with Ricky Gervais in new Netflix series – and where else you've seen them". iNews. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  33. ^ "The Cockfields – Gold Sitcom". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  34. ^ Nicholson, Rebecca (20 December 2021). "We Wish You Mandy Christmas review – Diane Morgan does proper belly laughs". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  35. ^ "Death to 2020". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  36. ^ a b "TV tonight: Diane Morgan crashes The League of Gentlemen cast reunion". The Guardian. 20 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  37. ^ Seale, Jack (23 December 2022). "Motherland Christmas special review – you'll laugh, gasp in shock ... then punch the air". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  38. ^ Sigee, Rachael (23 December 2022). "Motherland, BBC One, review: As chaotic and emotional as a family Christmas". iNews. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  39. ^ "Fish 'N' Chip Supper (Official Video)". YouTube. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  40. ^ "Vengeance Most Fowl | Wallace & Gromit". cms.wallaceandgromit.com. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  41. ^ "'Anything is possible' says Bolton-born 'Philomena Cunk' as she picks up top honour". The Bolton News. 14 July 2023. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  42. ^ Diane Morgan speech on YouTube
  43. ^ My life in food: Diane Morgan - National Geographic, August 17 2021
  44. ^ Chelsea (28 December 2022). "Motherland's Diane Morgan & Singer Peter Andre Do Veganuary". Veganuary. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  45. ^ "Diane Morgan on Being an Animal Lover". 3 February 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023 – via YouTube.
  46. ^ Hogan, Michael (20 December 2021). "We Wish You a Mandy Christmas, review: a giddily absurd Dickens parody – but with more Tia Maria". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  47. ^ Nicholson, Rebecca (20 September 2022). "Cunk on Earth review – Diane Morgan's character is so well-written it's easy to forget she's not real". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  48. ^ "Cunk on Life". BBC. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
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