Jasper Carrott

Robert Norman Davis (born 14 March 1945), known by his stage name Jasper Carrott, is an English comedian, writer, actor, singer and television presenter. His credits include An Audience with Jasper Carrott, The Secret Policeman's Other Ball (1982), Carrott's Lib (1982–1983), Jane and the Lost City (1987), Carrott's Commercial Breakdown (1989–1996), Canned Carrott (1990–1995), The Detectives (1993–1997), All About Me (2002–2004), and Golden Balls (2007–2009).

Early life Born Robert Norman Davis at 10.30am on 14 March 1945, in Birmingham, England, Carrott was educated at Acocks Green Primary School, and Moseley Grammar School. He worked as a trainee buyer at a city centre department store the Beehive,

He acquired the nickname Jasper aged nine and added the surname Carrott when he was 17.

Career In February 1969, Carrott started his own folk club, "The Boggery", in nearby Solihull with his friend Les Ward. Carrott performed folk songs and as an MC. His banter overtook the songs and he became more a comedian than a singer. as Fingimigig, managing among others Harvey Andrews.

By the late 1970s, Carrott had developed anecdotal sketches which he still performs. Often they purport to be autobiographical; The follow-up, Sweet and Sour Labrador, mixed sections of stand-up routines with similar autobiographical material, much of it related to his world travels.

Carrott was the compere for the Birmingham Heart Beat Charity Concert 1986, which featured local bands such as Electric Light Orchestra and the Moody Blues, with a finale that included George Harrison. This partnership with LWT continued with The Unrecorded Jasper Carrott (1979),

In 1982, Carrott moved to the BBC for Carrott's Lib (1982-1983),

Carrott played Heinrich in the 1987 British comedy film Jane and the Lost City.

Canned Carrott also featured a spoof police drama called The Detectives,

Carrott performed in several of The Secret Policeman's Balls charity concerts for Amnesty International, and returned to the stage in 2004 at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham featuring classic routines from his career. He returned to singing for the musical Go Play Up Your Own End (written by Malcolm Stent, songs by Harvey Andrews) in 2005.

In 2005, he staged and appeared in the first Jasper Carrott's Rock With Laughter Christmas concert at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) Birmingham, supported live by Jimmy Carr, Jethro, Roy Wood, and Lenny Henry.

In summer 2007, Carrott hosted the Endemol-produced game show Golden Balls for ITV1.

On 15 September 2007, he was inducted into the Birmingham Walk of Stars at the Arts Fest 2007 celebrations. The award was presented by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham.

In August 2017, Carrott underwent an operation to clear a blocked artery, followed by a quadruple heart bypass. A 30-date tour was cancelled. He has since said the surgery gave him a new lease of life and he has no plans to retire, citing Ken Dodd's longevity as an example.

Literary work Carrott has written the humorous paperbacks A Little Zit on the Side (1979),

Carrott's former manager, John Starkey, has written a book titled Jasper and Me (1993; Etsiketsi Books), which included the line, "He once said, 'Ringo isn't the best drummer in the world. He isn't even the best drummer in the Beatles'." This quote was commonly credited to John Lennon until Mark Lewisohn identified, in 1983, that it was Carrott who said it. However, Lewisohn has since confirmed that the line originally came from a 1981 episode of the BBC Radio 4 comedy series Radio Active, written by Geoffrey Perkins, Angus Deayton and Richard Curtis.

Business interests Carrott was part-owner of the production company Celador, makers of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? In 2006, he and wife Hazel sold their shares for £10m when Dutch interactive television company 2waytraffic bought the group of companies behind Millionaire.

Personal life Carrott married journalist Hazel Jackson in 1972. The actress Lucy Davis is their daughter.

He is a supporter, and was a director, of Birmingham City Football Club; a hospitality suite at their St Andrew's ground is named after him. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2003 New Year Honours "for charitable services". The University of Birmingham awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2004, following a similar award from Aston University in 1995.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1978–1981 An Audience with Jasper Carrott / The Unrecorded Jasper Carrott Himself Early stand-up specials 1981 Beat the Carrott Himself Recorded live at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane 1982–1983 Carrott's Lib Himself / Various 15 episodes & 1 Special 1983 Look After My Horse When I'm Gone Roy Strong & Martha The Horse Short animated film, LWT 1984 Jasper Carrott – I've Got This Mole Himself Short animated film, LWT 1985 American Carrott Himself Unknown Jasper Carrott – Learner Driver (Mother in Law) Himself Short animated film, unknown TX date 1987 Jane and the Lost City Heinrich / Herman / Hans Stand-up America Himself 1987–1989 Carrott Confidential Himself This includes an election special broadcast on BBC2, and a special trailer for the 2nd series, broadcast on Friday, 15 January 1988, which took the form of a mini sketch with Carrott dressed as Anne Robinson on 'Pointless Views' 1989–1996 Carrott's Commercial Breakdown Himself 1990 24 Carrott Gold Himself Recorded live at Stratford Upon Avon 1990–1995 Canned Carrott Himself 1992 One Jasper Carrott Himself Recorded live at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane 1993–1997 The Detectives Bob Louis 31 episodes, 5 series & 1 Special 1994 Carrott-U-Like Himself 1997 The Jasper Carrott Trial Himself Based on the original BBC radio series 1999 Jasper Carrott – Back to the Front Himself 2002–2004 All About Me Colin Craddock 2004 24 Carrott Gold: The Best of Jasper Carrott Himself Recorded live at the NEC in Birmingham 2007–2009 Golden Balls Presenter 289 episodes 2012 The One Jasper Carrott Himself 9 January 2012 2015 The One Show Himself / Guest presenter 11 December 2015 2025 Jasper Carrott Remembers Himself / Guest presenter 19 August 2025

Discography Albums 1973 – In the Club (Criminal Records) 1975 – Rabbitts On and On and On... (DJM Records) UK No. 10 1976 – Carrott in Notts (DJM Records) UK No. 56 1977 – A Pain in the Arm (DJM Records) 1978 – The Best of Jasper Carrott (DJM Records) UK No. 38 1979 – The Un-Recorded Jasper Carrott (DJM Records) UK No. 19 1980 – Made in Australia (DJM/Festival (Australia)) 1981 – Beat the Carrott (DJM Records) UK No. 13 1982 – Carrott's Lib (DJM Records) UK No. 80 1983 – The Stun (Carrott Tells All) (DJM Records) UK No. 57 1985 – In America (Rhino Records) 1986 – Cosmic Carrott (Portrait Records) UK No. 66 1991 – Condensed Classics (Chrysalis/Dover Records) 1991 – 24 Carrott Gold (EMI Records) 1994 – Canned Carrott for the Record (EMI Records) 2000 – Back to the Front volume 1 (Sound Entertainment) 2000 – Back to the Front volume 2 (Sound Entertainment 2004 – 24 Carrott Gold – The Best of Jasper Carrott (Sound Entertainment) 1976 – "Bickenhill Rovers Skin'ead Supporters Song" (DJM Records) 1977 – "12 Days of Christmas" (DJM Records)