Jack Dee is noted for his signature deadpan humour, cynicism, and wit. He was dubbed “The Midget with the Widget” after appearing in the commercial campaign for “John Smith’s Bitter.” ‘Lead Balloon,’ a popular British situational comedy series in which he starred and co-wrote, was a hit. ‘Jack Dee: Live at the Apollo,’ ‘The Jack Dee Show,’ ‘Jack Dee’s Saturday Night,’ and ‘Jack Dee’s Happy Hour’ were among the shows he hosted. He was also the winner of ‘Celebrity Big Brother,’ a British reality show. He intended to attend college to study acting, but he changed his mind after his mother advised that he concentrate on a career. He eventually got a work as a server in the catering industry, and it was during this time that he developed a strong addiction to alcohol and met his future wife! Jack Dee received his big break in the world of comedy with his own show, ‘The Jack Dee Show,’ which aired on Channel 4 after performing stand-up shows at numerous venues. The concert was a big success, and it solidified his reputation as a comic and actor. Two British Comedy Awards have been bestowed upon him. He is also the co-founder of ‘Open Mike Productions,’ a production company.
Childhood and Adolescence
Innes, James Andrew Rosemary A. Dee and Geoffrey T. Dee, a painter, raised Jack Dee in Bromley, Kent, England. He was raised in Petts Wood for a short time before his family moved to Winchester. He attended Winchester’s Pilgrims’ School before moving on to the Montgomery of Alamein School and Frensham Heights School. He continued his schooling at Peter Symonds’ College. He wanted to go to college to study acting, but his mother insisted that he obtain a job. He then began working as a server in the catering industry. He began his career at the Ritz.
Career of Jack Dee
He originally gained notoriety in 1986 after performing an open-mic set at ‘The Comedy Store,’ a comedy club in Soho, London, England. He had gone to the club after work on a whim, unaware that his life would be forever changed. In the 1990s, he began to play at a variety of locations, including the London Palladium and the Hammersmith Apollo. He began to appear in a variety of high-profile places soon after.
In 1992, he was given the opportunity to host his own Channel 4 show, ‘The Jack Dee Show.’ This allowed him to reach a wider audience, and he soon had his own ITV shows, ‘Jack Dee’s Saturday Night’ and ‘Jack Dee’s Happy Hour.’ In 1996, he was featured in the Channel 4 documentary series “Jack and Jeremy’s Real Lives.” The following year, he starred as ‘Doug Digby’ in the pilot episode of ‘Grimleys.’ He began appearing in guest roles on television programmes such as ‘Silent Witness,’ ‘Dalziel and Pascoe,’ and ‘Jonathan Creek.’
He was crowned the champion of the British reality television show ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ in 2001. He is said to have disliked how the housemates were handled while he was on the show. In 2004, he hosted ‘Jack Dee Live at the Apollo,’ afterwards renamed ‘Live at the Apollo,’ a British stand-up comedy show. The show broadcast on ‘BBC One’ and was performed at the Hammersmith Apollo Theatre in London.
In 2005, he was one of the hosts of the ‘Comic-Aid,’ a comedians-only fund-raising event to benefit the victims of the Asian Tsunami Appeal. In May 2005, he appeared on the BBC Two series ‘Top Gear’ in the segment ‘Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car.’ He co-wrote the BBC Four series ‘Lead Balloon’ the following year. In addition, he starred in the film ‘Short Order.’ In 2009, he was announced as one of the hosts of the ‘I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue’ series.
He also starred in ‘Shooting Stars,’ a TV comedy panel game, and the comedy series ‘The News at Bedtime’ that year.
He appeared in Channel 4’s ‘Comedy Gala,’ a fundraiser performance, in 2010. The event took place at London’s Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital in Bloomsbury. In 2013, he took part in the celebrity comic relief challenge ‘Through Hell and High Water,’ which asked contestants to brave the Zambezi River’s most treacherous rapids. This resulted in a one-million-dollar donation to charity.
Major Projects of Jack Dee
He co-wrote and starred in the hit British TV show ‘Lead Balloon.’ This situational comedy presentation was a huge hit and earned a lot of positive feedback.
Achievements & Awards
He received the British Comedy Award for ‘Best Stage Newcomer’ in 1991. He won the British Comedy Award in 1997 for ‘Best Stand-up Comedian.’ For the advertisements for ‘John Smith’s Bitter,’ he won the British Advertising Award in 1997.
Personal History and Legacy
He began drinking regularly while working at the Ritz in his twenties and soon became a heavy drinker. He married Susan Jane ‘Jane’ Hetherington in 1989, after meeting her while working as a waiter in Fulham. They are the proud parents of four children. ‘Thanks For Nothing: The Jack Dee Memoirs,’ his autobiography, was published in 2009.
He wrote an open letter to ‘The Times’ in February 2009, along with other celebrities from the entertainment business. The letter was written in favor of ‘Bahai’ leaders who were on trial in Iran. With Addison Cresswel, he co-founded the production company ‘Open Mike Productions.’
Estimated Net Worth
Jack Dee is one of the wealthiest comedians and one of the most popular. Jack Dee’s net worth is estimated to be $1.5 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.
Trivia
While appearing on the reality show ‘Celebrity Big Brother,’ this British comic sneaked away for a few moments to kiss his wife.