Karl Pilkington is a British novelist, comedian, radio producer, and television presenter who is most known for hosting “The Ricky Gervais Show” on radio. He started on this popular show as an off-air producer, but the audience became interested in him because of the character’s narrative and charisma. He soon began broadcasting alongside Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais. The trio’s bond and Karl’s eccentricities contributed to the show-turned-podcast’s enormous success. He continued to be the primary figure in the narrative. Karl, along with Gervais and Merchant, appeared in the critically praised TV series “An Idiot Abroad” as a result of the radio show’s success. After that, Karl Pilkington debuted as an actor in the comedy series “Derek.” Karl turns out to be the show’s unexpected star. Soon after, he struck out on his own, appearing in another travel documentary, “The Moaning of Life,” on Sky 1. In addition to this, he has published multiple books on his life and travels and appeared as a guest star in several films. He is currently the lead actor in a new comedy series called “Sick of It.”
Early Life & Childhood of Karl Pilkington
On September 23, 1972, Karl Pilkington was born in Manchester. He has acknowledged that his childhood was nontraditional and that he missed a lot of school. He attended the Ashton on Mersey School, but he left before getting his diploma.
At the age of fifteen, he began working at a printer’s business after working for a while as a grocery store bagger and newspaper boy.
Pilkington started working as the newsreader for the hospital radio when his father became ill and was admitted to Wythenshawe Hospital. But instead, he chose to adopt his ridiculous approach and gave in to unimportant distractions.
He played a brief part in an overnight phone-in show from 2 to 6 a.m. at Manchester’s Piccadilly Radio, where he answered calls and frequently conducted quizzes.
Career of Karl Pilkington
Following a few unsuccessful attempts at fame, Pilkington relocated to London in 2001 from Manchester to work as a producer for XFM.
He worked for the radio station for several years before being brought on as the program producer for “The Ricky Gervais Show.” Karl’s strange remark, showcasing his wit, would eventually highlight the relationship between Gervais and Merchant. The audience grew fond of his interludes.
Karl Pilkington then joined Gervais and Merchant as an equal presenter on the show, serving as the third voice of the popular show. Karl was the focal point of these broadcasts because of his distinctive and singularly humorous persona.
Karl’s thoughts and delivery style made it possible for the program to give his part more airing. He covered a wide range of subjects, such as divisive viewpoints, practical jokes, and anecdotes from his youth.
Later on, the program was turned into a podcast, and Karl’s appeal never faded. Many of his quotes and catchphrases went viral online and became cult favorites. Reuters also referred to him as a “Internet phenomenon.”
He had a significant role in the success of the play. The radio program ran from 2001 to the middle of 2005, at which point Guardian Unlimited turned it into a podcast. Twelve episodes made up a single podcast series under the new format.
It was continuously ranked as one of the best podcasts worldwide. Additionally, it was listed as the most downloaded podcast in the 2007 Guinness Book of World Records. The podcast had over 300 million downloads as of 2011.
In 2010, HBO and Channel 4 adapted the series for television as an animated series. Karl provided the character’s voiceover in the animated series.
Following the show’s cancellation in 2011, Pilkington Gervais and Merchant remained collaborators on several projects. He participated in an interview for Gervais’ live stand-up comedy show “Politics.” Additionally, he starred in Merchant and Gervais’ BBC sitcom “Extras.”
He also made numerous guest appearances on television programs, such as “Flipside TV” and “The Culture Show.” In addition, he acted in two films: “The Invention of Lying,” which he starred in, and “Cemetery Junction,” which he played a small part in. He also made numerous appearances in short films for Channel 4’s “3 Minute Wonders.”
He hosted the comedy and travel-themed TV program “An Idiot Abroad” in 2010. Pilkington’s character, which aired on Sky 1 and was produced by Gervais and Merchant, was that of a reluctant traveler who ultimately decided to set out on a voyage around the world, namely the 7 Wonders.
He wrote the book “An Idiot Abroad” to go along with the television series in addition to recording it. In June 2011, he was honored with the Factual Entertainment Award’s Best Presenter category for “An Idiot Abroad.”
2011 saw the publication of a second season of “An Idiot Abroad,” which was inspired by the popularity of the first one. The main topic of discussion was Pilkington’s bucket list, which included trying to accomplish “ultimate things.” The narrative of the reluctant traveler persisted because he did not like these options.
2012 saw the release of “The Short Way Around,” the third series under the banner of “An Idiot Abroad.” Warwick Davis joined him, and the two of them set out to trace Marco Polo’s path from Italy to China.
In 2012, he embarked on an acting career by participating in the comic drama series “Derek” on Channel 4. The part of Dougie, the caretaker and bus driver, was portrayed by Karl Pilkington. But after the first season, he would quit the show.
He acted in the documentary “The Moaning of Life” in 2013. Pilkington is a forty-year-old man who decides to travel the world to learn about different cultures in the documentary. In addition, he authored two books, “More Moaning” and “The Moaning of Life: The Worldly Wisdom of Karl Pilkington,” to go along with the television series.
In addition to the books that go with his television shows, he has penned numerous autobiographical and biography works. “Happyslapped By a Jellyfish” is a compilation of humorous tales; “The World of Karl Pilkington” (2006) centers on his time spent on “The Ricky Gervais Show”; and “Karlology” (2008) describes his worldly knowledge.
He is now writing the script for the comedy series “Sick of It,” which is scheduled to premiere in 2018. Pilkington will not only write this but also serve as the show’s main star.
Large-scale Works of Karl Pilkington
The most lucrative and well-liked project Pilkington has ever worked on is “The Ricky Gervais Show,” a radio program, podcast, and animated television series that lasted from 2001 to 2011.
Individual Life and Heritage of Karl Pilkington
In Manchester, Karl Pilkington met Suzanne Whiston, his future wife and lifelong partner, who was employed by the BBC as a producer. Despite Karl’s great secrecy, it is known that he and Suzanne have been dating since the 1990s and that they currently share a London apartment.
He also has a charitable side. He was one of the many famous people who drew and autographed cards for the Thomas Coram Foundation for Children in 2014. eBay held an auction for the cards.
The net worth of Karl Pilkington
The estimated net worth of Karl Pilkington is about $1 million.