Adrian Edmondson was born in Bradford, Yorkshire. He went to Manchester University to study drama. Whilst he was there he met Rik Mayall, and the pair began performing as 20th Century Coyote. The act continued after university when Adrian & Rik moved to London, and they became two of the leading lights in the new 'alternative comedy' scene, performing at the newly established Comedy Store, and setting up their own club, The Comic Strip, with 'Peter Richardson', Nigel Planer, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, and Alexei Sayle. This spawned two 1980s TV series: The Young Ones (1982), and The Comic Strip Presents... (1982) In the 1990's Ade & Rik continued their partnership with a new series called Bottom (1991), which ran for three seasons and became a major success on the live circuit. It was basically a live sitcom, liberally sprinkled with slapstick humour, and the pair did 5 long tours between 1993 and 2003. Simultaneously, Adrian established himself as an actor, doing two improvised TV films under the Screen One and Screen Two umbrella, with director Les Blair: Screen Two: Honest, Decent and True (1986), and Screen One: News Hounds (1990) (winner of the BAFTA for best single drama). He was a regular in the hospital drama Holby City (1999) from 2005 - 2008. He took the lead in a drama documentary about the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster in the series Surviving Disaster (2006), and appeared as Henry Austen in the TV movie Miss Austen Regrets (2008), the film Blood (2012), and the drama series Prey (2014). But his most notable dramatic role to date is that of Count Rostov in the BBC series War & Peace (2016).
Adrian Edmondson was born in Bradford, Yorkshire. He went to Manchester University to study drama. Whilst he was there he met Rik Mayall, and the pair began performing as 20th Century Coyote. The act continued after university when Adrian & Rik moved to London, and they became two of the leading lights in the new 'alternative comedy' scene, performing at the newly established Comedy Store, and setting up their own club, The Comic Strip, with 'Peter Richardson', Nigel Planer, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, and Alexei Sayle. This spawned two 1980s TV series: The Young Ones (1982), and The Comic Strip Presents... (1982) In the 1990's Ade & Rik continued their partnership with a new series called Bottom (1991), which ran for three seasons and became a major success on the live circuit. It was basically a live sitcom, liberally sprinkled with slapstick humour, and the pair did 5 long tours between 1993 and 2003. Simultaneously, Adrian established himself as an actor, doing two improvised TV films under the Screen One and Screen Two umbrella, with director Les Blair: Screen Two: Honest, Decent and True (1986), and Screen One: News Hounds (1990) (winner of the BAFTA for best single drama). He was a regular in the hospital drama Holby City (1999) from 2005 - 2008. He took the lead in a drama documentary about the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster in the series Surviving Disaster (2006), and appeared as Henry Austen in the TV movie Miss Austen Regrets (2008), the film Blood (2012), and the drama series Prey (2014). But his most notable dramatic role to date is that of Count Rostov in the BBC series War & Peace (2016).
External links
Filmography (Movies)
Alien: Earth - On Set Dispatches
Character:Self
Release Date:23/07/2025
Bottom: Exposed
Character:Himself
Release Date:18/04/2024
imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter
Character:Self
Release Date:27/12/2023
The Best Birthday Ever
Character:Granny (voice)
Release Date:26/01/2022
The Trick
Character:Edward Acton
Release Date:18/10/2021
Letters Live from the Archive: Union Chapel
Character:Self
Release Date:22/03/2021
King Rocker
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:31/10/2020
Completely Bad News
Character:Vim Fuego
Release Date:29/11/2019
The Rizen: Possession
Character:The Interviewer
Release Date:22/05/2019
How The Young Ones Changed Comedy
Character:
Release Date:26/05/2018
RSC Live: Twelfth Night
Character:Malvolio
Release Date:14/02/2018
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Character:Captain Peavey
Release Date:13/12/2017
Interlude In Prague
Character:Herr Luptak
Release Date:25/05/2017
The Rizen
Character:Interviewer
Release Date:06/05/2017
Rocky Horror Show Live
Character:Narrator
Release Date:17/11/2015
Five Go to Rehab
Character:Dick
Release Date:07/11/2012
Blood
Character:Tom Tiernan
Release Date:09/10/2012
Britain Beware!
Character:Self (Presenter)
Release Date:06/05/2012
Blackadder's Most Cunning Moments
Character:Baron von Richthoven/Self
Release Date:16/10/2008
Rocky Horror Tribute Show
Character:Brad
Release Date:14/10/2008
Miss Austen Regrets
Character:Henry Austen
Release Date:03/02/2008
The Dangerous Brothers - Dangervision
Character:Sir Adrian Dangerous
Release Date:01/01/2008
If It Ain't Stiff: The Stiff Records Story
Character:Self (Narrator)
Release Date:14/12/2007
The Making of 'The Young Ones'
Character:Self (Archived Footage)
Release Date:29/10/2007
Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band - 40th Anniversary Celebration
Character:Self
Release Date:22/05/2006
The Comic Strip - A Retrospective
Character:Self
Release Date:04/07/2005
Bottom Mindless Violence
Character:Vyvyan / Eddie Catflap / Sir Adrian Dangerous / Dreamy Time Escort / Eddie Hitler / Eddie Ndingombaba (archive footage)
Release Date:22/11/2004
Bottom Live 2003: Weapons Grade Y-Fronts Tour
Character:Edward Hitler
Release Date:24/11/2003
The Best of French & Saunders
Character:Various
Release Date:05/08/2002
Bottom Live 2001: An Arse Oddity
Character:Eddie
Release Date:19/10/2001
Four Men in a Plane
Character:Ian Crisp
Release Date:04/01/2000
Guest House Paradiso
Character:Eddie Elizabeth Ndingombaba
Release Date:03/12/1999
The Making of 'Guest House Paradiso'
Character:Self
Release Date:15/11/1999
Big Bottom Live - The Best of Bottom Live
Character:
Release Date:15/11/1999
The Man
Character:Ash
Release Date:05/04/1999
Jack and the Beanstalk: The ITV Pantomime
Character:Dame Dolly
Release Date:25/12/1998
Four Men in a Car
Character:Ian
Release Date:12/04/1998
Bottom Live 3: Hooligan's Island
Character:Eddie Hitler
Release Date:27/10/1997
Bottom Fluff
Character:
Release Date:16/11/1996
Bottom Live 2: The Big Number 2 Tour
Character:Eddie
Release Date:06/11/1995
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Treasure of the Peacock's Eye
Character:Zyke
Release Date:15/01/1995
Bottom Live: The Stage Show
Character:Eddie
Release Date:27/09/1993
Demonella
Character:Sid Vicious
Release Date:20/05/1993
Gregory: Diary of a Nutcase
Character:Gregory Dawson
Release Date:13/05/1993
Space Virgins from Planet Sex
Character:'K' / Air Traffic Controller
Release Date:29/04/1993
Holy - Bottom: Christmas Special
Character:Edward Elizabeth Hitler
Release Date:29/10/1992
Red Nose of Courage
Character:John Major/Coco the Clown
Release Date:09/04/1992
The Pope Must Die
Character:Father Rookie
Release Date:21/06/1991
News Hounds
Character:Phil Burke
Release Date:02/09/1990
Les Dogs
Character:Best Man
Release Date:03/08/1990
Oxford
Character:2nd MI5 Man / Fan
Release Date:22/02/1990
South Atlantic Raiders: Part 1
Character:Billy
Release Date:08/02/1990
South Atlantic Raiders: Part 2 Argie Bargie!
Character:Billy
Release Date:08/02/1990
GLC: The Carnage Continues
Character:Billy/Prince Charles/Giles Cricket Bat Portland
Release Date:05/02/1990
The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball
Character:Self
Release Date:01/01/1989
Just Like That!
Character:Self
Release Date:01/01/1989
An Audience With Victoria Wood
Character:Self
Release Date:10/12/1988
The Yob
Character:Michael
Release Date:12/03/1988
Mr Jolly Lives Next Door
Character:Dreamy Time Escort
Release Date:05/03/1988
More Bad News
Character:Vim Fuego
Release Date:27/02/1988
The Strike
Character:Adrian/Slim/Policeman
Release Date:20/02/1988
Eat the Rich
Character:Charles
Release Date:23/10/1987
Filthy Rich & Catflap
Character:Edward Catflap
Release Date:07/01/1987
The Comic Relief Utterly Utterly Rude Video Live
Character:Self
Release Date:25/04/1986
Honest Decent & True
Character:Alun Pickersgill
Release Date:09/02/1986
Private Enterprise
Character:Brian
Release Date:02/01/1986
Dangerous Brothers Present: World of Danger
Character:Sir Adrian Dangerous
Release Date:01/01/1986
Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)
Character:John
Release Date:01/01/1986
The Supergrass
Character:Dennis Carter
Release Date:08/11/1985
Happy Families
Character:Guy Fuddle / Grandpa Harold Fuddle
Release Date:17/10/1985
Slags
Character:Ace
Release Date:11/02/1984
Eddie Monsoon - a Life?
Character:Eddie Moonson
Release Date:04/02/1984
Gino: Full Story and Pics
Character:Gordon/Bill
Release Date:28/01/1984
A Fistful of Travellers' Cheques
Character:Billy
Release Date:21/01/1984
Susie
Character:Martin
Release Date:14/01/1984
Dirty Movie
Character:Bean
Release Date:07/01/1984
Five Go Mad on Mescalin
Character:Dick
Release Date:02/11/1983
Summer School
Character:Peter
Release Date:31/01/1983
Bad News
Character:Vim Fuego/Alan Metcalfe
Release Date:24/01/1983
The Beat Generation
Character:Desmond
Release Date:17/01/1983
War
Character:Various Roles
Release Date:03/01/1983
Dead on Time
Character:Fool
Release Date:01/01/1983
Five Go Mad in Dorset
Character:Dick
Release Date:02/11/1982
Kevin Turvey: The Man Behind the Green Door
Character:Keith Marshall
Release Date:13/03/1982
The Comic Strip
Character:
Release Date:01/01/1981
Television Appearances
Alien: Earth
Character:Atom Eins
Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story
Character:Phil
3 Body Problem
Character:Denys Porlock
Toad & Friends
Character:Toad
A Spy Among Friends
Character:Sir Roger Hollis
The Pact
Character:Richard
Out of Her Mind
Character:Lewis
Between the Covers
Character:Self
Cheat
Character:William Vaughan
Celebrity Catchphrase
Character:Self - Contestant
Save Me
Character:Gideon Charles
Bancroft
Character:Superintendent Cliff Walker
Richard Osman's House of Games
Character:Self - Contestant
Genius
Character:David Hilbert
Urban Myths
Character:Leslie Conn
One of Us
Character:Peter Elliot
Upstart Crow
Character:Dogberry
War and Peace
Character:Ilya Rostov
Ronja, the Robber's Daughter
Character:Noodle Pete (voice, English version)
Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled
Character:Self
Prey
Character:DCI Warner
Catchphrase
Character:
Gadget Man
Character:
The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff
Character:Headmaster Wackville
The Great Sport Relief Bake Off
Character:Self - Contestant
Ade in Britain
Character:
Death in Paradise
Character:Charles Crabtree
Monte Carlo or Bust
Character:
Let's Dance for Comic Relief
Character:Self - Contestant
Teenage Kicks
Character:
The Alan Titchmarsh Show
Character:Self
Would I Lie to You?
Character:Self
Britain's Got More Talent
Character:Self
The Graham Norton Show
Character:Self
The One Show
Character:Self - Guest
School's Out
Character:Self
Great British Menu
Character:Self - Guest Judge
Surviving Disaster
Character:
Twisted Tales
Character:Ed Barnes
Doctors and Nurses
Character:Dr. Roy Glover
Celebrity Mastermind
Character:
Spine Chillers
Character:
Comic Relief Does Fame Academy
Character:
Holby City
Character:Percy "Abra" Durant
Captain Star
Character:
Jonathan Creek
Character:Brendan Baxter
Midsomer Murders
Character:Hugo Welles
Look at the State We're In!
Character:Dewhurst
Ready, Steady, Cook
Character:Self - Guest
If You See God, Tell Him
Character:Gordon Spry
Absolutely Fabulous
Character:Hamish
Pebble Mill
Character:Self
Bottom
Character:Edward Elizabeth Hitler
Rita Rudner
Character:
Snakes and Ladders
Character:Giles Tewkesbury
Press Gang
Character:Simon Knowles
This Morning
Character:Self
Going Live!
Character:Self
French & Saunders
Character:John
Hardwicke House
Character:Tiny
Filthy Rich & Catflap
Character:Edward Catflap
Saturday Live
Character:
The Dangerous Brothers
Character:Sir Adrian Dangerous
Happy Families
Character:Guy Fuddle
Natural World
Character:Narrator
Blackadder
Character:Baron von Richtoven
The Young Ones
Character:Vyvyan
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Dick
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Mike/Hatchett/Julio/Bolsen/Man in Cage/Jenkins/Zarkoff
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Desmond
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Vim Fuego
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Peter
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Bean
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Martin
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Billy
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Gordon/Bill
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Eddie Monsoon
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Ace
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:John
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Brian
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Adrian/Slim/Policeman
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Dreamy Time Escort
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Michael
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Billy/Prince/Giles Cricket Bat Portland
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:2nd MI5 Man/Fan
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:Bestman
The Comic Strip Presents...
Character:
Boom Boom... Out Go the Lights
Character:
An Audience with...
Character:Self
The Secret Policeman's Ball
Character:Self
Images
