Rhod Gilbert

Rhodri Paul Gilbert(born 18 October 1968) is a Welsh comedian and television and radio presenter who was nominated in 2005 for thePerrier Best Newcomer Award. In 2008 he was nominated for the main comedy award (as the Edinburgh Comedy Awards were then branded).
Gilbert appears on television and radio panel shows, has performed stand-up on theRoyal Variety Performance, and hosted a weekly show onBBC Radio Wales.
In September 2014, Gilbert started presenting theBBC Twopanel showNever Mind the Buzzcocks, ending a run of five series without apermanent host.
Gilbert was born inCarmarthen, Wales on 18 October 1968,as one of three siblings to two teacher parents, his father came fromEbbw Valeand his mother fromAbertillery. He attendedMaridunum Comprehensive Schooland went on to study languages atExeter University.For the first three weeks, his extreme shyness meant that Gilbert could not eat with other students in the dining hall or even make friends with the student in the next room.
After graduating, Gilbert travelled for a year and a half around Australia and Asia before returning to Carmarthen and working as an admin assistant for theWelsh Office.He later worked as aqualitative researcherfor severalmarket researchagencies in London.
Gilbert got into professional comedy in 2002, after taking part in the Amused Moose Stand Up and Deliver course,but only "thanks to a girlfriend’s constant nagging".Within 18 months, Gilbert had already won several different talent competitionsand was nominated for thePerrier Newcomeraward for his first solo show in 2005 atEdinburgh Fringeentitled1984.He has since performed worldwide.
Many of Gilbert's stories are drawn from real life events, and his life in the wholly fictionalised village of Llanbobl. In 2008, Gilbert wrote a sitcom about life in Llanbobl, which featured onBBC Radio 2.
In his 2006Edinburgh FringeshowKnocking on Heaven's Door, Gilbert told stories from his life, weighing up whether he would be admitted to heaven. His 2007 show,Who's Eaten Gilbert's Grape?, saw Gilbert return to Llanbobl and pick up the story following the1984show narrative. His 2008 show,Rhod Gilbert and the Award-Winning Mince Pie, saw Gilbert question his sanity, his career and his life after suffering a mental breakdown brought on by the award-winning mince pie at a motorway services.
On 17 December 2008, he appeared at the 80thRoyal Variety Performance.
On 18 and 19 June 2009, Gilbert made the last performances ofRhod Gilbert and the Award-Winning Mince Pieshow at theBloomsbury Theatre, which was recorded and released as a DVD on 16 November 2009.The DVD also contains several special features, including his rant about lost luggage, outtakes from the performance, in which he chats with the audience and deals withhecklersand amockumentarycalledBack to Llanboblin which Gilbert shows the viewer around his fictional home town, filmed inTalgarth, Powys.
Gilbert's 2009/2010 show,Rhod Gilbert and the Cat That Looked LikeNicholas Lyndhurstpreviewed around the UK in small venues before being performed at the Edinburgh Festival. The show toured UK theatres from September 2009.The tour included dates at many prestigious theatres such as London's HMVHammersmith Apollo. A DVD of the tour was released on 15 November 2010.
OnBBC One, Gilbert has made a number of guest appearances onWould I Lie to You?. He has appeared five and three times respectively on theBBC Twopanel showsQIandMock the Week, and presented two episodes ofNever Mind the Buzzcocksin October 2009 and December 2011 before becoming the permanent presenter for the final series of its original BBC run. He hosted three episodes ofHave I Got News for Youin April 2011, October 2017, and May 2018; has appeared as a guest onChannel 4's8 Out of 10 Cats; and wrote and narratedBBC Three's 2007Goals Galore,Pranks Galore,Football Gaffes GaloreandTV Gaffes Galoreprogrammes.He also presentedBBC 2W'sRhod Gilbert's Teen Tribes, providing an insight into the worlds of "Emos", "Chavs" and "Goths".
Gilbert wasParamount Comedy'scontinuity writerand announcer between September 2004 and October 2005, providing end-credit voice-overs for their peak time programme schedule.
In December 2008, Gilbert was signed for a campaign to promote tourism in Walesand became the official Voice of Wales for the country's tourist board, fronting the 2009Visit Walestelevision advertising.
Gilbert has reported for the BBC One current affairs/human interest showThe One Show.
In November 2008, Gilbert appeared on theBBC'sLive at the Apolloas a guest. In December 2009, he hosted the show, introducing fellow comedianJohn Bishop. On 6 June 2009 Gilbert appeared as the headline act onMichael McIntyre's Comedy RoadshowonBBC One, and as a guest on8 out of 10 Catson 17 July 2009. He also provided voiceover material for the sketch showWalk on the Wild Side.
On 19 January 2010,Rhod Gilbert's Work Experienceaired onBBC One Wales.Zipline Creative Limitedworked freelance as producer/directors, editors and also camera and sound on the series for Presentable RDF. The four-part series saw Gilbert attempt a number of jobs including hairdresser,refuse collector, soldier and parent.Following the show's success on BBC One Wales, the series aired nationally on BBC2 from 10 March.
In August 2010, the BBC commissioned eight episodes ofAsk Rhod Gilbertfollowing a successful pilot earlier in 2010. The show featured Gilbert,Greg DaviesandLloyd Langfordanswering random trivia questions, such as 'Who would win in a race, Usain Bolt or a grizzly bear?', posed by the public and celebrities, with additional celebrity guests on the panel.The show ran for two series.
On 7 March 2011, series 2 ofRhod Gilbert's Work Experiencebegan airing on BBC One Wales. In this series he tried out jobs as a farmer,butler, tattoo artist and firefighter.In January 2012, Gilbert began filming series 3 of the show. It aired on BBC One Wales from 7 May 2012 and saw him take on jobs such as primary school teacher, zookeeper,drag artistand police officer.A fourth series was broadcast in June–July 2013.This series, the jobs were wedding planner, scout leader, tour guide and male model. Series 5, which had four episodes, began on BBC One Wales in September 2014 and was repeated on BBC Two from February 2015. Series 6 was broadcast on BBC One Wales starting February 2016.
In September 2014, Gilbert started presenting theBBC Twopanel showNever Mind the Buzzcocks, ending a run of five series without apermanent host.In May 2015, however, the BBC ended the show. The documentaryRhod Gilbert vs Kilimanjaro, chronicling the attempt to climbMount Kilimanjarofor charity made by Gilbert and several fellow celebrities, was shown on the BBC in December 2014.
Gilbert appeared several times on the Channel 4 comedy/game show8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.
He replaced comedianJack Deeas the host ofThe Apprentice: You're Fired!beginning in 2016. In 2019, he stepped down and was replaced byTom Allen.
In September 2018, Gilbert appeared as a contestant of the seventh series ofTaskmasteralongsideJames Acaster,Jessica Knappett,Kerry GodlimanandPhil Wang.
In November 2021, Gilbert was a guest presenter for BBC'sDIY SOS: Children in Need 2021.
In 2020, Gilbert became the presenter ofComedy Central’sRhod Gilbert's Growing Pains.
In 2006, Gilbert hosted theBBC Radio Walescomedy panel showJest a Minute, live fromThe Comedy Storein London. The second series ofJest a Minutewas recorded in late 2008 inCardiff'sGlee Club, hosted by Gilbert and featuring regular team captainsChris CorcoranandLloyd Langford, and guests from the comedy circuit such asElis James,Greg Davies,Lucy PorterandJon Richardson. A third series was also broadcast.
Gilbert was also the host ofBBC Radio 4's4 Stands Upcomedy series which aired in the Autumn of 2008 and has also appeared twice on Radio Four'sJust a Minute, Radio 2'sDoes the Team Think?, and BBC Radio 4'sAct Your Age.
In December 2008, a pilot of his sitcomRhod Gilbert's Leaving Llanboblwas broadcast on BBC Radio 2; the sitcom was written by and starred Gilbert andGreg Davies, with additional writing by Sian Harries.Lloyd Langfordplayed Gilbert's amiable younger brother Emrys;Di Botcherplayed Brenda, a gossipy hairdresser; and Mike Hayward played Gilbert's father Gurnos. The show was produced by Ed Morrish. Gilbert has hinted in interviews that the sitcom is likely to move to TV when it is completed as he found that he was "seeing it" as he wrote it.
Gilbert has also made several appearances on theBBC Radio 4comedy programThe Unbelievable Truth.
In 2011, he recorded a radio show forBBC Radio 2calledRhod Gilbert's Bulging Barrel of Laughswith comediansLloyd Langford,Greg DaviesandSarah Millican. Each show also featured live music from bands such asAthlete,Scouting for Girls,Kid BritishandThe Hoosiers. It has since been repeated on BBC Radio 4 Extra.
From 2006 to 2019, Gilbert also fronted his own radio show,The Rhod Gilbert Radio Show, broadcast byBBC Radio Waleson Saturdays between 11:30am and 1:30 pm,often co-hosted by fellow Welsh ComediansBennett Arron,Lloyd LangfordorChris Corcoran.
Gilbert married his long-term girlfriend, writer and comedianSian Harries, in August 2013. They divide their time betweenLondonandWales.They have no children. In 2021, Gilbert took part in a documentary series about the stigma ofmale infertility.
Gilbert has also playedbadminton, including as a doubles partner with former gold medallistAnthony D. Jordan, relating his story on an episode of the BBC panel showWould I Lie to You?
In July 2022, Gilbert announced he had been diagnosed withstage four cancerand was being treated at theVelindre Cancer Centrein Cardiff, of which he is a patron.He stated his pre-diagnosis symptoms had worsened while fundraising for Velindre inCuba, where he also contractedCOVID-19.In December 2022, fellow comedianJimmy Carrpromoted Gilbert's DVDThe Book of JohnonChannel 4'sThe Last Legon Gilbert's behalf.
Rhod Gilbert hasADHD, having been diagnosed in his 50s.
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