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Graham Fellows
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Graham Fellows
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Graham David Fellows (born 22 May 1959)[1][2] is an English actor and musician. He first came to public attention when he released the 1978 single "Jilted John" – a track which mocked the punk-rock vocal stylings of the time. The single reached #4 in the UK Singles Chart. Fellows subsequently created the comedic character John Shuttleworth in 1986 and enjoyed success again with his BBC Radio Four radio series, "The Shuttleworths".

Key Information

Jilted John

[edit]

Fellows was a drama student at Manchester Polytechnic[1] when he first came to prominence in August 1978 as the eponymous singer of the novelty record "Jilted John", a first-person narrative of a boorish, bitter teenager whose girlfriend Julie had left him for another boy named Gordon, "just 'cause he's better lookin' than me, just 'cause he's cool and trendy". The song became known for the refrain "Gordon is a moron" repeated several times.

Fellows later said: "I'd written a couple of songs and I wanted to record them. So I went into a local record shop and asked if they knew any indie or punk labels. They said there were two, Stiff in London and Rabid just down the road. So I phoned Rabid up, and they told me to send in a demo. We did the demos with the late Colin Goddard – of Walter & the Softies – on guitar, and the drummer and bass player of the Smirks. I took it along to Rabid, who loved it ... so we re-recorded it a few days later, at Pennine Studios, with John Scott playing guitar and bass and Martin Zero (aka Martin Hannett) producing."[3] The single, issued by Rabid in April 1978 (TOSH 105), featured "Going Steady" as the A-side and "Jilted John" as the B-side.[4]

"Jilted John" was first played on national radio by BBC Radio One's John Peel,[5] who apparently commented that if the single was promoted by a major record label he could see it becoming a huge hit.[6] This proved to be the case when it was picked up by EMI International. The song was introduced by Kid Jensen on Top of the Pops as "one of the most bizarre singles of the decade", and reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart.[7]

Two follow-up singles were released the same year under the guise of "Gordon the Moron". A pseudo concept-album also produced by Hannett followed, entitled True Love Stories, charting John's love-life – and two further singles, neither of which was a hit. No other recordings followed these, making Jilted John a one-hit wonder. However, a cash-in single by Julie and Gordon called "Gordon's Not A Moron" sold moderately well, as did lapel badges bearing the legends "Gordon is a moron" and "Gordon is not a moron".

Fellows revived the Jilted John character at the 2008 Big Chill festival, along with Bernard Kelly, premiering a new song about Keira Knightley's ultra-thin figure. In December 2014 Jilted John won the 'One Hit Wonder World Cup' feature on the BBC Radio 6 Music Steve Lamacq show.[8] In late 2015 it was announced that Fellows would once again revive Jilted John for Rebellion Festival 2016 at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool.[9]

In October 2018, Jilted John embarked on a 40th-anniversary tour of the UK.[10]

Discography

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Singles

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  • "Going Steady"/"Jilted John" (July 1978) Rabid TOSH 105, reissued (August 1978) with A and B sides flipped EMI International (EMI 567) (UK No. 4)[11]
  • "True Love"/"I Was A Prepubescent" (January 1979) EMI International (EMI 577)
  • "The Birthday Kiss"/"Baz's Party" (April 1979) EMI International (EMI 587)

Albums

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Compilations

[edit]
  • The Crap Stops Here: "Jilted John/Mrs. Pickering" (1980) Rabid LAST1

John Shuttleworth

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Main article: John Shuttleworth (character)
John Shuttleworth at The Big Chill in 2010

In 1986 Fellows created John Shuttleworth, a middle-aged, aspiring singer-songwriter from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, with a quiet manner and slightly nerdish tendencies. His musical talents are usually expressed through his Yamaha PSS680 portable keyboard, and his repertoire includes such songs as "Pigeons in Flight"[12] – a song which Shuttleworth attempted to have selected for the Eurovision Song Contest.[13] A spoof documentary about his road to submitting a song for Eurovision, called Europigeon, featured such past Eurovision stars as Clodagh Rodgers, Lynsey de Paul, Bruce Welch, Katrina Leskanich (from Katrina and the Waves), Johnny Logan, Cheryl Baker and Brotherhood of Man.[14] He has released a number of albums and singles as John Shuttleworth.[15]

Other characters

[edit]

Two further Fellows creations followed, firstly Brian Appleton, a rock musicologist and media studies lecturer from a college of further education in the Newcastle-under-Lyme area although originally he hails from Selly Oak in Birmingham. His girlfriend Wendy is an aromatherapist, but unfortunately upon qualifying she became allergic to the essential oils she uses. He is convinced that he has been instrumental in helping many rock acts to achieve megastardom and yet received no credit for his efforts, such as being the cause for the gap in "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, inadvertently launching the vocal career of Phil Collins at a failed audition for the lead singer of Genesis after the departure of Peter Gabriel and giving Howard Jones the idea for using a mime artist in the hit "New Song" while working opposite him at a Clingfilm factory in High Wycombe. Brian also claimed to have a significant bearing on the career of the Thompson Twins (for example he inspired the hit 'Love on Your Side' while directing Alannah Currie towards her hat which he accidentally knocked off her head) and Morrissey (who coincidentally shares the same date of birth as Graham Fellows), who Brian claims was inspired to form The Smiths after hearing Brian's own composition "My Turn to be Poorly".[16][17]

His newest character is Dave Tordoff, a builder from Goole specialising in 'laser screed' concrete flooring. He has ambitions to become a popular after dinner speaker, having seen how easy it was for Kevin Keegan. The topic he most enjoys discussing is his accumulated wealth, followed by life on his ranch-style property with wife Mandy and daughter Courtney. Hobbies earmarked for 2007 included falconry.[18]

Other work

[edit]

In 1982 Fellows played Paul McCartney in Lennon by Bob Eaton at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, directed by Clare Venables.[19]

Fellows released one more album in 1985 under his own name on Wicked Frog records entitled Love at the Haçienda, which was later reissued on Chic Ken in 2005 with four extra tracks.[20] In May 2020 it was released as a limited edition vinyl LP on Firestation Records (FST 179).[21]

In 2000 he appeared as Alan Stephens, a St John Ambulanceman in two episodes of Time Gentlemen Please.[22]

Prior to creating Shuttleworth, Fellows appeared in Coronation Street as Les Charlton, a young biker chasing the affections of married Gail Platt (then Tilsley). During his fame as Jilted John, Fellows appeared on Coronation Street briefly when he met Gail, single at the time, on the street in Manchester. In 2007 he appeared in an episode of ITV's Heartbeat.[23]

He presented a programme of his favourite poetry and prose on Radio 4's With Great Pleasure in January 2007.[24]

In July 2009 he read Radio 4's Book of the Week, You're Coming With Me Lad by Mike Pannett, a Metropolitan Police officer's semi-autobiographical account of his experiences in the North Yorkshire town of Malton.[25]

A one-off UK 7" single was released in 1980 under the band name Going Red – "Some Boys"/"Tune Kevin's Strings"[26] – with a picture sleeve depicting Graham in the shower, fully clothed. The band, as credited on the single sleeve, was Graham Fellows (vocals/guitar), Mervin Cloud (guitar/vocals), Russell Giant (percussion) and Francis Charlton (bass guitar). Chris Sievey was also involved, possibly pseudonymously as one of the aforementioned names. The A-side was an uptempo new wave-style rocker, whilst the humorous B-side features fake crowd noises and predictable heavy metal riffing.

Appeared as Dr Persil in Ideal (2010) and as Eric Sykes in the BBC Four drama Hattie (2010).[23]

Appearing on BBC Radio 4's Midweek programme on 3 June 2015, Fellows said he had recently converted a disused church on the Orkney island of Rousay into an eco-friendly recording studio and artists' retreat.[27][28]

In December 2015 Fellows appeared on BBC One's Celebrity Mastermind answering questions on Donald Crowhurst, coming third.[29]

Fellows was to embark on a tour as himself in January and February 2018[30] and said he was working on an album of new material – Weird Town.[31]

Discography

[edit]

Albums

[edit]
  • Love at the Haçienda (1985) Wicked Frog Records: Frog 01
  • Love at the Haçienda (2004) Chic Ken: CHIC KENCD009
  • Weird Town (2018) Boss Tuneage: BTRC121, Chic Ken: CHICKENCD021[32][33]
  • Love at the Hacienda (2020) Firestation Records: FST 179

Personal life

[edit]

Fellows splits his time between Leicester and Orkney.[34] He has three sisters, one of whom was married to television chef Ainsley Harriott.[35]

Selected TV, film and radio

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Graham Fellows

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Graham Fellows is an English comedian, actor, musician, and writer, renowned for creating and performing the characters Jilted John and John Shuttleworth, which have defined much of his career in comedy and music. Born on 22 May 1959 in , he first achieved national prominence as a teenager with the 1978 novelty single "Jilted John", a satirical punk track that reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart and led to multiple appearances on . Fellows' early career included diverse roles such as a , champion mouse breeder, builder's labourer, and barman, before studying at Polytechnic's School of Theatre, from which he graduated with a in Theatre in 1980. He released further singles like "Men of Oats and Creosote" in 1980 and his debut solo album Love at the Hacienda in , blending music with comedic elements. In 1985, he introduced John Shuttleworth, a hapless northern with an electronic organ, who became a staple of through Edinburgh Fringe performances—winning the Critics Award in 1992 and earning a Perrier nomination—multiple series, a long-running , tours, albums, books such as John Shuttleworth Takes the Biscuit, and even films. Fellows also created other characters, including the abrasive poet Brian Appleton in 1999 and the tour guide Dave Tordoff in the late , though Shuttleworth remains his most enduring creation. In recent years, Fellows has continued to tour extensively, including a 2018 solo album release and Jilted John 40th anniversary shows, while marking the 40th anniversary of Shuttleworth with the 2025 tour Raise the Oof!, featuring new material inspired by audience mishaps. He produced the DIY Father Earth in 2022, reflecting on his creative process, and splits his time between locations in Louth, , and , where he owns a studio purchased in 2008. At 65, Fellows has expressed a newfound appreciation for his , stating, "I’ve finally realised I like John Shuttleworth!", amid ongoing reflections on his path from teenage pop sensation to comedy icon.

Early life

Family and upbringing

Graham Fellows was born on 22 May 1959 in , . He grew up in the city with his parents and three sisters—two older sisters named and Sally, and a younger sister named Clare. Clare Fellows, a former , was married to television chef , with whom she had two children. Fellows' father worked as a self-employed , while his mother, who passed away from when he was 27, emphasized environmental awareness in the household, raising the family to be eco-conscious and nearly vegetarian. During his childhood in , Fellows developed an early fascination with music and performance, often playing the guitar and experimenting with recording his voice on tape. He also kept fancy mice as pets, reflecting a playful curiosity that contributed to his developing sense of humor. He took on various jobs, including a morning paper round from ages 13 to 17, working as a builder's labourer in summer 1975, and bar work at a local . The industrial city's vibrant yet gritty atmosphere in the and , combined with the emerging punk scene in his teenage years, sparked his interests in comedy and music, shaping a satirical outlook on everyday life. These formative experiences in laid the groundwork for Fellows' creative pursuits, leading him toward formal education in drama.

Education

Graham Fellows attended King Edward VII in from 1970 to 1977, where he participated in school productions such as and , gaining initial experience in acting. During his time there, he also engaged in extracurricular activities like rugby and , while developing an early interest in performance arts. In the autumn of 1977, Fellows enrolled in the School of Theatre at Manchester Polytechnic (now ) for a three-year in Theatre program, which he completed in 1980. His studies focused on , including techniques and , with practical experiences such as performing in youth theatre productions prior to university and contributing to for plays during his training. These educational experiences were pivotal in bridging Fellows' interests in and , as his drama coursework encouraged experimentation with character voices and performative storytelling, while he began incorporating songwriting and guitar playing into his creative practice at the polytechnic. This fusion laid the groundwork for his later interdisciplinary career in and .

Major characters

Jilted John

Graham Fellows created the character Jilted John in 1978 while studying drama at Polytechnic, portraying an angry, jilted lover whose petulant rants satirized the raw emotional intensity of vocals. The persona emerged from Fellows' experiments with a samba-esque guitar riff and lyrics mocking punk's DIY ethos and adolescent angst, initially recorded with a loose band. This breakthrough character marked Fellows' entry into the music scene as a artist, blending comedy with energy during his student years. The debut single "Jilted John," featuring the iconic refrain "Gordon is a moron," was first released in April 1978 on the independent Rabid Records label with "Going Steady" as the A-side, but gained traction after BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel championed the B-side track. Reissued by EMI in August 1978 as the lead track, it propelled the character to national prominence, peaking at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart and spending 12 weeks in the Top 100. Follow-up singles included "Going Steady" (reconfigured as a standalone release in 1978) and "The Birthday Kiss" later that year, both continuing the theme of awkward teenage romance under the Jilted John moniker. In 1979, Fellows released "True Love" as another single, extending the character's narrative of unrequited affection. The album True Love Stories, produced by Martin Hannett and released in November 1978 on EMI, compiled these efforts into a pseudo-concept album exploring Jilted John's romantic mishaps, with tracks like "Fancy Mice," "The Paperboy Song" highlighting the character's eccentric worldview. Live performances amplified the parody, including three appearances on Top of the Pops in 1978 where Fellows delivered the song's tantrum-like energy to television audiences, and several BBC Radio 1 sessions for John Peel's show between May and December 1978, featuring raw renditions of "Jilted John" alongside new material like "Baz's Party." These sessions, recorded at Maida Vale Studios, captured the character's live spontaneity and helped solidify its cult following among punk enthusiasts. As a novelty hit, Jilted John had a lasting cultural impact by lampooning punk's macho posturing and emotional excess, becoming a one-off sensation that outsold many genuine punk releases while inspiring answer records like those from the fictional "Gordon the Moron." Its blend of humor and subversion influenced Fellows' later creations, such as the more enduring John Shuttleworth persona.

John Shuttleworth

John Shuttleworth is a fictional character created by English comedian and musician Graham Fellows in 1985 as a of aspiring northern English singer-songwriters, characterized by his earnest performances on a Yamaha organ with built-in auto-accompaniment. The character embodies a middle-aged everyman from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, whose mundane domestic life and optimistic yet hapless pursuit of musical fame form the core of the humor. Fellows developed Shuttleworth amid a career resurgence following his earlier success as Jilted John in the late 1970s. Shuttleworth's earliest public appearances occurred through live performances in and , primarily in small rock venues across , where Fellows mimed the organ playing to accompany the character's original songs about everyday absurdities. These shows evolved into radio sketches on , laying the groundwork for the character's multimedia presence, and by 1993, they expanded into the full comedy series The Shuttleworths, which aired six series from 1993 to 2022. The series depicted Shuttleworth's semi-detached life in , including interactions with his family and his overbearing next-door neighbor and manager, Ken Worthington, whose bungled promotional efforts often exacerbate the character's misfortunes. Iconic elements include Shuttleworth's signature songs, such as "Pigeons in Flight," which whimsically romanticizes ordinary observations like birds overhead, performed with a sincerity that underscores the . The character's stage career took off in the 1990s with regular tours featuring Fellows in full character, delivering a mix of , audience interaction, and organ-backed tunes drawn from Shuttleworth's imagined discography of trivial themes. Tours continued into the and beyond, with shows like A Wee Ken to Remember in 2015, a title derived from a fictional misprint by manager Ken Worthington, poking fun at the duo's chaotic professional dynamic. In the 2020s, marking 40 years since the character's debut, Fellows toured with Raise the Oof!, a 2025 production celebrating Shuttleworth's longevity through nostalgic anecdotes and performances on the trusty Yamaha organ. These live outings have sustained the character's , emphasizing its blend of gentle and musical . Beyond performance, Shuttleworth's world has expanded into books, audio releases, and tailored to the character's voice. Fellows has authored works like John Shuttleworth Takes the Biscuit (2025), a collection of songs and stories capturing the singer's crumbly, everyday wisdom, and Two Margarines and Other Domestic Dilemmas, published by Omnibus Press, which delves into Shuttleworth's fictional philosophies on life and . CDs compiling The Shuttleworths radio episodes and character albums, such as those featuring tracks from his "Yamaha years," have been released through labels like Audio, allowing fans to access the full scope of his discursions on suburban ennui. The official website, shuttleworths.co.uk, hosts exclusive content including tour updates, merchandise, and Shuttleworth-penned musings, maintaining the immersive of a low-key celebrity's online footprint. This evolution has cemented Shuttleworth's enduring appeal as a satirical take on unfulfilled artistic ambition.

Other characters

Brian Appleton

Brian Appleton is a comedic alter ego created by English actor and musician Graham Fellows, depicting a pompous and self-important rock musicologist who serves as a part-time (and often suspended) lecturer in at a further education college in . The character embodies an exaggerated expertise in rock history, frequently inserting himself into fabricated anecdotes involving famous musicians to assert his overlooked influence on the genre. Originally hailing from , Birmingham, Appleton is portrayed as being in a strained relationship with his partner , an aromatherapist, adding layers of personal bitterness to his lectures. The character debuted in 1999 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with the one-man show Brian Appleton's History of Rock 'n' Roll, where Fellows delivered a blending spoof academic analysis with musical . This debut performance highlighted Appleton's distinctive style of dissecting rock evolution through obsessive, pedantic breakdowns, often claiming pivotal but unacknowledged roles in the careers of major artists. Over the following decade, the show toured the three times, evolving into additional formats that maintained the core premise of Appleton's inflated self-regard as a "minore figure" in rock lore. Key works include the BBC Radio 4 series Brian Appleton's History of Rock 'n' Roll (2001), a six-part production featuring Appleton's spoken-word deconstructions of rock milestones, interspersed with original songs that parody genres from to new wave. Notable tracks from related recordings, such as "Lucy, You've Got the Wrong Wardrobe"—a send-up of prog excess—and "My Turn to Be Poorly," which Appleton comically insists was plagiarized by , exemplify the character's blend of musical and delusional . A companion , My Turn to Be Poorly (And Other Forgotten Classics) (2002, Chic Ken Records), compiles these elements into a CD of lectures, banter, and songs, capturing Appleton's live-performance energy in audio form. Appleton's unique appeal lies in his relentless, trivia-laden analyses of rock bands and movements, where he obsesses over minutiae like recording techniques and interpersonal dynamics while fabricating his own centrality—such as early encounters with emerging talents—to critique and homage the music he purports to have shaped. This contrasts sharply with Fellows' other characters, offering a cynical to more optimistic personas, and draws loosely from Fellows' personal fascination with and underdog narratives in music history.

Dave Tordoff and others

In addition to his more prominent personas, Graham Fellows created Dave Tordoff, a brash and well-meaning builder from , East , who specializes in screeding—a modern concreting technique—and reportedly earned in excess of £5,000 a week, while aspiring to success as an after-dinner speaker. Introduced in the early , Tordoff often appeared in support of Fellows' other characters during live tours, delivering monologues on everyday mishaps with a thick accent and unpolished charm. He headlined his own Edinburgh Fringe show, Neighbours from Hull, in 2006, but the run was marred by Fellows experiencing a memory lapse onstage, leading to the character's retirement from live performance. Fellows has also embodied various one-off personas in television sketches and series, showcasing his versatility in portraying hapless or eccentric northern everymen. In the dark comedy (2005–2011), he played Dr. Persil in a 2010 episode, a mildly creepy physician entangled in the black-market trade of human organs, adding a layer of absurd menace to the show's ensemble of misfits. These minor roles, along with appearances in sketch formats like the satirical "I Bash Em" segment on BBC's Oxford Road Show in 1981—where Fellows lampooned through a comically oblivious husband—highlight his skill in brief, character-driven vignettes. These lesser-known creations evolved from Fellows' established work with John Shuttleworth in the late 1980s and 1990s, expanding his exploration of ordinary northern lives marked by optimism amid frustration, often performed in radio, stage, and TV contexts during the 2000s.

Music career

Solo work

Graham Fellows released his debut solo album, Love at the Hacienda, in 1985 on his own Wicked Frog Records label, featuring a collection of personal indie-pop songs recorded after his early character-based work. The album, produced amid the vibrant Manchester music scene, incorporates jangly double-tracked guitars, synth washes, and lush close harmonies, evoking the era's indie and emerging electronic influences centered around venues like the Haçienda nightclub. It led to a three-year publishing deal with Chappell Music and included the track "Seven Pints and a Suicide," which appeared on the Kids ITV compilation. The record was reissued on CD in 2005 by Chic Ken Records with four bonus tracks and as a limited-edition vinyl in 2020 by Firestation Records. After a 33-year hiatus from solo releases, Fellows issued Weird Town in 2018 on Chic Ken Records, comprising 13 original songs that shift toward folk-infused musical theatre with prominent acoustic guitars, wheezy harmonium, and a raw, single-tracked vocal style. The album received airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music, hosted by Gideon Coe, highlighting its charming, low-key humor and heartfelt lyricism. Tracks like "She Was Held Together by Cigarette Smoke" and "Diary of a Skinbird" reflect Fellows' songwriting evolution, blending introspective themes with melodic accessibility. In the late and , Fellows contributed production work to tracks by fellow artists, including co-production on select indie releases alongside figures like , though his primary focus remained on his own material during this period. These efforts underscored his roots in the local scene, where indie and electronic elements often intersected in collaborative projects.

Character discographies

Graham Fellows' character Jilted John achieved fame with the 1978 single "Jilted John," a satirical punk track released on Rabid Records and reissued by , reaching number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. The B-side, "," was flipped to the A-side in the reissue, serving as a follow-up single that same year. This led to the debut album True Love Stories, released in October 1978 on , featuring 12 tracks including "Baz's Party," "The Birthday Kiss," and "Fancy Mice," blending novelty punk with storytelling elements. Under the John Shuttleworth persona, Fellows released a series of comedic albums beginning with The Shuttleworths in 1993 on BBC Enterprises, compiling songs from the character's radio appearances such as "Pigeons in Flight" and "Are You Experienced?" Later albums include The Yamaha Years (1997, Hut Records), featuring tracks like "Modern Man" and "Eggs and Gammon"; The Dolby Decades (2008, Chic Ken Records), with "Life Is Like a Salad Bar" and "Serial Cereal Eater"; The Shuttleworths 5 (2010, BBC Audio); The A1111 and Other Ones! (2017); and The Pumice Stone and Other Rock Songs (2025), continuing the character's whimsical, keyboard-driven folk style up to the 2020s. A 1992 single, "Are You Experienced?," parodied and marked an early standalone release for the character. Brian Appleton, another Fellows creation portraying a pompous rock historian, issued The Apple Album in 1986, a cassette-only release satirizing prog rock with tracks like "Consider Yourself Dumped." This was followed by More Brian Appleton in 1987, expanding on the character's lectures with songs such as "Window Woman" and "Lucy's Theme." Compilations and reissues spanning Fellows' characters include the 2005 expanded edition True Love Stories... Plus for Jilted John, adding bonus tracks and live material from 1978 sessions; various punk anthologies like The Best of Punk (2000s) featuring "Jilted John"; and Shuttleworth retrospectives such as The Voiceprint Christmas CD (2001), collecting holiday-themed songs across releases. These efforts preserved the characters' musical legacies into the 21st century.

Acting and media appearances

Television roles

Graham Fellows began his television career with guest appearances in prominent British soap operas during the 1980s. In , he portrayed Les Charlton, a young biker pursuing Gail Tilsley, across several episodes in 1982, including "#1.2217" and "#1.2218". He also appeared briefly as a young man in a 1979 episode of the same series. In 2007, Fellows guest-starred in ITV's Heartbeat as Sid Younger, a local character and father of PC Geoff Younger, in the episode "" set in the . Fellows took on recurring comedic roles in sketch and sitcom formats throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Although best known for his character work, he contributed sketches featuring personas like Ross Towler, a hapless DIY enthusiast, in various television outings. In the BBC sitcom Ideal (2005–2011), he played the eccentric Dr. Persil, a shady physician involved in organ trading, in the 2010 episode "The Ear". He also portrayed in the 2010 BBC Four drama Hattie. Fellows' character John Shuttleworth featured prominently in television adaptations that extended his radio success. The mockumentary series 500 Bus Stops (BBC Two, 1997), written and starring Fellows as the aspiring musician, followed Shuttleworth on a chaotic "rock tour" via public transport, visiting mundane locations like garden centres over four episodes. He also appeared as Shuttleworth in specials such as Europigeon (BBC Two, 1998), a Eurovision parody, and guest slots on Saturday Zoo (Channel 4, 1993). Fellows had further guest appearances as Shuttleworth in Count Arthur Strong (BBC Two, 2013–2017) and a role in the 2025 ITV series Chicken Town. In addition to live-action roles, Fellows provided voice work for animated television shorts. He voiced the characters Tiny and Arnold, a pair of juggling dogs, in the short Stage Fright (1997), a BAFTA-winning piece about a failing act.

Film and radio work

Graham Fellows has appeared in several films, often in minor supporting roles during the 1980s and . In the 1985 Morons from Outer Space, directed by , he played the character , a guard among the alien visitors. His credits include an appearance as himself in the 1996 documentary Close to Absolute Zero, about Manchester music Martin . Fellows expanded into directing and starring in his own comedic films in the 2000s, leveraging his character John Shuttleworth. He wrote, directed, and starred as Shuttleworth in the 2006 mockumentary It's Nice Up North, where the character travels northward to investigate regional differences in niceness, blending humor with observational sketches. Similarly, in Southern Softies (2009), Fellows reprised the role for another spoof documentary, this time heading to the to probe if southerners are indeed "softer," featuring improvised encounters and Shuttleworth's signature interludes. In 2022, he wrote, directed, and starred in the DIY documentary Father Earth, reflecting on his creative process with appearances as himself and Shuttleworth. On radio, Fellows has been a prolific creator and performer, particularly through BBC Radio 4 series featuring his characters. The Shuttleworths, which he wrote and starred in as John Shuttleworth, ran for five series from 1993 to 2000, chronicling the everyday mishaps of the Shuttleworth family in Sheffield with a mix of sitcom sketches and musical segments; specials continued into the 2010s. He followed this with John Shuttleworth's Lounge Music (2014–2016), two series where Shuttleworth hosted musical guests in his home for awkward performances and chats, showcasing Fellows' skills in character-driven comedy. Throughout the 1980s to 2010s, Fellows co-wrote numerous radio sketches and episodes, often collaborating with producers to develop his alter egos' worlds, as seen in early Shuttleworth pilots and specials. Fellows has also provided voice acting using his character voices for various audio productions, including contributions to documentaries and advertisements that required humorous, regional accents. For instance, his has been featured in voiceovers for promotional audio tied to his film work and content.

Personal life

Family

Graham Fellows has three children from previous relationships, with whom he has spoken about the emotional toll of his separation from their amid the demands of his in the early . In a 1999 interview, he described living with his then-partner and their two young daughters, Alice and Suzannah, in , highlighting a family-oriented life that contrasted with his public comedic . Fellows has a son, Paddy, born in from a brief relationship with Stephanie Merritt, though he has had no involvement in the child's life since before his birth. He has not publicly discussed a current or long-term partner in recent years, maintaining a notably private stance on his romantic life despite past tabloid scrutiny in the and . Fellows' extended family includes three sisters, the youngest of whom, Clare Fellows, was married to television chef from 1989 until their divorce in 2012; this connection occasionally drew media attention to Fellows but did not directly influence his professional work. Raised in a working-class family in , Fellows has occasionally referenced his roots as shaping his grounded , though he avoids detailed personal disclosures to protect his loved ones' .

Residences and interests

Graham Fellows maintains his primary residence in , , to which he relocated in 2020 shortly before the onset of the . He divides his time with a secondary property in , , where he purchased a derelict 19th-century church for £50,000 and has been converting it into an eco-friendly , supported by a grant for sustainable features. Fellows' personal interests center on hands-on DIY projects, particularly at his site, including cladding a static caravan, pointing the roof with local slates, and constructing a self-sufficient powered by a and solar panels; he has described deriving significant joy and from these activities. He is an avid collector of vinyl records, with a notable appreciation for eclectic genres exemplified by his ownership of ' album 3 + 3, which he praises for tracks like "That Lady" and "Summer Breeze." Fellows' lifestyle emphasizes a balance between his touring commitments and family time, often incorporating loved ones such as his son George into Orkney-based DIY efforts.

Recent activities

Tours and performances

Graham Fellows has sustained a robust schedule of live performances, predominantly through his character John Shuttleworth, with recent tours emphasizing the character's longevity and appeal. In 2025, he launched the "Raise the Oof!" tour to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Shuttleworth's debut, blending longstanding hits with fresh compositions such as "The Ballad of Dangly Man," drawn from a 2022 gig where an audience member slipped and dangled from a tree above the cavern entrance during a rescue operation. The production highlights Shuttleworth's signature observational sketches and songs, offering audiences a "comforting mix" that Fellows has come to appreciate personally after decades of portrayal. The tour spanned multiple venues across the , including sold-out dates at the in August 2025 at Pleasance Upstairs and , where reviewers praised the show's persistent charm and Fellows' doughty delivery despite the character's provincial quirks, continuing through 2025 with further sold-out performances, such as at Civic on 9 and Theatre Severn in on 12 , as of 2025. Additional stops, such as Chorley Theatre and Redgrave Theatre in , quickly reached capacity, underscoring sustained demand for Shuttleworth's blend of music and . As Fellows prepared for the run, he discussed in interviews how the performances allow exploration of new life anecdotes alongside staples from Shuttleworth's , like those on recent releases The Pumice Stone & Other Rock Songs. Beyond Shuttleworth, Fellows has periodically revived Jilted John for nostalgia-focused outings in the 2000s through 2020s, capitalizing on the character's punk legacy. Notable instances include sets at the Rebellion Punk Music Festival in in 2016, a 40th-anniversary tour in 2018, and a return appearance at the festival in 2022, where the setlist featured classics like "I'm Still Jilted John" and the original "Jilted John" with its iconic "Gordon is a moron" chorus. These events draw on Jilted John's early recordings for high-energy, audience-engaging sets that evoke punk fervor. Fellows has also brought Brian Appleton to in multimedia lectures, debuting the rock musicologist character at the 1999 Edinburgh Fringe before undertaking several tours in the following decade; post-2010 appearances have been more selective, often integrated into mixed-character showcases that highlight his ensemble of underdog personas.

Awards and recognition

The character of John Shuttleworth has garnered a dedicated over decades, praised for its gentle parody of everyday British life and observational humor in songs and sketches. In 2025, marking 40 years since creating Shuttleworth, Fellows featured in several high-profile interviews reflecting on the character's enduring appeal, including discussions of his tours, albums, and contributions. Fellows' work has earned nods as a lifetime achievement in through retrospective acclaim, such as his inclusion in rankings of top musicians and recognition for blending music with character-driven storytelling. His innovations in , particularly through Jilted John and Shuttleworth, have influenced subsequent British performers by pioneering archetypes and satirical takes on and suburban mundanity.

References

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