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Lee Cornes
Lee Cornes
Lee Cornes
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Lee Cornes is an English television actor and writer born in Hayes.[citation needed]

Key Information

A stand up comedian since 1980, he was a regular compere at London's Comedy Store throughout the 1980s and won best Stand Up Comedian at the Charrington London Fringe Awards in 1987.[citation needed]

Cornes appeared in three series of Blackadder, in two episodes of The Young Ones and as barman 'Dick Head' in the TV show Bottom. He made an appearance in the first episode of Filthy, Rich & Catflap as a binman. Appeared in the Comic Strip episode "Slags". Appearances on Saturday Night Live. Cornes also starred in children's drama Grange Hill as Mr. Jeff Hankin (1990–2002); provided voices for characters in the children's television series TUGS, and featured in the Doctor Who story "Kinda" as the Trickster (1982). He appeared in Red Dwarf as Paranoia in the series one episode "Confidence and Paranoia". He also appeared several times in the BBC Scotland sitcom Rab C. Nesbitt, once as a DSS Clerk and again as a barman in a Highland pub.

He played a major role as the harassed talent agent Dickie Valentino in the 1994 partially-improvised comedy film There's No Business..., alongside comedy duos Raw Sex (Simon Brint and Rowland Rivron) and The Oblivion Boys (Stephen Frost and Mark Arden).

He appeared in the 2002 S Club Juniors video "One Step Closer." In November 2010 he appeared as Dave in Episode 6 of E4 comedy Phoneshop. He appeared as the Tooting Flasher in Matt Berry's Toast of London pilot. Appeared in Hustle. Also appearances in French and Saunders, The Lenny Henry Show, The Detectives, After You've Gone, and My Family.

Stage appearances include Ken Campbell's The Warp at the Liverpool Everyman, several roles at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond. Figaro at The Watford Palace Theatre, as well as pantomime roles. Co-writer and performer The WOW Show at the Wyndham's Theatre. He toured Britain with Neal from the Young Ones.[clarification needed]

Cornes was one of the lead writers for Mr Bean, The Animated Series, and a writer on Cavegirl and Channel 4's Gophers!. He was a co-writer of Channel 4's animation series The Bird, and writer/storyliner on What's Up Doc?, a writer and performer on Thames TV's After Hours and joint writer on two series of The WOW Show on Radio 4. He has appeared in various children's television shows such as My Parents are Aliens, Bear Behaving Badly, Jackanory.

In a 2010 interview in The Times, Cornes was cited as one of fellow comedian Sean Lock's biggest comedic influences. Lock said: "He’s not very well known but he is my main influence — he used to compere at the Comedy Store. He’s the comedians’ comedian. He used to be very unpredictable, which is a great skill in a comedian, not knowing where to go next. He also used to play the physics teacher in Grange Hill."[1]

Filmography

[edit]
Film/TV
Year Title Role Notes
1980 The Further Adventures of Oliver Twist Barney 3 episodes
1982 Doctor Who Trickster "Kinda" Parts 2 and 3
Uliisses Unknown Film
1984 The Comic Strip Presents... Arch Crippledick 1 episode ("Slags")
The Young Ones MC
Spasspecker		 2 episodes ("Cash", "Time")
1985 The Lenny Henry Show Various 1 episode (Episode #2.5)
Up Our Street 4 episodes
1986 Blackadder II 2nd Guard 1 episode ("Chains")
Lenny Henry Tonite Unknown 1 episode ("Neighbourhood Watch")
1987 The Love Child Man in Supermarket Film
Filthy Rich & Catflap Dustman 1 episode ("Dead Milkmen")
Blackadder the Third Shelley 1 episode ("Ink and Incapability")
1988 Red Dwarf Paranoia 1 episode ("Confidence and Paranoia")
Knowhow Tobias Trumble 1 episode
1988-1990 Colin's Sandwich Graham 8 episodes
1989 Morris Minor's Marvellous Motors Cooper 3 1 episode ("Nightmare")
Tugs Grampus
Billy Shoepack
Boomer
Fuel Depot		 Voice
Close to Home Parrot 1 episode ("Father and Family"), voice
Blackadder Goes Forth Private Fraser 1 episode ("Corporal Punishment")
Mornin' Sarge Oily 2 episodes
1990-2002 Grange Hill Mr. Hankin
1990-1993 Rab C. Nesbitt D.S.S. Clerk
Barman		 3 episodes
1991 Screen One Preston Scott 1 episode ("Filipina Dreamgirls")
Performance Marty Feldman 1 episode ("The Trials of Oz")
1991-1995 Bottom Dick Head 3 episodes ("Smells", "Parade", "Dough")
1993 French and Saunders Dickie Valentino 1 episode ("In Bed With French and Saunders")
I, Lovett Bingley 1 episode ("Imagine")
The Full Monty Various
1994 The All New Alexei Sayle Show 1 episode
There's No Business Dickie Valentino
1995 Jack & Jeremy's Police 4 Detective TV Movie
Spot's Magical Christmas Deer 2 Voice, UK version
Eleven Men Against Eleven Journalist TV Movie
Drunk and Disorderly Unknown
1996-1997 Detectives Dr. Pete 2 episodes
1996 Saturday Live Various 1 episode
Jack and Jeremy's Real Lives 4 episodes
1997 Loved by You Gary 1 episode
Like It or Lump It Unknown
Does China Exist? TV Movie
1998 Adam's Family Tree Jack 1 episode ("The Irate Pirate")
2002-2004 15 Storeys High Unknown 2 episodes
2005 Hustle Ray Bond 1 episode ("The Lesson")
2006 Jam & Jerusalem Patient 1 episode ("Sudden Death")
2008 Teenage Kicks Tim Bennet 1 episode ("Goodbye Cruel Worm")
After You've Gone Mr. Deakin 1 episode ("There Will Be Pud")
2009 Bear Behaving Badly Todd 1 episode ("Bird Brain")
2010 My Family Council Official 1 episode ("Wheelie Ben")
PhoneShop Dave 1 episode ("Soldier, Swinger, Shelley, Shelley")
2012 Toast of London Flasher 1 episode ("The Flasher of London")
2016 The National Union of Space People News Reader Film
2024 Bottom: Exposed Self Documentary
Writing Credits
Year Title Notes
1990 Gophers! 2 episodes
1994 What's Up Doc? 14 episodes
2002-2003 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series 7 episodes

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Lee Cornes

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Lee Cornes is an English , , and born in 1951. He is best known for his extensive work in British television comedy and drama, including recurring roles in landmark series such as The Young Ones (1982–1984), (1986–1989), Bottom (1991–1995), and his long-term portrayal of science teacher Mr. Hankin in the children's drama from 1990 to 2002. Cornes continues to perform in live comedy, including appearances at the 2025 . Cornes began his professional career as a stand-up in the late 1970s, auditioning for London's in and frequently serving as its compere starting in 1980. A qualified who has occasionally worked as a supply teacher, he transitioned into and writing, contributing to sketch shows like The Wow Show (1980s) alongside performers such as and , and later writing scripts for the animated series (2002–2004). His other notable credits include guest appearances in (1988), ("Kinda", 1982), and voice roles in the children's series TUGS (1988–1989), showcasing his versatility across comedy, drama, and animation.

Early life

Birth and family background

Lee Cornes was born in 1951 in . Raised in the West Midlands region during the post-war era, Cornes grew up amid Britain's economic and social reconstruction following World War II, a time characterized by rationing's end, industrial growth, and emerging cultural shifts in working-class communities. While specific details about his parents' occupations or siblings remain undocumented in public records.

Education

Cornes received his higher education at university, where he first engaged in performing comedy sketches among peers, an activity that hinted at his budding interest in creative performance. After completing his studies, he qualified as a teacher and later took on supply teaching positions in schools, experiences that occasionally intersected with his developing career in and led to amusing recognitions from students and staff.

Career

Stand-up comedy

Lee Cornes began his career in 1979 by auditioning at the newly opened in , responding to an advertisement in the Evening Standard that sought aspiring comedians. He performed sketches drawn from his university revues during the audition and appeared on the venue's opening night on 19 May 1979, alongside acts including Arnold Brown, with as compere. This early exposure marked the start of his professional involvement in the scene. Throughout the 1980s, Cornes established himself as a regular compere at , where he introduced acts and performed opening sets, often eliciting laughter from fellow comedians as much as the audience. He frequently shared with contemporaries such as and Arnold Brown, contributing to the venue's reputation as a hub for innovative, countercultural stand-up during the era. In the 1980s and into the 1990s, Cornes co-founded and performed in The WOW Show, a surreal sketch and stand-up revue with Steve Frost, Mark Arden, and Paul Mark Elliott. The group toured extensively and staged live performances until approximately 1995, complementing their stage work with two BBC Radio 4 series in 1985.

Television roles

Lee Cornes began his television acting career in the early 1980s with guest appearances in notable British comedy and drama series. His breakthrough came with two episodes of the BBC sitcom The Young Ones in 1982 and 1984, where he played the characters Spasspecker and MC, contributing to the show's anarchic humor alongside stars like Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson. In 1982, he also appeared in the Doctor Who serial Kinda as the Trickster, a role in the episode "Part Three" that showcased his ability to portray enigmatic figures in science fiction. Throughout the 1980s, Cornes featured in multiple series of , demonstrating his versatility in historical comedy. He portrayed the 2nd German guard in (1986, episode "Chains"), Percy Shelley in (1987, episode "Ink and Incapability"), and Private Fraser in (1989, episode ""). Another highlight was his guest role as Paranoia in (1988, episode "Confidence and "), where he embodied the hallucinatory manifestation of the protagonist's insecurities. In the 1990s, Cornes secured more recurring roles, including Dick Head in the cult sitcom Bottom (1991–1995), appearing in episodes across three series such as "Smells" (1991), "Parade" (1992), and "Dough" (1995), often as a hapless antagonist to Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson's characters. He also made guest spots in Rab C. Nesbitt (1990, 1992, 1993) as a D.S.S. Clerk and Barman, and in French and Saunders (1993) as an ensemble actor. Cornes's longest-running television role was as the science teacher Mr. Jeff Hankin in the children's drama from 1990 to 2002, spanning 153 episodes and involving major plotlines such as the 2001 ceiling collapse incident in series 24, episode 19, where his character was trapped alongside students Ozzie and , highlighting themes of school safety and heroism. This role established him as a familiar face in , contrasting his comedic background. Into the 2000s and 2010s, Cornes continued with supporting roles in sitcoms, including Council Official in My Family (2010, episode "Wheelie Ben"), Dave in PhoneShop (2010, episode "Soldier, Swinger, Shelley, Shelley"), and Flasher in Toast of London (2012 pilot, "The Unspeakable Play"). No major acting roles in scripted television have been reported for Cornes from 2020 to 2025, though he appeared as himself in retrospective specials like Bottom: Exposed (2024).

Film, theatre, and voice work

Cornes made a notable appearance in the 1994 British mockumentary There's No Business..., directed by Kevin Molony, where he portrayed the exasperated Dickie Valentino, assisting a dysfunctional musical duo in their bid to record an advertisement jingle. The film, featuring improvised elements and comedy duo Raw Sex (Simon Brint and ), highlighted Cornes's skill in delivering frustration amid chaotic scenarios. On stage, Cornes took on the role of Figaro in a 1992 production of Pierre Beaumarchais's at the Watford Palace Theatre, directed by Lou Stein, alongside as Rosine and as Count Almaviva. He also co-wrote and performed in the sketch comedy revue The WOW Show alongside , Mark Elliot, and , a live production that showcased surreal and satirical humor in the mid-1980s. In , Cornes contributed to the stop-motion TUGS (1988–1989), voicing key characters such as the inquisitive naval submarine Grampus, the Star Fleet tug Billy Shoepack, and the demolition barge Boomer, bringing distinct personalities to the harbor-based ensemble. His vocal work extended to a in the 2002 music video for S Club Juniors' debut single "One Step Closer," directed by , where he added a comedic element to the pop group's youthful narrative.

Writing contributions

Lee Cornes has made significant contributions to television writing, particularly in the realm of children's animation and sketches, drawing on his background in stand-up to infuse scripts with sharp, observational humor. His work often features surreal and whimsical elements tailored for young audiences, emphasizing visual gags and character-driven . As lead for , Cornes contributed to the early development of the show, penning scripts for at least seven episodes across the first two seasons (2002–2003), including "Super Trolley" and "Car Trouble," which helped establish the series' silent, style. The program, produced by Tiger Aspect Productions for ITV, expanded the original live-action concept into animation, with Cornes's involvement ensuring continuity in the character's mishaps and . By the early 2000s, his efforts supported the completion of the initial 52 episodes, laying the foundation for the series' ongoing success into later seasons. Cornes's writing credits extend to several , where he crafted stories blending adventure and humor. He served as a writer for Cavegirl (2002–2003), a adventure-comedy about a prehistoric girl in modern times, contributing to episodes like "New Bands." For Channel 4's Gophers! (1990–1991), an following mischievous , Cornes wrote two episodes, including "The Bill" and "A Nasty Change of Temperament," highlighting chaotic animal antics. He was also co-writer for the animated The Bird (1994–1995), a surreal Channel 4 production, and storyliner for What's Up Doc? (1992–1994), a Welsh-language children's show with English dubs featuring cartoonish medical scenarios. Additionally, Cornes wrote and performed sketches for Thames Television's After Hours (), a late-night program. In radio, Cornes co-wrote and starred in The WOW Show for BBC Radio 4 (1985), a surreal sketch comedy series spanning two seasons and 12 episodes, created collaboratively with Mark Arden, Paul Mark Elliott, and Stephen Frost. The program, known for its absurd humor and late-night broadcasts, showcased Cornes's ability to adapt visual comedy tropes to audio formats, often through ensemble performances.

Personal life

Family and relationships

Lee Cornes has kept his personal life private, with no publicly available information regarding his or any spouses or long-term partners. Biographies and interviews focus exclusively on his professional career, omitting details about romantic relationships. No records or mentions of children or extended family appear in credible sources, though Cornes's role as a qualified supply teacher has been noted as providing flexibility in his schedule, potentially for personal reasons, but without specific ties to family. Cornes developed close professional bonds with comedy contemporaries such as and Ade Edmondson through collaborations on projects like Bottom, but no evidence indicates these extended into documented personal friendships beyond work.

Health and later activities

Cornes has maintained a low public profile regarding personal health matters, with no major incidents reported in credible sources. In addition to his entertainment career, Cornes pursued teaching as a parallel profession, qualifying as a science teacher and working as a supply instructor in schools. He has recounted humorous anecdotes of recognition from his role as Mr. Hankin in , where students often did double-takes upon seeing him in the classroom, blurring the lines between his on-screen persona and real-life teaching. For instance, pupils would ask, "Sir, do you teach here or are you an actor?" after identifying him from the series. Into his later years, Cornes continued selective engagements in comedy and acting, including a special guest appearance at the 2025 in the live podcast event Talking Bottom LIVE, where he reprised his role as the pub landlord Dick Head from the series Bottom. This event highlighted his enduring ties to the scene he helped pioneer in the 1980s. Cornes's influence persists among comedians, as evidenced by fellow performer , who in a 2010 interview described him as "the comedian's comedian" and a primary inspiration, crediting his unpredictable style from early days compèring at .

References

  1. https://guide.doctorwhonews.net/person.php?name=LeeCornes
  2. https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/lee_cornes/
  3. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0180325/
  4. https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lee-cornes/credits/3000526114/
  5. https://entertainment-focus.com/2025/08/13/from-returning-trailblazers-to-cult-tv-podcasters-meet-the-seasoned-acts-shaking-up-edinburgh-festival-fringe/
  6. https://reddwarf.co.uk/features/interviews/lee-cornes/
  7. https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/people/lee_cornes.shtml
  8. https://tugs.fandom.com/wiki/Lee_Cornes
  9. https://www.startiger.com/l?i=65974
  10. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Lee-Cornes/
  11. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-030-97351-3.pdf
  12. https://www.comedy.co.uk/features/comedy-rewind/saturday-live/
  13. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075512/
  14. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0158269/
  15. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/967085-there-s-no-business
  16. http://www.chaseside.org.uk/theatre_casts/1990123/barber.html
  17. https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/shows/733/the-wow-show/
  18. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11535780/
  19. https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1211932-lee-cornes?language=en-US
  20. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0280277/fullcredits/
  21. https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/mr_bean_animated_series/episodes/1/23/
  22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loemLwSiucI
  23. https://watch.plex.tv/show/cavegirl/season/1/episode/11
  24. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0401010/fullcredits/
  25. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0890417/
  26. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001w79t
  27. https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/the_wow_show/
  28. https://www.whosdatedwho.com/dating/lee-cornes
  29. https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/talking-bottom-live
  30. https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/the-world-according-to-sean-lock-mpt8xkc8f98
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