Ade Edmondson

Ade Edmondson

Adrian Charles "Ade" Edmondson (born 24 January 1957) is an English comedian, actor, writer, musician, television presenter and director.

Edmonson came to prominence in the early 1980s and was part of the alternative comedy boom. He is probably best known for his comedic roles in the television series The Young Ones (1982–1984) and Bottom (1991–2003), for which he also wrote together with his long-time collaborative partner Rik Mayall. Edmondson also appeared in the Comic Strip Presents... series of films throughout the 1980s and 90s. For one episode of this he created the spoof heavy metal band Bad News, and for another he played his nihilistic alter-ego Eddie Monsoon, an offensive South African television star. He played the lead role in the 1985 spin-off feature film, The Supergrass. In the 2000s Edmondson appeared in numerous TV programmes in more serious drama roles including Jonathan Creek, Holby City, Miss Austen Regrets, as himself on Hell's Kitchen and created the sitcom Teenage Kicks.

Since 2006 Edmondson has concentrated increasingly on music instead of acting, forming band The Bad Shepherds and performing and writing for the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. In 2011 he presented a series of shows for ITV: The Dales, which focused on people working in the Yorkshire Dales, and Ade in Britain in which he undertook a tour of numerous places in Britain. The series was so popular that a second series aired in spring 2012.

Edmondson has been married to fellow comedian Jennifer Saunders since 1985 and they have three daughters and a grandson. He lives in Devon and London.