Johnny Vegas

Michael Joseph Pennington, Sr., better known as Johnny Vegas (born 5th September 1970)

is an English actor and comedian, known for his angry rants, surreal humour, portly figure and high husky voice.

His television roles have included playing Al in the ITV Digital adverts, drug dealer Moz in the BBC black comedy Ideal and Geoff Maltby in the ITV comedy series Benidorm.

Early Life

Vegas was born in Thatto Heath, St Helens, Lancashire, the youngest of four children of Laurence and Patricia Pennington. He has two older brothers (Robert and Mark) and an older sister (Catharine). He was brought up as a Roman Catholic. At the age of eleven, he attended St Joseph's College in Upholland, a Roman Catholic boarding-school seminary, to train for the priesthood, but came back homesick after four terms. He also attended West Park School, Alder Hey Road, St Helens.

After studying art and ceramics at Middlesex University for three years and gaining a third-class degree, Vegas returned to Thatto Heath and took various short-term jobs including working in an Argos warehouse, selling boiler insurance door-to-door and packing bottles of Jif in a factory, before eventually becoming a barman at the Brown Edge pub in Thatto Heath.

Between 1994 and 1997, he was a member of Cluub Zarathustra, a comedy performance group led by Stewart Lee, Roger Mann and Simon Munnery.

Television & Radio

In 1996, Vegas made his television debut as a contestant on Win, Lose or Draw in the UK under his real name of Michael, but made references to the fact he wanted to be a comedian and that his stage name was "Johnny Vegas". He featured on the The Big Breakfast during the programme's final months before it ended in March 2002. His appearance was briefly shown during Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups and BBC Three's Almost Famous 2. Vegas gained a wider audience as a regular member of Shooting Stars. His character was not too dissimilar to his real-life persona at that time: a pitiable sort always nursing a pint of Guinness.

In 2002, Vegas starred in the BBC Radio 4 sitcom Night Class, which he co-wrote with Tony Burgess and Tony Pitts, with Dirk Maggs as director. Vegas played a former Butlin's redcoat teaching evening classes in pottery. It was a runner-up for best comedy at the Sony Radio Academy Awards.

He starred in the BBC Three sitcom Ideal as Moz from 2005 to 2011.

Between 2007 and 2009, Vegas played Geoff "The Oracle" Maltby in the ITV sitcom Benidorm. On 16th January 2015, he made guest appearances in episode 3,4,5 and 6 during the programme's seventh series. He returned full-time in Series 8, which began on 11th January 2016.

In 2012, Vegas played the role of Mr. Croombe in a television adaptation of David Walliams' children's novel Mr Stink. In 2014, Vegas voiced Fat Baz in the ITV4 animated sitcom Warren United.

In August 2014, Vegas took part in ITV's two-part documentary series Secrets from the Clink. In May 2013, Vegas played the role of Lord Ratspeaker in a BBC radio adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, adapted by Dirk Maggs.

Since 26th December 2013, Vegas has played Wet Eric Agnew in the revived BBC sitcom Still Open All Hours. Vegas has guest presented numerous episodes of Sunday Brunch for Channel 4. In August 2015, he narrated the four-part series Travel Guides for ITV. In 2016, he took part in ITV's celebrity driving show Drive, hosted by Vernon Kay.

In August 2016, Vegas starred in a one-off comedy pilot called Home from Home, playing the lead role of Neil Hackett. Filmed at Skiddaw View Holiday Park, the episode aired on BBC Two on 30th August 2016. In December 2016, it was announced that Home from Home had been commissioned for a full series to air on BBC One in 2017.

Film

In 2003, Vegas played Jackie Symes in the film The Virgin of Liverpool, Alf Prince in the film Cheeky and Trevor in the film Blackball. In 2004, he played Dave in the film Sex Lives of the Potato Men and voiced Uncle Stewart in the film Terkel in Trouble.

In 2013, Vegas was the voice of Abu the hamster in the British film The Harry Hill Movie.

Other Projects

Vegas appeared in Joe Orton's The Erpingham Camp at the 2000 Edinburgh Festival. In 2001, Vegas starred as Al in adverts for ITV Digital with a puppet named Monkey (voiced by Ben Miller). In 2007, he reprised the role in adverts for PG Tips tea.

Having achieved fame in entertainment, Vegas received plaudits for his ceramic work. Ceramic Review praised him, leading to a role in Pot Shots (collaborating with Roger Law), a film made for an international gathering of potters. This led to his work being acquired for a collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum and a commission from Old Spice to design a bottle for their aftershave. In 2005, Vegas participated in a celebrity edition of The Generation Game demonstrating how to make a pot, before judging the participants' attempts.

In 2014, he directed a music video for Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott. That year he also published his autobiography.

Personal Life

In August 2002, Vegas married Catherine "Kitty" Donnelly and sold pictures of the wedding to Viz magazine for a pound. Vegas and Donnelly were divorced by agreement on 11 March 2008 after having lived apart for more than two years. In April 2011, Vegas married columnist and Irish television producer Maia Dunphy in Seville. In January 2015, the couple announced that they were expecting their first child together. On 26th January 2015, Maia Dunphy posted an image of her ultrasound on Twitter, stating; "Well @JohnnyVegasReal, at least we know he's definitely yours......". Their son Tom was born in July 2015.

Vegas said in 2012 that he had returned to his Christian faith in the previous few years, crediting his parents' faith for his good upbringing.

Vegas fulfilled a lifetime ambition by appearing for St Helens in Keiron Cunningham's testimonial rugby league game, a friendly against Hull, in 2005.

In July 2014, Vegas was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Edge Hill University