After Dinner SpeakersComedian, actor, quiz show host, singer, adventurer and presenter – Alexander Armstrong has many strings to his entertainment bow.
A regular face on prime time TV, he is best known for being one half of comedy duo Armstrong and Miller.
Born in Rothbury, Northumberland, Armstrong studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was a member of The Cambridge Footlights.
He met his comedy partner Ben Miller in 1991 whilst performing at London’s only sketch club TBA at the Gate Theatre in Notting Hill.
The duo began performing together in 1993 and three years later they were nominated for a Perrier Comedy Award.
After guest appearances on French & Saunders, Smith & Jones and Harry Enfield & Chums, they got their big break on Channel 4’s Saturday Live. This led to their own show on Paramount TV and then Channel 4 which ran for four series from 1997 to 2001 before renewing his partnership with Ben for BAFTA winning The Armstrong and Miller Show in 2007 for three series.
Xander has hosted the hugely popular quiz show Pointless since it began in 2009.
Other presenting roles include Alexander Armstrong’s Big Ask and Epic Win and frequently guest-hosting on BBC1’s Have I Got News For You.
In 2015, Xander fronted a documentary series for ITV, In the Land of Midnight Sun, in which he embarked on an epic 8000-mile journey halfway around the Arctic Circle.
Xander’s onscreen travels have extended to a history series for the BBC, Italy’s Invisible Cities which aired in 2017. This followed on from the 2015 BBC series Rome’s Invisible City, which saw him explore the hidden tunnels of Italy’s capital.
In 2017, Xander presented ITV’s Teach My Pet To Do That which follows a team of specialist pet trainers as they train a range of animals to pull off incredible tricks. He has fronted a BAFTA-nominated documentary, marking the 20th anniversary of The Full Monty as part of an awareness project for prostate and testicular cancer.
He has also turned his hand to straight acting and has starred in numerous TV dramas including Love Life, Life Begins, Saxondale and appeared in the Julia Davis 2012 comedy Hunderby. Xander appeared in the ITV2 post-apocalyptic sitcom Cockroaches. He also is the voice of the children’s cartoon series Danger Mouse.
Music is a huge love of Xander’s and he presents the flagship weekday mid-morning radio show for Classic FM. In 2015 he joined forces with the stars of the Warner Music Group, working on a medley of classical songs for his debut solo vocal album, A Year of Songs. It reached number six on the UK Albums Chart in its first week and topped the UK Classical Charts, the first time a comedian/actor has reached number one in that chart! In 2016 he released his second album, Upon a Different Shore, and toured the UK performing. He also starred as Max Detweiler in the TV special The Sound of Music Live for ITV in 2015.
Hugely popular on the corporate circuit, Alexander Armstrong is much in demand for awards hosting and after dinner speaking.
