Christopher Douglas is a British actor and writer. Christopher Douglas is the voice of Ed Reardon in BBC Radio 4's long-running sitcom Ed Reardon's Week, which he co-writes with Andrew Nickolds. Ed Reardon's Week has completed thirteen series and was the winner of the Broadcasting Press Guild's "Best Radio Programme" award in 2005 and again in 2010. Douglas is also the voice and co-creator of the world's most disappointing cricketer Dave Podmore, a Radio 4 regular for the last 20 years. Other radio credits include a two-part adaptation of George Gissing's New Grub Street, two series of Mastering The Universe, co-written with Nick Newman and starring Dawn French. Also three series of Beauty Of Britain, co-written with Nicola Sanderson and starring Jocelyn Jee Esien. Christopher Douglas writes and directs the improbably long-running career of uber-thesp Nicholas Craig whose autobiography I, An Actor was first published in 1988, and who has continued to appear on TV and onstage ever since.
Background
Douglas was born 1955. His father Douglas Neill was an actor, director and TV producer. His mother Carol Howard-Eady was an actress and stage manager. His step-father Derek Clark was briefly an actor before becoming a director and producer, retiring in 1992 as Director of Programmes for HTV. Douglas was educated at Downs Preparatory School and Clifton College. He left school at 15 to work as an assistant stage manager in various regional theatres; Porthcawl, Ilfracombe, Bristol Old Vic, Worcester and the Wyvern, Swindon, where he made his performing debut as the back end of Alfred the Horse. He joined the Young Vic company as an acting ASM in 1972. Douglas took up writing in 1979 but has continued to work as an actor. He is Secretary of The Weekenders Cricket Club.
Writing credits
THEATRE:Theatrical Digs, Scout's Honour. An Evening with Nicholas Craig starring Nigel Planer. Ed Reardon: A Writer's Burden
RADIO: The Englishman Abroad. I, An Actor.... Thirty episodes of Dave Podmore, co-written with Nick Newman and Andrew Nickolds, "Life, Death and Sex with Mike and Sue", two series of Mastering the Universe, with Nick Newman. Ed Reardon's Week, co-written with Andrew Nickolds. Dolly, three series of Beauty of Britain, co-written with Nicola Sanderson. New Grub Street
TV: Tygo Road, The Naked Actor, The Nicholas Craig Masterclass, It's Not Cricket with Rory Bremner, "The Age Thing", "Film 2004". "How to be Eighteenth-Century", "How to be Sci-Fi", "The Rock and Roll Years", "Mark Lawson Interviews Nicholas Craig", "How to be Edwardian", "How to be Old"
BOOKS: Spartan Cricketer, a biography of D.R.Jardine. I, An Actor... . Pod Almighty!, The Word of Pod,, Ed Reardon’s Week, ghosted ...and June Whitfield
JOURNALISM: Guardian columnist 1996-2006. Numerous other pieces for The Guardian, Times, Independent, Telegraph, Mail on Sunday, Wisden and The Wisden Cricketer.
DIRECTING: I, An Actor…stage show 2002. Series 2 of The Nicholas Craig Masterclass. "How to be Eighteenth-Century" "How to be Sci-Fi", "How to be Edwardian" and "Mark Lawson Interviews Nicholas Craig", "How to be Old"
Presenting
Pick of the Week Radio 4
Comedy Club Radio 4 Extra
Timeshift BBC2
"The London Residences of George Gissing"
"200 Years of The Cumberland Market"
Acting credits
THEATRE: seasons at The Young Vic, Cheltenham and Birmingham.
FILM: The Hireling. Penda's Fen.
SHORTS: Dave Podmore in the Fast Lane and Dave Podmore in the Pressure Cooker, Dave Podmore's Top Cricket Tips,
TV: Fathers and Families, Secret Army, Cats Eyes, Matilda's England, Crossroads, Crown Court, Rooms, The Flockton Flyer, four series as Samuel Onedin in The Onedin Line, Radio, The Lenny Henry Show, Reilly, Ace of Spies, The Bill, Casualty, Early Travellers to America, The Bill and Sean Show, Lead Balloon, Hey Hey We’re the Monks!.
RADIO: Member of BBC Radio Drama Company 1983-84. I, An Actor.... Twenty-seven Dave Podmore shows. Mastering the Universe with Dawn French. Club of Queer TradesLondon Life, Peacefully in Their Sleeps. Gus MacDonald. Dolly. Brian Gulliver's Travels. Beauty of Britain.
Publications
Christopher Douglas, Douglas Jardine: Spartan Cricketer, Methuen, 2003,
