Reece Shearsmith

Born: August 27 1969
Where: Hull, England, UK

The writer and actor is probably best known for being a quarter of the surreally warped comedy team The League of Gentlemen.

He met fellow members Mark Gatiss and Steve Pemberton at Wakefield's Bretton Hall Drama School during a musical production of The Taming of The Shrew.

In 1994, they formed the League of Gentlemen with co-writer and occasional actor Jeremy Dyson, who was studying philosophy at Leeds University.

They made their first appearance in a five-night run at London's Cockpit Theatre and then moved to a regular Monday spot at the Canal Theatre.

In 1996, they were a critical success at the Edinburgh Festival, recorded their first radio show and bagged the Perrier Award at the following year's festival.

The LoG made its TV debut in 1999 and has spawned two series as well as a Christmas special.

Shearsmith's most celebrated characters include Papa Lazarou, local shopkeeper Edward Tattsyrup and theatre director Ollie Plimsolls.

He made his big screen debut in the 1999 romantic comedy This Year's Love and also appeared in the comedy drama The Birthday Girl.

In 2004, he had a featured role in the hit zombie comedy Shaun of the Dead and provided voices for The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy.

TV work has included Catterick, Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere with Peter Kay and Spaced with Simon Pegg.

Recently, he joined the Gatiss, Pemberton and Dyson for the big screen outing The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse.