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Robert Norman Davis (born 14 March 1945), known by his stage name, Jasper Carrott, is an English comedian, writer, actor, singer and television presenter. His credits include An Audience With Jasper Carrott (1978), The Secret Policeman's Other Ball (1982), Carrott's Lib (1982-1983), Jane and the Lost City (1987), Carrott's Commercial Breakdown (1989-1996), Canned Carrott (1990-1995), The Detectives (1993-1997), All About Me (2002–2004), and Golden Balls (2007–2009).
He acquired the nickname Jasper aged nine, and added the surname Carrott when he was 17.
Carrott had a UK Top 5 chart hit in August 1975 for DJM Records, with the novelty double A-side record, "Funky Moped" / "Magic Roundabout", written by Chris Rohmann and produced by Jeff Lynne, with Bev Bevan on drums and backing vocals on the former track, recorded at Grosvenor Road Studios.
By the late 1970s, Carrott had developed anecdotal sketches which he still performs. Often they purport to be autobiographical; many celebrate the Birmingham accent and culture, including his support of Birmingham City.
His live performances were recorded as Jasper Carrott Rabbitts on and on and on... and Carrott in Notts. Notable tracks were "Bastity Chelt", a song in Spoonerism, "The Football Match" describing a visit to Old Trafford, "The Nutter on the Bus" (including the cry "Has anybody seen my camel?"), "The Mole" ( "There's only one way to get rid of a mole – blow its bloody head off!") and "Zits" – an explanation of American slang for spots that brought the word into use in Britain.
In 1979, he published A Little Zit on the Side, a humorous autobiography. The follow-up, Sweet and Sour Labrador, mixed sections of stand-up routines with similar autobiographical material, much of it related to his world travels.
Carrott was the compere for the Birmingham Heart Beat Charity Concert 1986, which featured local bands such as Electric Light Orchestra and the Moody Blues, with a finale that included George Harrison.
His first appearance on television was a half-hour show for BBC Midlands on 11 August 1975, in a programme about local football called "The Golden Game". In 1976, he appeared in A Half Hour Mislaid with Jasper Carrott. He followed in 1978 with LWT's An Audience with Jasper Carrott,Ed Doolan interviews...Jasper Carrott (a.k.a. The Other Side of Jasper Carrott) (2005) Radio BBC7 This partnership with LWT continued with The Unrecorded Jasper Carrott (1979), and Beat the Carrott (1981).
In 1982, Carrott moved to the BBC for Carrott's Lib (1982-1983), Carrott's Commercial Breakdown (1989-1996), which broadcast weird from around the world, and the sketch and stand-up shows Carrott Confidential (1987-1989), 24 Carrott Gold (1990), The Jasper Carrott Trial (1996-1997), and Canned Carrott (1990-1991). One popular sketch involved Carrott reading out genuine, but bizarre motor insurance claim statements, such as "I drove out of my drive at 7am and drove straight into a bus. The bus was ten minutes early."
Carrott played Heinrich in the 1987 British comedy film Jane and the Lost City.
Canned Carrott also featured a Parody police drama called The Detectives, co-starring Robert Powell, which later was made into a series. From 2002 to 2004, he starred in the sitcom All About Me. In a twelve-week run in the summer of 2002 he played the part of Ko-Ko in comic opera The Mikado, written by Gilbert and Sullivan at the Savoy Theatre in London.
He performed in several of The Secret Policeman's Balls charity concerts for Amnesty International, and returned to the stage in 2004 at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham featuring classic routines from his career. He returned to singing for the musical Go Play Up Your Own End (written by Malcolm Stent, songs by Harvey Andrews) in 2005.
In 2005, he staged and appeared in the first Jasper Carrott's Rock With Laughter Christmas concert at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) Birmingham, supported live by Jimmy Carr, Jethro, Roy Wood, and Lenny Henry.
In summer 2007, Carrott hosted the Endemol-produced game show Golden Balls for ITV1.
On 15 September 2007, he was inducted into the Birmingham Walk of Stars at the Arts Fest 2007 celebrations. The award was presented by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham. Carrott is the second inductee, following Ozzy Osbourne. Carrott was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the British Comedy Awards on 6 December 2008.
In August 2017, Carrott underwent an operation to clear a blocked artery, followed by a quadruple heart bypass. A 30-date tour was cancelled. He has since said the surgery gave him a new lease of life and he has no plans to retire, citing Ken Dodd's longevity as an example.
In 2023 Carrott played the character Sykesy in the BBC Radio 4 radio serial drama The Archers.
Carrott's former manager, John Starkey, has written a book entitled Jasper and Me (1993; Etsiketsi Books), which included the line, "He once said, 'Ringo Starr isn't the best drummer in the world. He isn't even the best drummer in the Beatles'." This quote was commonly credited to John Lennon until Mark Lewisohn identified, in 1983, that it was Carrott who said it.According to Daniel Finkelstein, writing in The Times, 8 March 2014 However, Lewisohn has since confirmed that the line originally came from a 1981 episode of the BBC Radio 4 comedy series Radio Active, written by Geoffrey Perkins.
He is a supporter, and was a director, of Birmingham City Football Club; a hospitality suite at their St Andrew's ground is named after him. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2003 New Year Honours "for charitable services". The University of Birmingham awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2004, following a similar award from Aston University in 1995.
Literary work
Carrott has written the humorous paperbacks A Little Zit on the Side (1979), and Sweet and Sour Labrador (1982). He also wrote a novel called Shop! or a Store is Born. (1988). 9780099617006, Penguin Random House. ISBN 9780099617006
Business interests
Carrott was part-owner of the production company Celador, makers of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? In 2006, he and wife Hazel sold their shares for £10m when Dutch interactive television company 2waytraffic bought the group of companies behind Millionaire.
Personal life
Carrott married journalist Hazel Jackson in 1972. Their daughter is the actress Lucy Davis.
Filmography
19 August 2025 11 December 2015 9 January 2012 289 episodes recorded live at the NEC in Birmingham based on the original BBC radio series 31 episodes, 5 series & 1 Special recorded live at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane recorded live at Stratford Upon Avon this includes an election special broadcast on BBC2, and a special trailer for the 2nd series, broadcast on Friday,
15 January 1988, which took the form of a mini sketch with Carrott dressed as Anne Robinson on 'Pointless Views' short animated film, unknown TX date short animated film, LWT short animated film, LWT live from the London Palladium live from the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Discography
Albums
Singles
External links
Categories: Www.jaspercarrott.com Official Website, 1945 Births, Living People, British Stand-up Comedians, Comedians From Birmingham, West Midlands, English Comedy Musicians, British Novelty Song Performers, English Game Show Hosts, English Stand-up Comedians, English Television Personalities, English Television Presenters, Male Actors From Birmingham, West Midlands, Officers Of The Order Of The British Empire, People Educated At Moseley School, 20th-century English Comedians, 21st-century English Comedians
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