Curtis Walker is a multi-talented British Executive Producer, Actor, Stand-up Comedian, Poet, Writer and rightfully known as “The Don” he was awarded Best Male Stand-up in the Black International Comedy Awards, Carlton TV Multicultural Entertainment and Comedy Award, and Curtis won Best Radio Host at The Black Comedy Awards for his Colourful Radio Show which is every Monday 1pm to 2pm.
Curtis was born on 26th July 1961 in London UK, his parents are Jamaican and his personal life remains private, he has a successful public career in TV, Film, Stage and Radio. He is one of the leading black Stand-up, Comedian and Actor’s in the UK.
Curtis is a natural he captivates an audience the moment he walks on the stage and introduces himself, being authentic and relatable with his accurate portrayal of characters which is always on point with a Caribbean influence that just seals his whole performance. You have to laugh, nod in agreement and clap at how realistic, bold and just how funny Curtis is.
Curtis has a distinctive voice that is recognisable, he is a brilliant Actor, he also writes his own routine and sketches and was an Executive Producer of The Real McCoy which is a Black Classic, and in a league of it’s own most definitely, with a great blend of credible Black and Asian characters Actors and Actresses performing together at the highest calibre, as we get to view scenarios through the black british perspective in a positive light, which is such a great representation at that.
In the late 80’s Curtis performed as a Comedy Double Act, alongside Ishmael Thomas who is also a Stand-up, Comedian and Actor, they performed in a Sketch Show on TV in 1991 which was ground breaking, relatable and very authentic comedy, as they co-hosted the second series of Paramount City on BBC1. Curtis and Ishmael were extremely popular at the 291 Club at the Hackney Empire because their shows were amazing. Curtis and Ishmael began marketing and promoting their Comedy Double Act.
Charlie Hanson the Co-founder of the Black Theatre Co-operative is credited for producing No Problem! and Desmond’s which are also ultimate classic black shows, he was invited by Curtis and Ishmael alongside a BBC Commissioner to watch their live performance.
Charlie suggested that they both make a version for television, but the BBC launched a different sketch series and they called it The Real McCoy in 1991. Curtis was a Executive Producer and BBC Producer The title theme was written by Soul II Soul frontman Jazzie B.
The talented cast that all appeared on the Iconic Comedy Sketch Show The Real McKoy on BBC2 were Curtis Walker, Ishmael Thomas, Llewellyn Gideon, Colette Johnson, Leo Chester, Robbie Gee, Meera Syal, Kulvinder Ghir, Perry Benson and Sanjeev Bhaskar. There were also Guest Appearances from Kathy Burke, Linford Christie, Alan Towers, Kathy Burke, Frank Bruno and Ian Wright. You can also read my related article Unique Music Vibes: The Best Iconic Comedy Sketch Show Music Clips From The Real McCoy
The Iconic Comedy Sketch Show The Real McCoy Is Back!
The Real McCoy is back! Curtis is the Executive Producer and the BBC is a Producer, of this Comedy Sketch Show with a difference. All five series of The Real McCoy is available to watch now on the BBC iPlayer and I have added some of the best videos from YouTube.
The Real McCoy was very popular but it ended in 1996 and the VHS was released in 1994, series 3 was edited into two 45 minute episodes which was 20 of the best sketches. There wasn’t a DVD but in the BBC Store it could be downloaded before it was closed. In 1995, The Best Of The Real McCoy was aired it was a 4-part clip Show series, and reunion shows.
The Comedy Sketch Show: Blouse And Skirt
In 1996, Tony Morris was the host and Curtis Walker and Gina Yashere were the panelist on Blouse and Skirt the popular Comedy Show on BBC 2, it reached audiences of over 5 Million which is impressive, they had an interesting question and answer format all presented live with full audience participation. Danserious the dance troupe also performed, then each week different Musical Artist performed. Ruby Turner and Junior, Mica Paris, The Real Thing and Macka B.
There were also guest appearances from Leo Muhammed, Helen Da Silva, Angie Le Mar, the late Felix Dexter, Jocelyn Jee Esien, Slim, Junior Simpson, Helen Da Silva, Rudy Lickwood, Mary Newton, Charlie Hale, Roy Diamond. John Virgo, Carmen Munroe, Norman Beaton, Omar, Lennox Lewis, Saracen from Gladiators. Lisa L’anson, Maxi Priest, and some Stand-up Comedy from Angie Le Mar, Richard Blackwood, Junior Simpson, Rudi Lickwood, Tofu, John Simmit, Ian Edwards.
Rub-A-Dub was was a huge hit, it was a spoof of the Soap TV Eastenders, and there were many series, Celebrities also appeared as themselves. Linford Christie, Norman Beaton, Andi Peters, with Edd the Duck, Tessa Sanderson, Colin McMillan. In December 1994, Rub-A-Dub also aired on Fry and Laurie’s A Christmas Night With The Stars.
Curtis Walker’s Film Roles And TV Appearances
Rob Brydon’s Annually Retentive on BBC3 (Curtis makes regular Guest Appearances)
Ramsey Kitchen Nightmares / Momma Cherri Soul Food Shack (Channel 4)
Kerching! CBBC)
The Lenny Henry Show (BBC1)
The Stand-up Show (BBC2)
Ed Stone is Dead (BBC2)
Glastonbury 2000 Festival
Urban Heat, Black Britain (BBC1)
Maya Angelou’s Moon On A Rainbow Shawl.
The Jonathon Ross Show (ITV)
They Think it’s All Over (BBC1)
Now what (ITV)
Wogan (BBC1)
Youngers (E4)
Curtis Also Starred In Several Movies
The End (1998)
The Films Bullet Boy (2004)
Film Mutant Chronicles (2007)
Mutant Chronicles (2008)
In 2018 Curtis appeared on BBC Radio 4 Extra Comedy’s Coming Home where he travelled from London to Jamaica which is the birthplace of his parents, to experience how Comedy is portrayed there.
Curtis has been interviewed numerous times over the years, he was interviewed by Tim Westwood Curtis also appeared on LOL SHOW UK – Comedy On The Sofa hosted by Donna Spence where he discussed The Real McCoy, TV, Family and Stand-up Comedy.
Birmingham, MAC (Midlands Arts Centre)
London (The Comedy Store)
London 02 Shepherds Bush Empire
The Comedy Warehouse
Nottingham, The Glee Club
London, Indigo at the 02
Coventry, Warwick Arts Centre
London Hackney Empire
Leatherhead, The Leatherhead Theatre
Northampton, Royal & Derngate Theatre
London, Dingwalls
Curtis is the Godfather of Black Comedy in the UK, he is well-known on the Jongleurs circuit and the Comedy Store, he performed alongside fellow UK Comedians at World Superstars of Comedy II at Indigo 02. Curtis has his One Man Show entitled Right Now. Nelson Mandela was so impressed with Curtis’s amazing performance at The Birmingham Symphony Hall that he shook his hands twice! Curtis has met a lot celebrities and artists in his line of work, which includes meeting Oprah Winfrey. Curtis is also excellent at playing pool and tennis.
Curtis was named Best Male Stand-up from Black Issues In Community Arts. He is also credited for being the Writer of the last two seasons of The Richard Blackwood Show on Channel 4. Curtis is multi-talented and hardworking, he has been on tour as he performed to sell out audiences in the US, Spain, Jamaica, Holland and the Middle East which is very impressive.
Curtis is also the face behind the NHS Organ Donor Register, and he was responsible for leading their campaign and it successfully reached over 10 Million. Curtis is also very involved in working with ACLT (African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust) leading blood cancer and disorder charity that works hard to raise awareness of organ donors, blood and bone marrow shortage in the UK.
Curtis Walker’s Inspirational Quotes On Comedy, Performers And Writers
Writers are so important they are the crux of any movement. – Curtis Walker
Bring a camera and a light the world’s your oyster, it requires a level of camaraderie, a level of love and trust between performers and writers. We need a lot more writers we are struggling for writers in terms of comedy, because every comedian writes their own stuff or to a point, and there’s no sharing of that ability, that skill. – Curtis Walker
Everybody in the industry really needs to celebrate Writers, when everybody is desperate to be a star or in front of the camera they have to realise that the power is in the pen still. – Curtis Walker
You can adlib a joke and it’s funny, but the one that is written can be stronger because you take the adlib and you build the story behind the joke and bring it all the way, I just wish we celebrated that craft a bit more. They do schools of Comedy in certain places which is about performance, but we need Writing Workshops and Schools of Comedy Writing. – Curtis Walker
I won’t get involved in celebrating the negativity of certain communities and certain areas, I think there’s too much of that going on, I grew up in a place where there was violence and there was stabbings and there were shootings but there was also a lot of humour and helluva lot of love, and I feel that the medium that I’m involved in needs to show the whole sphere of our culture of that kind of life. – Curtis Walker
You’ve got to be confident in your material in order to go away from your material, so when I improvise and play, there’s nights I’ve chatted for an hour with nothing having been pre-planned or pre written, which is when the room is right and the mood is right and everybody you know.. And your firing on all cylinders, those nights aren’t very often but when it happens it makes it all worthwhile.– Curtis Walker
A Recent Update: In March 2021, Curtis Walker, Boss Lady, Eddie Nester and D.M.T, held 6 shows which were major UK events, #NoJoke they were joined by Consultant Haematologist Dr Rachel Kesse Ade Lisa and her daughter Miai who lives with Sickle Cell.
Another show centred around ‘What George Floyd’s verdict means for race relations in the UK’ Human Rights, Curtis, Boss Lady, Eddie and D.M.T were joined by Anti racism Activist and Motivational Speaker Imarn Ayton and Lawyer Jacqueline McKenzie.
You can keep updated with Curtis’s successful shows and endeavours in the pipeline, by following his social media pages @CurtisWalkerComedian his book: ‘Still Here – If the cap fits’ is available to buy from Amazon
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