Welcome to the Deep Dive, where we really get
stuck into a subject, try and dig out those fascinating
insights, those sort of aha moments. Yeah, find
the good stuff. Exactly. And today we're exploring
someone who really defies easy categorization,
David Baddiel. Definitely. I mean, just think
about it for a second. This is the guy who co
-wrote Three Lions, right? That football anthem.
Oh, yeah. Everyone knows that one. Topped the
charts not once, but twice. Became this huge
national thing, you know, part of the culture
around English football. Absolutely. Waving in.
But and here's the thing. This same person is
also an award winning children's author. Right.
He sold out Wembley Arena with a comedy act.
And he sparked these really deep national conversations
about prejudice, particularly anti -Semitism.
That's something that reigned, isn't it? That
kind of diverse impact. I mean, the sheer breadth
of what he's done across so many different fields,
it just screams unique, doesn't it? A really
multifaceted individual. It really does. So our
aim today is to, well, look beyond those easy
labels, the surface stuff, and try to understand
the contributions he's made. not just to entertainment,
which is obvious, but importantly to public discourse
too, our sort of broader cultural conversation.
That's a great way to put it. And what's really
striking about Bideel, what makes him so fascinating,
I think, is that ability he has to just seamlessly
shift between these different cultural worlds,
sometimes doing both at the same time almost.
Yeah, like juggling chainsaws and kittens. Ah,
maybe. But... you know, he goes from creating
this huge mass entertainment, like a number one
football song everyone sings, to then engaging
in really serious intellectual stuff. You know,
his non -fiction, those powerful documentaries,
his stand -up, which gets quite deep, and this
incredible versatility, this intellectual curiosity
just makes him a perfect subject for this kind
of deep dive. Yeah. Let's us really explore the,
well, the breadth and depth of his influence
across all these different, sometimes clashing
areas. That's a really key point. And it sets
us up perfectly for what we want to do today.
A proper deep dive into, well, the many lives
and careers of David Baddiel, the English comedian,
presenter, screenwriter, author, singer. All
of it. Quite the list. Well, look at his origins,
unpack his really groundbreaking work in comedy,
dig into his writing career, which, as you said,
covers everything from adult novels to kids'
bestsellers. And look at how he's engaged, quite
courageously, really, with some tricky social
and political topics. Yeah. And our main source
for this, our roadmap, if you like, is a pretty
extensive Wikipedia entry. We're going to be
pulling it apart and seeing what we find. Right.
And it's a fantastic resource, a real treasure
trove of information. So our job is to kind of
distill the key bits, those fascinating details
that really light up his journey. We would give
you a really thorough understanding of how he's
evolved, pulling out the most important nuggets,
the things that show his intellectual curiosity
and the impact he's had. And I think what's really
interesting here is how we can sort of connect
the dots across his whole career. You start to
see these underlying themes, this consistent
intellectual thread running through it all when
you look at the source material like this. It's
not just, you know, a list of stuff he did. It's
a story, a narrative of growth and engagement
and, well, personal evolution, too. OK, so to
really get a grip on David Baddiel's journey,
all that breadth we talked about, we need to
go right back. Back to the start, his foundations.
Where it all began. He was born David Lionel
Baddiel, May 28th, 1964. And here's the first
surprise for many, maybe Troy, New York. Yeah,
not Wofford. Not Wofford, no. His parents were
from the UK. They were living in the US then.
But he actually moved to England when he was
tiny, just four months old. Now, it's a subtle
thing being born in the US but raised pretty
much entirely in England, this kind of dual British
-American heritage on paper. Does that? maybe
plant some seed, some subtle feeling of being
slightly other, even as he became, you know,
totally embedded in British culture, gave him
a slightly different perspective, maybe. It's
possible, isn't it? The dual nationality, you
get the U .S. part was just those first few months.
It could add a little layer to how he saw things,
how he formed his identity. But I think the really
profound influence, the thing that you can see
echoing in his work is definitely his family
history. Right. It's a story that's deeply marked
by, well, displacement, but also incredible resilience.
And this isn't just background info. It's like
a lens, I think, for looking at a lot of his
later stuff on identity, belonging, prejudice.
If you connect that to the bigger picture, it
helps make sense of the personal drive behind
some of his arguments, especially when he talks
about identity politics or forms of discrimination
that maybe get overlooked. That makes a lot of
sense. So let's unpack that family history a
bit more, then, especially his mother's side.
Those origins seem incredibly harrowing. It feels
like the kind of story that would cast a long
shadow, right? Absolutely. It's quite something.
What are the key things we need to know? What
really shaped that family story? Well, OK, let's
start with his father, Colin Bryan Bedale. He
came from a working class Swansea family, Eastern
European Jewish background. He's a research chemist,
worked for Unilever, sounds pretty stable, academic
almost. Yeah. But then in the 80s, he was made
redundant, which was a massive thing for any
family. creates huge strain uncertainty. Definitely.
And after that, he switched paths completely,
started selling dinky toys at Grey's Antique
Market. Wow, quite a change. It is. From science
to, well, antiques and collectibles, it gives
you this little glimpse into a family dealing
with economic change, having to adapt, shows
resilience, sure, but maybe hints at some underlying
anxieties about security, too. And then his mother's
background. That's where the really heavy historical
weight comes in, the trauma. Exactly. His mother,
Sarah Fabian, she was born in Nazi Germany. Her
family was Jewish and quite wealthy. Right. But
crucially, when she was just five months old,
this is 1939, her parents fled Germany and took
her to England. They had to get out. Because
of the Nazis? Yes. Her father, David Bediel's
maternal grandfather, had been stripped of his
assets during Kristallnacht, the night of broken
glass. That... terrifying wave of attacks on
Jews across Germany, a really stark sign of the
state -sponsored persecution that was ramping
up just before the Holocaust. God, unimaginable.
And the trauma didn't stop when they got to the
UK. His grandfather, despite fleeing the Nazis,
was actually interned for a year on the Isle
of Man. as an enemy alien. What? But he was fleeing
the enemy? Exactly. It's deeply ironic. Tragic,
really. A man escaping persecution, only to be
locked up by the country that offered safety.
It just highlights the suspicion, the injustice
that even refugees faced during wartime. And
to add another layer of sadness, his grandfather
struggled with mental health problems for the
rest of his life. Sometimes needed hospitalization.
So this whole family history... fleeing fascism,
losing everything, the internment, the mental
health struggles. It's a powerful undercurrent,
isn't it? Absolutely. It provides this like visceral,
lived understanding of being marginalized, being
misunderstood. And it really reframes his later
arguments, especially in Jews Don't Count, makes
them feel deeply personal, deeply felt, not just
theoretical. Yeah, you can absolutely see that
connection is profound. And you can only imagine
how those echoes, that intergenerational trauma
and resilience would shape someone. And on a
more sort of day -to -day personal level, Badil
himself has shared a bit about his childhood.
He said in 2022 that he felt like his older brother
Ivor basically parented him. Right, I remember
reading that. Because his dad was unemployed
and angry while my mom was distracted by her
passionate affair. Now these are just snippets,
but they offer a fascinating glimpse into to
the sort of emotional world he grew up in. They
really do. How do you think those kinds of dynamics,
you know, family love mixed with tension, maybe
having to be a bit independent emotionally, might
have influenced him, his humor maybe, his introspection,
even his drive? Well, it's often the case, isn't
it, that a childhood with, let's say, emotional
turbulence, where you have to navigate complex
family stuff, it can really sharpen your observational
skills. Makes sense. You become more introspective,
maybe develop a strong drive to express yourself.
Yeah. And humor especially can become this really
sophisticated coping mechanism. Yeah. Way to
process difficult things or maybe connect when
other connections feel a bit complicated. Yeah.
And that idea of being parented by an elder brother,
it suggests relying on sibling bonds more than
perhaps the parent -child one in some ways. Yeah.
That could shape his collaborative side later
on, but maybe also fuel a need to carve out his
own voice, his own identity. So this complex
background, you could definitely see it contributing
to that unique mix he has later, the sharp wit,
the intelligence, but also that deep vulnerability
you see in his confessional stand -up. And it
also points to his own curiosity about where
he came from. His family history was explored
on that BBC show. Who do you think you are? Oh,
yeah. I remember that episode. Though interestingly,
It didn't actually prove his theory that his
mother might have been secretly adopted from
another Jewish family trying to escape. But the
fact he even explored that tells you something.
It really does. Speaks volumes about his self
-awareness, that sort of investigative streak,
maybe. OK, so let's turn to his education then
and the path that eventually led him towards
comedy. Right. He grew up in Dallas Hill, London,
with his brothers Ivor, who also became a writer,
interestingly, and Dan. He went to the Northwest
London Jewish Day School, then Haberdasher's
Ast Boy School, both pretty well regarded schools
known for being academically strong. Then he
went up to Cambridge, King's College, studied
English and got a double first BA, which for
anyone listening who doesn't know the UK system,
that's top honors. Seriously impressive academically.
Absolutely. Shows that intellect was always there.
And it was at Cambridge that he joined the famous
Cambridge Footlights. Ah, yes. The Footlight.
Which is more than just a student drama club,
isn't it? It's practically a British comedy institution.
A launch pad for generations of comedians, writers,
performers, who basically shaped the landscape
for decades. Totally. Footlights isn't just a
club, it's a rite of passage almost. A real crucible
for comedy talent. Being part of that shows he
was already leaning towards performance and writing,
sharpening his skills in this, well, hotbed of
future stars. And it's also worth noting, he
started a PhD in English at University College
London, but didn't finish it. Right. Now that's
not a failure, I don't think. It's more like
a really crucial signpost. It shows that early,
decisive pull away from pure academia towards
actually doing creative stuff. Prioritizing the
direct engagement, the expression you get from
comedy over sticking with scholarly research
is probably a conscious choice. Recognizing his
intellectual curiosity could be better channeled
in the dynamic, immediate world of performing
and writing. That makes perfect sense and sets
us up nicely for his, well, his meteoric rise
in comedy. After uni, he jumped straight into
professional stand -up in London, started making
a name for himself pretty quickly. But he wasn't
just performing, he was writing too, honing those
skills, contributing to massive shows like Spitting
Image. Hugely influential, that show. Yeah. brilliant
savage satire with the puppets. And writing for
other big names like Rory Bremner, his first
TV appearance was actually in Filthy Rich and
Cat Flap. Ah, with Rick Mayall and Ed Edmonton.
Cold classic. Exactly. So this early period,
you really see him developing his craft from
all angles, performing, writing, working across
different styles of comedy. absorbing it all.
Yeah. And a key thing here, I think, is how fast
he established himself, not just as the guy on
stage, but as the writer behind the scenes too.
Right. That dual threat. Exactly. That ability
to both create the material and deliver it effectively.
It's a theme that runs right through his career.
Shows he really understood how comedy works from
the ground up. And writing for Spitting Image
early on, which was known for being pretty biting.
often controversial, that also may be hints at
the intellectual age, the willingness to tackle
social commentary that we see later. even in
his lighter stuff. Definitely. But his career
really, really took off when he teamed up with
Rob Newman in 1988. That partnership was huge.
Groundbreaking, really. Together with another
comedy duo who were coming up, Steve Punt and
Hugh Dennis, they created and performed The Mary
White House Experience, which started on BBC
Radio 1, ran for four series plus a special,
became this massive hit with its kind of unique
mix of surreal and observational sketch comedy.
Very dist - And its popularity just exploded,
paving the way for the big jump to TV, BBC Two,
two massively acclaimed series there, bringing
their brand of humor to a huge national audience.
Yeah, that move from radio to TV for Mary Whitehouse
Experience was a really big deal. It showed how
popular they were becoming, how culturally relevant.
And then after that, Baddiel Newman teamed up
again, just the two of them, for Newman and Baddiel,
in pieces on BBC Two. And that show... pushed
their style even further, didn't it? Often quite
intellectual, subversive character sketches,
weird monologues, really sharp observational
bits. Yeah, they weren't just funny shows, were
they? They felt like they were defining something
for a generation. Pushing boundaries for mainstream
comedy, offering something a bit more, I don't
know, cerebral, anarchic than what else was around.
Definitely. And that leads us to this truly landmark
moment. something that cemented their status
and really changed the game for comedy. Their
live tour, Newman and Baddiel, live and in pieces.
Yeah. It ended with this incredible achievement.
The first ever sold out gig for a comedy act
at Wembley Arena, playing to 12 ,500 people.
For comedy. Exactly. So what does that actually
mean? It means they didn't just do comedy, they
completely changed its status. Before them, the
idea of a comedian headlining Wembley, a place
for rock gods, massive pop stars, was almost
unthinkable. Totally. Baddiel and Newman just
smashed that perception. They proved stand -up
and sketch could pull in the same huge crowds,
command the same sort of reverence as rock and
roll. It wasn't just a gig, it was a statement.
It was a cultural turning point. It legitimized
comedy as a stadium -level thing, paved the way
for all the big arena comics who came later,
fundamentally changed the economics, the whole
landscape of British comedy. So connecting that
to the bigger picture, it was genuinely pivotal
for comedy, wasn't it? Showing its commercial
clout, its cultural power, in a way people hadn't
really seen before. Absolutely. Before this,
comedy acts were mostly in theaters, clubs. But
Betty Ellen Newman proved they could fill arenas.
That changed the industry forever. And Berio
was right at the forefront of that shift, making
comedy a stadium -level art form. Amazing. But
despite this massive public success, their partnership
was famously tricky. Ah, yes, the difficult second
album phase writ large. Kind of. Marked by this
really fraught working relationship. Lots of
tension, apparently, which eventually led to
them splitting up. Their final tour together
was even documented in that BBC2 film Newman
and Berio on the road to Wembley. Gave a bit
of a behind the scenes look at the challenges,
the pressures of that level of success. Fascinating,
isn't it? How you can have that intense internal
fiction bubbling away underneath such massive,
unprecedented success on the outside. Yeah, the
classic creative tensions. But Baddiel then moved
on, formed another really iconic partnership,
this time with Frank Skinner. Right. They met,
started sharing a flat, both massive football
fans. Badil, of course, is a huge Chelsea supporter.
Die Hard Blue. And that shared love of football,
it became the sort of fertile ground for their
next big thing, didn't it? Kicked off a whole
new chapter in comedy innovation. It really did.
And what's fascinating here is how that personal
connection, their shared obsession with football,
just flowed directly into this new, incredibly
popular kind of comedy. They created, wrote,
and performed Fantasy Football League. Hugely
successful entertainment show. based on what
was then quite a new thing, fantasy football
leagues. Yeah, brought it mainstream. Totally.
Ran for three seminal series on BBC Two, just
captured the public imagination, mixing sports
chats, celebrity guests, sharp comedy takes.
Then they did live specials for the 98 World
Cup, Euro 2004. They became these must watch
TV events. They really did. It was properly innovative.
Set a new bitch mark for how you could blend
sport and entertainment. And its influence went
beyond TV, didn't it? Fantasy Football League
also spawned those really successful podcasts.
One for The Times during the 2006 World Cup in
Germany. Yeah, I remember listening to that.
And another for Absolute Radio for the 2010 World
Cup in South Africa, apparently got over three
million downloads, which was huge back then.
Massive. It really shows their pioneering spirit
again. They didn't just stick to TV. They saw
the potential to take their mixed sports comedy
celebs into new media. created this really casual,
funny style that still influences sports, chat
shows, and podcasts today, they made sports talk
fun, accessible, without alienating the hardcore
fans. Yeah, they definitely changed the game,
pardon the pun, for sports entertainment. But
their biggest cultural footprint from that whole
collaboration, easily, was Three Lions. Ah, yes,
the song. The song. The duo topped the UK charts
twice with that football anthem. co -written
and performed with the Lightning Seeds. Originally,
the official England anthem for Euro 96 became
instantly massive, so they re -recorded it with
updated lyrics for the 98 World Cup. Still gets
played constantly. Its staying power is just
incredible, isn't it? Came back into the charts
in 2018, like 20 years later, when England were
doing well in the World Cup. And that phrase,
it's coming home, it became this massive national
meme. Part of the language sums up that mix of
hope and slightly painful English self -awareness
about football. Absolutely. It became part of
the national consciousness, an anthem across
generations. But not every part of his comedy
career has aged quite so uncontroversially. And
it's important we talk about those bits with
the right nuance, especially as public attitudes
change. Back in the 90s, Baddiel got a lot of
criticism for his impression of the black footballer
Jason Lee on Fantasy Football League. Right,
the pineapple incident. Yeah, involved wearing
a pineapple on his head and using blackface,
which is obviously deeply offensive, has that
long racist history. Lee himself said he felt
it was a form of bullying. A stark reminder that
intent isn't everything, the impact matters.
Yeah, this is definitely a complex and challenging
bit of his past. And it highlights how social
attitudes evolve, how we think about accountability
for past actions, even in comedy. Betty'll, to
be fair, has apologized multiple times, very
clearly over the years, called it part of a very
bad racist tradition on social media and newspaper
articles. There was that point in 2020 when Jason
Lee said he hadn't had a direct personal apology
from Baddiel or Skinner, but that was addressed
later, quite publicly, in 2022. Baddiel met Lee,
apologized face to face for a Channel 4 documentary,
which felt like a significant step, a personal
reckoning with the harm caused. But this whole
controversy, it kind of resurfaced or took on
a new dimension when he published his book Jews
Don't Count in 2021, because he wrote about how,
in his view, that past mistake was being used
against him. He said that despite apologizing
repeatedly, people, especially online, kept bringing
up that image to try and shut him down when he
talked about anti -Semitism. He called it a Trump
card used to discredit his views on racism, which
highlights this really complex often quite brutal
landscape of public debate now, doesn't it? Where
past actions are constantly relitigated. It really
does. And what's fascinating, I suppose, is how
these instances just throw that tension between
comedic freedom and social responsibility into
sharp relief. Yeah. It also shows how public
figures have to grapple with their own history,
their past output, in an age where everyone's
watching and old clips can resurface instantly.
And this specific example as Bediel framed it,
also ties into that idea of selective outrage
or a perceived hierarchy of victimhood, which
is so central to his later arguments in the book.
It's a very public, very uncomfortable example
of how norms around humor and identity shift
over time. And it wasn't the only time he had
to navigate these tricky waters around past comedy
choices. Just a few months later, February 2022,
another old clip popped up, this one from The
Frank Skinner Show back in 2004. OK, in this
clip, but he'll use the word Pikey, which is
a deeply offensive slur against traveler. to
describe how he looked. And critics immediately
jumped on it, accused him of hypocrisy, given
how outspoken he'd become against anti -Semitism,
and Jews don't count. It really underlines the
intense scrutiny people face now, doesn't it?
Especially if you become a voice on issues of
prejudice. There's this demand for absolute consistency.
There is. It shows very clearly that public figures
are held accountable now for pretty much everything
they've ever said or done, especially if they
then take a stand on discrimination. That accusation
of hypocrisy, it highlights the demand for consistency,
for self -awareness from people who challenge
others on prejudice. It's also a powerful reminder
that thanks to the internet, nothing really vanishes.
Old comments can become problematic in new ways
as sensitivities change. These incidents, they're
kind of like case studies, aren't they? In that
complex, often unforgiving relationship between
comedy, public figures, and the constantly shifting
ground of social justice. Definitely. So after
Fantasy Football League... Badil and Skinner
carried on working together, too, didn't they?
With Badil and Skinner unplanned. That's right,
the improvised Q &A show. Which was really popular,
too. Toured Edinburgh Fringe, ran for five series
on ITV, even did a West End run at the Shaftesbury
Theatre in 2001, showed their comedy chemistry
worked beyond just sketches or football chat.
Yeah, they clearly had a great rapport. And their
collaboration stretched into doing good stuff,
too. In 2001, they made a bit of history on who
wants to be a millionaire, didn't they? They
did. First, celebrity contestants to get up to
250 ,000 pounds for their charities. Quarter
of a million quid for the Catholic Children's
Society and Imperial Cancer Research Fund show
they could use their comedy partnership for,
well, serious philanthropic impact, too. Absolutely.
It really cemented them as this much -loved duo
beyond just the football stuff, showed their
versatility and their generosity. Right, shall
we shift gear now and talk about David Baddiel's
solo career? Because he really is a man of many
hats. By many mediums, yeah. His career is just
marked by this incredible outpouring across writing,
TV, stage, constantly reinventing himself, exploring
new ways to be creative. Totally. As an author,
for starters, he's written four adult novels.
which shows a different side, goes beyond the
comedy persona. There was time for bed back in
96, whatever love means in 2002. I remember that
one, making a splash. Yeah, the secret purposes
in 2006 and the death of Eli Gold in 2011. And
they're not just light reads, they often explore
things like relationships, memory, kind of existential
angst, but with that dark wit he has. Whatever
love means, for instance, really dug into the
complexities of love and fidelity, showed him
as a novelist interested in the human condition,
a long way from the Wembley arena chanting. Definitely
a different gear. But then he's maybe become
even more famous, more widely adored for his
children's books, which was a pretty amazing
pivot in his writing career, wasn't it? It really
was. Yeah. He put out his first children's novel,
The Parent Agency, in June 2015. Right. And it
wasn't just a bestseller. It won the Lolly Award,
which is a big deal in kids' books. The successor
to the Roald Dahl Funny Prize for best laugh
-out -loud book for nine 13 -year -olds. That's
serious recognition of his talent in that field,
and apparently is going to be made into a big
feature film, which Badil himself is writing
and producing for Fox 2000. Shows how much appeal
it has. Wow. And that was just the start, wasn't
it? He became incredibly prolific as a children's
author. Totally. After the parent agency, he
just kept them coming. showed this amazing ability
to connect with young readers. There was the
person controller in 2015, Anna Malcolm in 16,
birthday boy 17, head kid 18, the Taylor turbo
chaser 19, future friend 2020, the boy who got
accidentally famous 21, virtually Christmas 22.
Blimey, he's been busy. And he even did the boy
who could do what he liked, a short one just
for World Book Day in 2016. What's really impressive
isn't just the quantity, it's the quality. shows
that incredible versatility, again, moving from
complex adult themes to crafting these imaginative,
genuinely funny stories that kids absolutely
love. It's just astounding, isn't it? From the
raw energy of Wembley to creating these intricate
funny worlds for kids, his ability to connect
with such different audiences across generations,
it's a rare gift. It really is. And it's not
just books. He's been super active writing and
directing for screen and stage two, really showing
his commitment to storytelling in, well, pretty
much all of it. Absolutely. His TV credits are
really varied. He wrote and starred in Bideel's
Syndrome, that sitcom for Sky 1, ran for 14 episodes,
had people like Morwenna Banks, Stephen Fry,
Jonathan Bailey in it. Right, sort of semi -autobiographical,
wasn't it? About a stand -up comedian blurring
the lines a bit. Yeah. And he also wrote the
Norris McWhorter Chronicles for Sky 1, which
he actually directed too, so moving behind the
camera, taking more creative control. And he
even wrote a couple of episodes of The Thunderbirds
Are Go. Reboot on ITV shows his range again,
different genres. Oh, from sitcom angst to international
rescue. Why not? And his writing goes into film,
too. He wrote the comedy movie The Infidel, starred
Omid Jalili, Richard Schiff, Matt Lucas, Miranda
Hart, explored those themes of religious identity,
cultural clashes, but with a light touch. Yeah,
I remember that. And then, get this, he adapted
The Infidel into a stage musical. composed the
lyrics himself, music by Aaron Baron Cohen Saatch's
brother, and he directed the production too at
Theatre Royal Stratford East in late 2014. That's
a huge undertaking, shows incredible multidisciplinary
talent. Wow, screenplay to musical theatre director,
that really is comprehensive engagement with
storytelling. And he's made a big mark in broadcasting
too, hasn't he? Shaping conversations on radio
and TV, often with quite clever, intellectually
curious formats. Definitely. On radio, he created
and hosted Heresy for BBC Radio 4 back in 2004.
That panel show where guests have to challenge
popular opinions received wisdom. Right, use
wit and logic to kind of dismantle assumptions.
Exactly. And testament to how good it is, it's
still going. Now in its 10th series, hosted by
Victoria Corrin, but Baddiel often goes, back
as a guest, still provoking thought, sparking
debate. Yeah, great format. He also created and
hosted Don't Make Me Laugh for Radio 4 in 2014,
another really clever idea, a panel show where
guests have to talk about funny subjects for
as long as possible without making the others
laugh. Which sounds... Harder than it looks.
Deceptively difficult. Needs serious wit and
self -control. And then in 2015, he did David
Baddiel Tries to Understand. Yeah. Again, for
Radio 4, where he'd try and get his head around
really complex topics suggested by people on
Twitter, ran for three series. That's a great
concept, too. It is. And it raises an interesting
question, doesn't it? How did these inventive
radio formats show Baddiel's ongoing intellectual
curiosity and his talent? for turning complex,
sometimes really abstract ideas into something
engaging, accessible, often funny for a wide
audience. It's almost like comedy as public education.
I think it's partly his ability to find the human
angle, the funny side in almost anything, and
he's not afraid to admit when he doesn't know
something, which is really relatable, disarming.
And beyond creating and hosting, his face has
popped up everywhere on TV. He's done acting
roles, Little Britain, skins, showing a different
side, The Life of Rock with Brian Pern, even
horrible histories. And he's a brilliant panel
show guest, isn't he? Always sharp on things
like 8 out of 10 cats as Countdown QI Alan Davies
is as yet untitled. That quick wit, the intellect,
the improv skills are always there. Yeah, he
has great value on those. And his documentary
work is really interesting too, shows that deeper,
more investigative side. He did that four part
travel doc, David Baddiel, on the Silk Road for
Discovery. Oh yeah, following that ancient route.
Yeah, 4 ,000 miles, mixing history, culture,
personal thoughts. Really fascinating. Other
docs he fronted include Badeel and the missing
Nazi billions for BBC Two, a serious investigation
into Holocaust -era finance, and who do you want
your child to be? Also for BBC Two, looking at
modern parenting pressures. He even did an episode
of World's Most Dangerous Roads. Blimey. Adventurous,
too. Seems so. And beyond that, he presented
a couple of episodes of BBC Two's Arts Night,
and he was a regular presenter for the Penguin
Podcast. Interviewing big names like Johnny Maher,
Zadie Smith, really underlines his deep interest
in literature and culture. And his personal life
has become part of his work too, hasn't it? Showing
that willingness to be vulnerable, share really
personal stuff, most notably in The Trouble with
Dad, that Channel 4 doc from 2017 about his father's
dementia. It was very moving, very honest. Yeah,
a really powerful look at a tough family situation.
He's also done Who Do You Think You Are, looking
into his own family tree, and he was on Desert
Island Discs, which is always revealing. The
British Institution. Exactly. More recently,
he was on Taskmaster Series 9, even won an episode,
and he did the great stand -up to Cancer Bake
Off in 2021. It's just this incredibly broad
range of TV work, shows his profile, but also
his willingness to put himself out there in all
sorts of ways, often quite challenging ones.
It really is. It shows a real shift, doesn't
it, from just being a comedian to engaging with
his public platform in a much more reflective
personal way? Yeah. Which leads us perfectly
into his return to stand up, because that marked
a really profound change towards a much more
personal confessional style. Yeah. And it really
struck a chord with audiences who maybe remembered
his earlier, broader stuff. That's right. In
2013, he came back to stand up with flame. not
the musical, critically acclaimed, explored celebrity,
his own experiences with fame, played Edinburgh
Fringe, Manier Chocolate Factory in London, then
toured nationally. But the show that really signaled
that huge transformative shift was My Family,
not the sitcom. Premiered in spring 2016, again
at the Manier Chocolate Factory. And this was
intensely personal, deeply confessional, telling
the true... often very raw, story of his mom,
who had recently died, including details about
her affair, and his dad, who was suffering with
dementia. Just fascinating there is seeing that
evolution in his comedy. Moving from the big
observational stuff, the sketches, to this deeply
personal, almost vulnerable storytelling. Using
humor to navigate grief, love, really complex
family stuff. And it just connected massively
with audiences. Showed that comedy could be incredibly
funny, but also profoundly moving at the same
time. The show was a huge success, ran for ages
at the Minier, transferred multiple times to
the... West End, Vaudeville Theater, Playhouse
Theater. Got an Olivier Award nomination in the
entertainment and family category, which is...
Pretty major. Yeah, it showed a comedian using
humor to process and share these really universal
human things in a way that genuinely touched
people emotionally. Absolutely. And there's that
really poignant detail from that time, too. Rob
Newman, his old comedy partner, he actually went
to see my family, not the sitcom, which was apparently
the first time they'd been in the same room since
1993. Wow. That says something about the impact,
the honesty of the show, doesn't it? It really
does. And the show toured widely, too. Montreal
Comedy Festival Australia. showed that its themes,
its storytelling, had this universal appeal.
His next stand -up show, Trolls, not the dolls
which toured in 2020, then shifted focus onto
social media, online abuse. Very timely subject.
Very much so. And beyond standup, his writing
ambitions kept growing, didn't they? Showing
that relentless intellectual drive. In October
2019, his play God's Dice was put on at the Soho
Theatre in London. Right. Exploring that complex
territory where science and religion meet. Featured
an aging quantum physicist drawn into supporting
a radical religious group. The title obviously
playing on Einstein's famous line, God does not
play dice with the universe. Mm hmm. Shows that
consistent intellectual curiosity again, doesn't
it? Yeah. Willingness to tackle big philosophical
ideas, but in an engaging story -driven way.
Exactly. And then in 2019, he got this major
recognition, elected a fellow of the Royal Society
of Literature. Wow. Which really cemented his
standing not just as a comedian, but as a serious
respected figure in the wider literary world.
That's a huge honor. really underlines the intellectual
depth, the respect he's earned across different
creative fields, which brings us neatly, I think,
to what might be his most defining, certainly
most challenging work in recent years, the work
that undeniably sparked huge debate nationally
and internationally. We have to talk about Jews
Don't Count. Yes, absolutely. This feels like
maybe his most impactful non -fiction work so
far, a really defining piece, and one that, well...
courageously stirred up a lot of debate, often
uncomfortable debate. His book, Jews Don't Count,
came out via TLS books in 2021. And it puts forward
this really powerful, quite contentious argument,
which is essentially that anti -racists, whether
they realize it or not, often apply double standards
when it comes to anti -Semitism. They treat it
differently to other forms of racism. His central
thesis is basically summed up by the line. A
sacred circle is drawn around those whom the
progressive modern left are prepared to go into
battle for, and it seems as if the Jews aren't
in it. And the book gives loads of examples,
from culture, from politics, to back this up,
arguing that progressives, despite their anti
-racist principles, often have this persistent
blind spot regarding anti -Semitism. He points
to cases where tropes, conspiracy theories, prejudiced
language aimed at Jews, stuff that would be instantly
condemned if aimed at other minorities often
gets overlooked, downplayed, or excused when
it's antisemitic. And here's where it got really
interesting and where he took that argument onto
screens. He fronted a Channel 4 documentary based
on the book, same title, David Baddiel, Jews
Don't Count, aired November 2022. And that doc
really explored why antisemitism often gets ignored,
digging into what he called the dysfunction between
progressives and Jews. It's a brave area to explore,
potentially uncomfortable for many, but clearly
something he feels incredibly passionate about.
Drawing on his own background, his observations,
to make this deeply personal case for a more
consistent, more inclusive anti -racism. Yeah.
And the reaction to the book and the documentary,
it was intense. And in some ways, kind of paradoxically
proved his point, didn't it? How so? Well, The
Guardian's TV review called The Doc. So shocking,
it sounds like a siren highlighting how urgent
and attention grabbing it was. But maybe more
telling. The Financial Times pointed out that
the huge torrent of scorn online the program
got actually only serves to highlight its importance.
Almost proving his central argument about how
difficult it is to talk openly about antisemitism
in some progressive spaces and the hostile reaction
you can get if you try. So connecting it to the
bigger picture. Badiel's work here, it fundamentally
challenges how we define prejudice, challenges
those hierarchies of victimhood. It pushes for
a more nuanced, more consistent, truly inclusive
anti -racism that doesn't leave any group out.
It's a powerful call for consistency, for recognition
of all forms of discrimination. That brings us
to his broader political views, his commentary,
which are, again, quite distinct, remarkably
nuanced. He says he votes labor, but he makes
a point of saying he's not a labor supporter.
Right. That's an important distinction for him.
Yeah. He feels his job as a comedian, a commentator,
means he needs to stay independent, be able to
criticize any political party if they mess up,
which really underlines his commitment to independent
thinking, intellectual honesty over just sticking
to a party line. Seems typical of his approach.
approach to complex stuff. Definitely. And his
comments on specific politicians reflect that,
too, that nuance. Back in February 2016, he called
Jeremy Corbyn a pro -proper left -wing labor
politician. Said the scaremongering from the
right -wing press actually made him lean towards
supporting Corbyn, even though he had reservations
about some of the people around him. He thought
Corbyn himself was a decent man. Trying to offer
a balanced view there, separating the person
from the associations, critiquing the wider context.
Exactly. And then crucially, in April 2017, he
wrote this big piece for The Guardian, hitting
out at Ken Livingston's really controversial
comments about Hitler and Zionism. Right. But
significantly, in that same article, he went
out of his way to state very clearly. that he
is not a Zionist. That's key. Absolutely. He
explicitly said he disagrees with religion being
the basis for statehood and disagreed with the
appalling actions of the present Israeli government.
That clarification is vital to understanding
where he's coming from. It shows his critique
of anti -Semitism stems from an anti -racist
principle, not from any sort of partisan or nationalistic
viewpoint, underscores his independence, his
moral clarity on it. Yeah, that distinction is
crucial, demonstrates he separates concern about
anti -Semitism as racism from any political alignment
with Zionism or Israeli government actions, keeps
the focus on prejudice itself. Precisely. And
then in March 2018 on the BBC's Daily Politics,
he described anti -Semitism as being sort of
invisible to core and others on the left because
their main focus was on fighting the good fight
against capitalism, which again points directly
back to that blind spot idea he explored in Jews
Don't Count, suggesting certain ideologies might
inadvertently prioritize some kinds of discrimination
over others. Hmm. And on the, well, the truly
vile end of things, talking about historical
denial, in February 2020, he stated absolutely
clearly that Holocaust denial is a direct way
of saying Jews are liars. Jews have tricked the
world for their own gain. Jews are the most evil
pernicious race that exists. Strong words. And
he concluded definitively it is hate speech.
There's no other conclusion. Leaves no doubt
where he stands on that kind of dangerous, insidious
stuff. Frames it clearly as direct anti -semitism.
hate speech designed to dehumanize. Yeah, and
his commitment to fostering dialogue, difficult
dialogue, isn't just theoretical. He puts it
into practice. In 2024, he launched that highly
anticipated podcast, A Muslim and a Jew Go There.
Right, with Sayyid al -Warsi. Exactly, Baroness
Warsi, the prominent Muslim politician and writer.
And what's really fascinating here is that consistent
drive he has to start direct, open conversations
about really sensitive, often very contentious
topics. pushing for genuine engagement, challenging
existing narratives about group identities, shared
spaces, especially with everything going on globally.
This project directly tackles those themes of
interfaith understanding, mutual respect, that
his recent work highlighted. It shows a proactive,
deeply personal effort to try and bridge divides
through talking. It feels like a very fitting,
very important continuation of his recent work,
doesn't it? Actively using dialogue as a tool.
OK, moving away from the public commentary for
a bit, David Baddiel's life also shows this deep,
sustained commitment to philanthropy, often driven
by his personal experiences, alongside his, well,
his intriguing personal passions. Indeed. He's
a proud patron of Humanist UK, which fits with
his stated atheism, his commitment to secular
ethics. He's also a patron of Calam, the campaign
against living miserably. Yeah, vital mental
health charity. Focus on preventing male suicide.
and he actively used his platform for them. He
compared their stand -up to Stop Suicide event,
appeared in those powerful radio ads tackling
young male suicide, really using his voice for
a critical issue. It's really quite moving, isn't
it? Seeing how his personal stuff, especially
with his dad's dementia, translated into this
deep commitment to causes, it feels like more
than just blending his name. It seems very direct,
very personal. It does. For instance, he's actively
back charities like the Alzheimer's Society,
the National Brain Appeal, the Unforgettable
Foundation, all driven by his family's experience.
He even did a special charity gala performance
of my family. not the sitcom, with all the money
going straight to those charities, turning his
art directly into support. That's fantastic.
And his charity work goes wider, too, internationally,
shows a broader human rights perspective. Back
in February 2009, he co -signed an open letter
in The Times supporting Baha 'i leaders who were
being unjustly put on trial in Iran. standing
up for religious freedom, human rights, beyond
his immediate community. And he's been a big
supporter of Comic Relief over the years, too.
Took part in the Red Nose Convoy, delivering
aid in Africa, hosted Comic Relief Does University
Challenge, blending his comedy with fundraising.
And he narrated that short film to trend on Twitter
for the cancer charity CLIC Sergeant in 2018.
Shows his compassionate side, willingness to
help important causes. It's a really broad range
of charity work, highlights of a very responsible
site. to him. Definitely. And beyond the public
stuff, the philanthropy, there are those few
intriguing personal details that give us a bit
more of a glimpse of the man behind it all and
enrich our picture. He's been with fellow comedian
Morwenna Banks since 1998. Right, also very talented.
Yeah, performer writer. They got married in 2017.
They live in North London with their two kids,
daughter Dolly, born 2001, son Ezra, born 2004.
Seem to keep their family life relatively private
considering their profiles. And despite that
deep Jewish background, family history we talked
about, Betel describes himself as a 10 out of
10 atheist, and fascinatingly, a fundamentalist
Jewish atheist. Yeah, that's such an interesting
phrase, isn't it? Fundamentalist Jewish atheist.
It really is. Very thought -provoking. Tells
you a lot about his identity, shows how you can
keep a strong cultural ancestral connection,
acknowledge that heritage, but without the religious
belief. actively separating ethnicity, cultural
roots from faith. It feels like a very modern
take on identity, which he explores in his work,
too. It does. And he also talks openly about
struggling with chronic insomnia. Ah, yes. very
common, but really debilitating condition. He's
written quite candidly about it, which is another
detail that just humanizes him, connects him
to a shared, often hidden experience, shows that
willingness to be vulnerable again. Definitely.
And what's also fascinating here is seeing how
his deep personal passions, his cultural loves,
offer this vivid glimpse into his inner world,
show the things that clearly inspire him, feed
into his own creativity. Like his music taste.
Exactly. He is, for example, this incredibly
passionate fan. of the rock band Genesis. Ah,
the prog rock connection. Total super fan. So
devoted. He actually introduced them at their
big turn it on again, the tour press conference
back in 2006. Imagine that fan moment. Brilliant.
And he even wrote the sleeve notes for the reissue
of their classic album, Nursery Crime, shows
real knowledge, deep appreciation. That's proper
dedication. And his love for Peter Gabriel. Genesis's
original frontman, is also really well known,
quite endearing. He even worked a funny story
into a stand -up about being misidentified by
the Times Diary column at a Gabriel gig. Clearly
found it amusing, happy to share it. Shows that
nice self -awareness. And his admiration for
David Bowie is just immense, deeply felt. Baddiel
publicly wished for Bowie to make a comeback
on his 65th birthday in 2012. Then after Bowie
tragically died, he gave this really emotional
speech at a tribute concert, calling Bowie the
greatest tunesmith we have. Wow. Just shows the
profound impact Bowie had on him, personally
and culturally. These deep musical connections,
they reveal this passionate, appreciative, culturally
engaged side to his, well, his multifaceted personality.
So what does this all mean? When you try and
pull it all together, We've journeyed through
this incredible, often surprising evolution of
David Baddiel. We've seen him go from being this
groundbreaking comedian, filling Wembley with
Rob Newman, creating national anthems with Frank
Skinner, to becoming this profound author writing
best -selling kids' books, and then this really
incisive social commentator challenging how we
think about prejudice. Quite the arc. We've seen
an artist who doesn't just reflect culture, he
actively shapes it, constantly pushing boundaries,
evolving his... voice, even while navigating
some really intense personal stuff and public
controversies, his whole career just feels like
a testament to constant reinvention, that intellectual
curiosity we keep mentioning, and a real willingness
to face difficult truths, personal ones and societal
ones. Yeah, and if you connect that to the bigger
picture, Baddiel's journey really shows that
having a cultural impact isn't just about entertaining
people. It's also about engaging deeply with
identity, with history, with the often uncomfortable
stuff about our shared human experience. His
willingness to evolve, to dig into those deeply
personal stories, and to courageously challenge
some established progressive ideas, especially
with his work on antisemitism, it makes him a
really significant, really vital voice for our
times, I think. He embodies the idea that intellectual
growth, creative growth, often means you have
to confront the complex things, the inconvenient
things, and do it with both intelligence and,
well, conviction. So David Bideal's life and
work, especially those unflinching explorations
of identity, faith, those often visible biases
in society, they kind of leave us with a question,
don't they? They invite us to think what uncomfortable
truths are we, maybe as individuals, maybe as
a society, still reluctant to really acknowledge?
And what crucial role do artists, thinkers play
in maybe forcing us, compelling us, to finally
take a proper look? That's a great question to
end on. Something to chew on until our next deep
dive. Thanks for joining us.