David Quantick is a writer, broadcaster and critic specialising in comedy and music. He has written on, or appeared in, an extremely large amount of influential television and radio shows, from The Day Today and The Fast Show, to the banned animation PopeTown and the equally controversial Brass Eye. He began writing for the music publication NME ...
Has there ever been a more middle-of-the-road band than Bread? Songs like "Baby I'm A-Want You" and "Make It With You" make The Carpenters sound like Black Flag, while the sweetness and melancholy of "Diary" and "Everything I Own" suggest that the band's name was entirely apt in a soft, squidgy Mother's Pride kind of way.
2
You see artists make the transition from sexy to cult. Adam Ant now resembles Jack Sparrow's uncle. Kate Bush favours huge jumpers and sings from underneath a slanket, possibly. David Bowie, still more attractive than some species of songbird, stays at home. Sexiness becomes a hindrance to the serious artist, which is why Bob Dylan now dresses like his own cheap waxwork and Joni Mitchell positions herself as the angriest headmistress in the world. Even Tom Jones, whose entire career has been based on demonstrating to the world what a sexy penis would sound like if it could sing, has entered the world of anti-sex. He no longer dyes his hair or wipes his brow with ladies' undergarments.
3
Once, frustrated by his refusal to answer any of my questions the way I wanted him to, I asked Tom Jones what it was like to be a sex symbol. He fixed me with a stern glare. "That to me," he said, "is like being asked by a cripple what it's like to walk." Hard to argue with that, really.
4
The Manics [Manic Street Preachers] are great because there are layers to them. There were no bands who liked Guns N' Roses who weren't bad metal. No bands who liked The Clash who weren't crappy punk bands. And no band who could read, with the late example of The Smiths, who were any good. And the Manic Street Preachers, ludicrous and daft as they were, meant it.
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Veep
TV Series story by - 2 episodes, 2015 teleplay by - 2 episodes, 2015 story - 2 episodes, 2014 teleplay - 2 episodes, 2014
Valentina's Dream
2015
Short
Warren United
2014
TV Series writer
It'll Be Alright on the Night 2
2014
TV Movie documentary
Lot 13
2014
Short writer
Welcome to Oxmouth
2013
Short co-writer
Falcon of Fury
2013
Short
Appearance
2013
Short writer
Playhouse Presents
2013
TV Series 1 episode
The Thick of It
TV Series writer - 2 episodes, 2012 additional material by - 1 episode, 2012
Matt V Beast
2011
Short
TV Burp
2011
TV Series 1 episode
My Funniest Year
2011
TV Series additional material - 1 episode
The Rob Brydon Show
2010-2011
TV Series written by - 13 episodes
The Orange British Academy Film Awards
2011
TV Special
Miliband of Brothers
2010
TV Movie documentary scripted scenes written by
Stand Up for the Week
2010
TV Series documentary additional material
Slacker Cats
2009
TV Series 1 episode
Sing It Back: Lyric Champion 2007
2007
TV Movie screenplay
When the Stranglers Met Roland Rat
2007
TV Movie documentary additional material
Time Trumpet
2006
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Screenwipe
2006
TV Series documentary writer - 4 episodes
Popetown
2006
TV Series written by - 1 episode
Forty Years of Fuck
2005
TV Movie documentary written by
The Late Edition
2005
TV Series writer - 2 episodes
Footballers Wive$ TV
2005
TV Series
2004: The Stupid Version
2004
TV Movie writer
Who Do You Think You Are
2004
TV Movie
The Mysti Show
2004
TV Series
Dumber and Dumber
2003
TV Series additional material
Make My Day
2003
TV Series documentary writer - 4 episodes
Fame, Set and Match
2002
TV Series documentary writer - 2 episodes
I Love Christmas
2001
TV Special documentary
Brass Eye
TV Series written by - 1 episode, 2001 additional material - 1 episode, 1997
Smack the Pony
TV Series written by - 7 episodes, 1999 additional material - 2 episodes, 2000 - 2001
The Junkies
2000
Short
Brand Spanking New Show
2000
TV Series
Jam
2000
TV Series writer - 5 episodes
So Graham Norton
1998
TV Series writer
The Saturday Night Armistice
1995
TV Series
The Day Today
1994
TV Series additional material - 3 episodes
Thatcherworld
1993
TV Short sketch writer
Saturday Zoo
1993
TV Series writer
Spitting Image
1987-1988
TV Series written by - 2 episodes
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
National Treasure
2016
TV Mini-Series Additional Comedy material - 4 episodes
Race for the White House
2016
TV Mini-Series documentary script consultant - 6 episodes
DNN
2013
TV Series script editor - 1 episode
TV Burp
2007-2010
TV Series program associate - 63 episodes
The Peter Serafinowicz Show
2007
TV Series script editor - 6 episodes
Be My Baby: The Girl Group Story
2006
TV Movie documentary script consultant
Asylum
1996
TV Series script associate - 6 episodes
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Re: A Pier
2016
Documentary associate producer
Project CS911346d
2015
Short executive producer
Veep
TV Series consulting producer - 20 episodes, 2013 - 2014 supervising producer - 10 episodes, 2015
Valentina's Dream
2015
Short producer
Line Signal
2015
Short executive producer
Lot 13
2014
Short executive producer
Welcome to Oxmouth
2013
Short executive producer
Falcon of Fury
2013
Short executive producer
Appearance
2013
Short executive producer
A Man Cuts Down a Tree and It Has Consequences
2012
Short executive producer
Salsa Guy
2007
Short executive producer
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Lot 13
2014
Short
Bidder
Welcome to Oxmouth
2013
Short
Guide (voice)
Matt V Beast
2011
Short
Sam (voice)
Editorial Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
Line Signal
2015
Short script editor
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
Paddington
2014
special thanks for helping with the screenplay
One of Those Days
2008
Short special thanks
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Re: A Pier
2016
Documentary
Himself
Most Shocking Christmas TV Moments
2015
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Emmy Award-Winning Writer
Christmas with the Double Acts
2015
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Writer
70s: The Best of Bad TV
2015
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Emmy Award-Winning Writer
Laugh Out Loud: The Funniest Films Ever
2015
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Comedy Writer
2000s: The Best of Bad TV
2015
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Writer
The 90s: The Best of Bad TV
2015
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Writer
20 Moments That Rocked Comedy
2015
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Comedy Writer, Spitting Image / Brass Eye
20 Moments That Rocked Pop
2015
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Music Journalist
80's: The Best of Bad TV
2015
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Writer
Britain's Best Loved Sitcoms
2015
TV Series documentary
Himself - Emmy-winning Sitcom Writer
Britain's Most Dangerous Songs: Listen to the Banned
2014
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Writer
Britain's Best Loved Double Acts
2014
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Writer
Greatest Stand Up Comedians
2013
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Greatest Ever Christmas Movies
2013
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Most Shocking Celebrity Moments 2013
2013
TV Movie documentary
Himself
50 Greatest Kids Shows
2013
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Frankie Howerd: The Lost Tapes
2013
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Writer, TV Burp
The Royal History of Pop
2012
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Comedy Genius of John Sullivan
2011
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Sex and the Sitcom
2011
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Late Review
2010-2011
TV Series
Himself - Panelist / Himself - Commentator
Greatest Christmas TV Moments
2010
TV Movie documentary
Himself
100 Greatest Toys
2010
TV Movie
Himself
Coach Trip
2009-2010
TV Series
Narrator
Sidekick Stories
2010
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Greatest TV Shows of the Noughties
2009
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Imagine
2009
TV Series documentary
Himself
Comedy Songs: The Pop Years
2008
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Most Annoying TV We Hate to Love
2007
TV Series
Himself
Is Benny Hill Still Funny?
2006
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Screenwipe
2006
TV Series documentary
Himself / Himself - Contributor
The Story of Light Entertainment
2006
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself
50 Most Shocking Comedy Moments
2006
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Ultimate Sitcom
2006
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The 100 Greatest Pop Videos
2005
TV Movie
Himself
Return of the Goodies
2005
TV Movie documentary
Himself
UK Music Hall of Fame: Biggest Selling Artists of the 21st Century
2005
TV Movie documentary
Himself
50 Questions of Political Incorrectness
2005
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Come Dine with Me
2005
TV Series
Himself
Greatest TV Comedy Moments
2005
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Movies' Greatest Cars
2005
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Britain's 50 Greatest Comedy Sketches
2005
TV Movie documentary
Himself
X-Rated: The TV They Tried to Ban
2005
TV Movie
Himself
Pushy Parents
2005
TV Movie
Himself - Narrator
I'll Do Anything to Get on TV
2005
TV Movie documentary
Himself
2004: The Stupid Version
2004
TV Movie
Himself
The 100 Greatest Christmas Moments
2004
TV Special documentary
Himself
The 100 Greatest Scary Moments
2003
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Make My Day
2003
TV Series documentary
Top Ten
2000-2002
TV Series documentary
Himself
Killer Queen!
2002
Himself - Music journalist
Celebrities Behaving Badly
2002
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Rock Journalist
I Love Christmas
2001
TV Special documentary
Himself
I Love the 1990s
2001
TV Series documentary
Himself - Writer
Liquid News
2001
TV Series
Himself
I Love 1980's
2001
TV Series documentary
Himself
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2016
WGA Award (TV)
Writers Guild of America, USA
Comedy Series
Veep (2012)
2014
OFTA Television Award
Online Film & Television Association
Best Writing in a Comedy Series
Veep (2012)
2014
WGA Award (TV)
Writers Guild of America, USA
Comedy Series
Veep (2012)
2013
RTS Television Award
Royal Television Society, UK
Best Writer - Comedy
The Thick of It (2005)
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2016
PGA Award
PGA Awards
Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy
$2 Million
