Rob Rouse

Rob Rouse (born 1974) is an English comedian.

Overview

Rouse grew up in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.[1] He trained as a geography teacher at the University of Sheffield and got into comedy in his final year at university. Having fully qualified as a teacher, he decided that teaching was not for him after spending two days as a supply teacher. Instead, he decided to move to London to pursue a career in stand-up comedy.[2] Since winning Channel Four's prestigious 'So You Think You're Funny' competition at the Edinburgh Festival in 1998, an award previously won by Phil Kay, Dylan Moran, Lee Mack, Tommy Tiernan and Peter Kay, he has been a regular performer at major venues on both the London and national circuit.

Rouse is married to comedian and author Helen Rutter. The couple have two children and live in the Peak District.[1]

Television work

Rouse started his career in television as a "warm-up" on the hit BBC sitcom Coupling, where he entertained the studio audience between filming.

Rouse starred in the first series of the BBC Three sitcom Grownups and Guilty Pleasures, a new chat show which he hosted. He also has a role (uncredited) in Penelope, a feature film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2006.

In 2005 Rouse was one of the presenters of The Friday Night Project, now known as The Sunday Night Project, an entertainment show for Channel 4. He also starred in Spoons, a Channel 4 sketch show.

His other acting work includes a role in Tunnel of Love, a prime time comedy-drama for ITV and a starring role in the BBC3 sitcom The Bunk Bed Boys. Rouse was also a member of the cast of The Pilot Show for E4.

Rouse is also a popular TV panelist and has made appearances on 8 Out of 10 Cats, and Bognor or Bust amongst others.

In 2007 he starred as Robert Thornton in the Paramount Comedy shorts "The Former Ambassador Robert Thornton" 10 episodes. Rouse also stars in Mad Mad World on ITV1 that started in the spring of 2012.

He appears in the BBC series Upstart Crow, a BBC 2 sitcom about Shakespeare, written by Ben Elton, alongside David Mitchell, Harry Enfield, Mark Heap and Liza Tarbuck.

Stand-up comedy

Rouse first made his name on the live circuit, winning Channel 4's prestigious So You Think You're Funny? competition at the Edinburgh Festival in 1998.

As part of the successful trio Big and Daft, Rouse took three shows to the Edinburgh Festival culminating in 2001 with the sell-out Big and Daft Christmas show. Big and Daft went on to host their own weekend show on BBC London Live.

His 2002 solo Edinburgh show was a sell out, gathering positive reviews. The following year he returned to Edinburgh with another hit show and finished the year with a performance at London's Soho Theatre.

Throughout 2004 Rouse continued touring his live show and performed the Melbourne Comedy Festival.

Other work

In 2015, Rouse and Rutter started their comedy self-help podcast Rob and Helen's Date Night, charting a series of odd dates including horse riding, life-drawing in front of a fire, and the couple recording Rage Against the Machine's Killing in the Name, which they recorded live in their garage.[3][1]

Rouse and Rutter starred in the play The Ladder, written by Rutter, which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2018. It is based on an accident Rutter had getting her hand stuck in a ladder at home and Rouse's attempts at helping her.[4]

The couple return to Edinburgh in 2019 with their show Funny in Real Life.[1][5]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2006 Penelope Mr. Mosely - Suitor

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2002 The House of Astonishment Himself - Host Television film
Brain Candy Himself Television film
2004 The Bunk Bed Boys Jim Television film
Saturday Night Darren and Brose Himself Series 1, Episode 2
Bognor or Bust Himself 2 episodes
Tunnel of Love Neil Television film
2005 The Friday Night Project Himself - Presenter Series 1
100 Greatest Cartoons Himself Television special documentary
Spoons Various
2005–06 8 Out of 10 Cats Himself 3 episodes
2006 Grownups Mike Series 1
The Law of the Playground Himself 5 episodes
The Best of the Worst Himself Series 1, Episode 1
2007 Comedy Cuts
2008 Gladiators A to Z Himself Television film documentary
Batteries Not Included Himself 6 episodes
2011 Dave's One Night Stand Himself Series 2, Episode 4
2012 Coronation Street Buyer Episode #1.7911
A Short History of Everything Else Himself Series 1, Episode 6
TV's Biggest Blockbusters Himself Television film documentary
Mad, Mad World Himself 7 episodes
The Wright Stuff Himself Series 17, Episode 168
2013 The Day They Came to Suck Out Our Brains! Windy Series 1, Episode 10
2016– Upstart Crow Bottom

Radio
Year Title Role Notes
2001 Sean Lock's 15 Storeys High Performer Performer BBC Radio 4
The Big and Daft Radio Show Co-presenter BBC London
2003 The Trouble with Adam Bloom Performer BBC Radio 4
2004 The 99p Challenge Panelist BBC Radio 4

Awards
  • So You Think You're Funny Winner, Edinburgh Festival, 1998

References
  1. "Rob Rouse, Hyena Lounge Comedy Club in The Basement, City Screen, York, May 29". York Press. 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  2. "RHLSTP Special - Rob Rouse - RHLSTP with Richard Herring". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  3. "Rob and Helen's Date Night". robrouse.podbean.com. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  4. "The Ladder - Edinburgh Fringe 2018". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
  5. "Funny in Real Life - Edinburgh Fringe 2019". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
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