Charlie Brooker Biography

In a nutshell

He's the writer and broadcaster most famous for his scathing observations on the state of English TV but the comic curmudgeon has always had an invested interest in good old-fashioned satire since the early days of his career.
He started out as a bit of a geek, writing games reviews for PC Zone but soon landed the magazine in trouble when he sent-up a Tomb Raider game (at the time not known for its RSPCA credentials) with a graphic depiction of animal cruelty intended as joke. Alas WH Smith did not see the irony!
His breakthrough came with the launch of satirical website TvGoHome, a savage parody of Radio Times with a mock TV schedule format. (Popular 'programmes' included Daily Mail Island, a 'reality TV show' where normal people get stranded on an island and go mad after repeated exposure to the famously right-wing newspaper.) The website got a cult following and propelled him into the limelight.
In 2000 he began writing a regular satirical review column for The Guardian's Guide section entitled Screen Burn, and started to accrue TV writing credits for projects such as The 11 O'Clock news (the same show Ali G got his first break) and the infamous Channel 4 Brass Eye series. He also co-wrote Nathan Barley a comedy series based on a pretentious media-wannabe character originally devised on website TVGoHome. From there, mainstream success beckoned and in 2006 he began writing and presenting Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe for BBC Four a TV review show which consisted of him wittily butchering (and often swearing at) the sorry state of television output.
This led to spin-off series Newswipe, where his droll humour was this time aimed at the international current affairs media. It won an RTS award for Best Entertainment Programme, beating X Factor and Britain's Got Talent, both the type of populist reality show he's made a career out of berating. Revenge is sweet!
In 2008 he wrote Dead Set a zombie horror thriller series for E4 set in the Big Brother house which won a BAFTA award and unforgettably featured Davina McCall as a flesh-eating zombie. His winning streak didn't stop there as he also picked up Columnist of the Year 2009 at the British Press Awards and Best Newcomer at the British Comedy Awards 2009.
He can currently be seen presenting C4 comedy panel show You Have Been Watching and BBC Radio 4 satire show So Wrong it's Right. Charlie Brooker - Biography from (http://www.talktalk.co.uk/celebrity/biography/person/charlie-brooker/240)

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Sunday, September 25, 2011