Comedian Stewart Lee discusses his life, his adoption, his career in comedy, and the release of his book, 'Pea Green Boat'.
Key facts
- •Stewart Lee was adopted at age two and spent his early life in foster care.
- •He studied English literature at St Edmund Hall, Oxford.
- •Lee and comedian Bridget Christie married in 2006 and separated in 2021; they have two children.
- •His BBC series 'Comedy Vehicle' aired from 2009 to 2016.
- •Lee won the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year in February 1990.
Comedian Stewart Lee, 58, reflects on his career and personal history as he promotes his new book, 'Pea Green Boat'. The book is a reimagining of Edward Lear’s 'The Owl and the Pussy-cat' based on a show he first devised in 2001. Lee, who is currently touring with his show 'Stewart Lee vs the Man-Wulf', also discusses his experience being adopted at age two and his long career in comedy.
Career and Comedy Style
Lee gained early success in the 1990s as part of a double act with Richard Herring. He later achieved critical acclaim with his BBC series 'Comedy Vehicle', which ran for four seasons between 2009 and 2016. His current show, 'Stewart Lee vs the Man-Wulf', explores themes of toxic masculinity through a dialectic performance.
Adoption and Personal History
Adopted at age two, Lee spent his early life in foster care. He attended Oxford University on a scholarship supported by a masonic charity for orphans. In 2006, while expecting his first child with his then-wife, comedian Bridget Christie, Lee began searching for his birth family. He has since established contact with his two half-sisters.
Pea Green Boat
The book 'Pea Green Boat' features illustrations by David Waywell and includes a candid essay by Lee about his life during the early 2000s. The project originated as a show in 2001 and a radio version in 2004. Lee notes that the work reflects his perspective as an older man on the nature of human connection and drift.
Timeline
- February 1990Stewart Lee won the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year.
- 2001Lee devised the original show that would become 'Pea Green Boat'.
- 2006Stewart Lee and Bridget Christie were married.
- 2009The first season of Lee's series 'Comedy Vehicle' began airing on the BBC.
- 2021Stewart Lee and Bridget Christie separated.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by The Guardian Culture.
