Sean Lock

Sean Lock (22 April 1963 – 18 August 2021) was an English writer and comedian. Born in Woking, Surrey, he began his career in comedy as a stand up comedian. He won theritish Comedy Award in 2000 in the category of Best Live Comic, and was nominated for the Perrier Comedy Award. He is also well known for his appearances on television and radio. He has also written material for such comics as Bill Bailey, Lee Evans and Mark Lamarr.

Early career
Lock's first television appearance was in 1993, when he appeared in a supporting role alongside Rob Newman and David Baddiel in their TV show Newman and Baddiel in Pieces. He toured with the duo as their support act, and, as a result, became the first comedian to perform at Wembley Arena. Newman and Baddiel were widely promoted as being the first comedians to have performed at Wembley but, in his capacity as their warm-up, Lock technically takes this honour. However, Lock has conceded the honour to the duo on several occasions, including on the BBC Radio 4 show Loose Ends. In 1995, Lock played an escaped murderer in an episode of The World of Lee Evans, alongside Lee Evans and Phil Daniels.

15 Minutes of Misery and 15 Storeys High
Continuing with stand-up as the mainstay of his workload, Lock also made regular appearances on various radio panel shows, script-edited for Bill Bailey's 1998 BBC2 series, Is It Bill Bailey? and had his own show on BBC Radio, 15 Minutes of Misery.

As the title suggested, these shows filled a 15-minute time-slot and also featured Kevin Eldon and Hattie Hayridge. The premise involved Sean eavesdropping on his neighbours in his South London tower block (all played by Lock, Eldon and Hayridge) using a bugging device fitted by his plumber, which was known as "The Bugger King" (which had "nothing to do with meat or sex").

15 Minutes of Misery lasted for one series of six programmes in late 1998 and early 1999, and would later be expanded into the half-hour series 15 Storeys High. From ostensibly the same tower block, Lock's character was now given a flatmate (the hapless Errol) and a job at the local swimming baths, as well as a somewhat dour and intolerant demeanour.

The bugging device was no longer used, but the antics of Sean's neighbours still featured heavily in the show. The plots for this series were more linear in a "traditional" sitcom style, although they still showed Lock's brand of dark, surreal humour. 15 Storeys High would transfer to television after two radio series, with Lock's character renamed 'Vince', for a further two series in 2002 and 2004.

Sean Lock Live
Sean Lock Live is his debut live performance DVD, recorded at London's Hammersmith Apollo on Saturday 10 May 2008. The DVD was released on 17 November 2008. Although it is his first DVD release, it is Lock's second live release, the first being Sean Lock: Live, an audio CD live show released in 2005.

Other work
In 2004, Lock had a guest appearance in television's first ever "dope opera", Top Buzzer, written by Johnny Vaughan. In 2005 he became a regular team captain on the panel game 8 out of 10 Cats, which has run for eight series so far.

In spring 2006, he hosted his own entertainment show on Channel 4 called TV Heaven, Telly Hell. Lock narrated for the BBC production World Cup Goals Galore in 2006. He recently appeared on The Big Fat Quiz of the Year, on a team with James Corden. Lock has also appeared on many popular British TV panel shows including Have I Got News for You, QI, and They Think It's All Over. Lock has become "The Curator" for the second radio series of The Museum of Curiosity, in 2009, taking over from Bill Bailey.

Personal life
Lock has two children, and is a fan of Chelsea football club. Lock revealed on Room 101 that he was diagnosed with skin cancer when working as a builder due to spending so much time in the sun with his top off.