Jessica Knappett
Jessica Amy Knappett (born 28 November 1984) is a British comedy writer and actress. She is best known for playing Meg in the TV sitcom Drifters, which she created, and Lisa in The Inbetweeners Movie.
Jessica Knappett | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jessica Amy Knappett 28 November 1984 |
| Occupation | Actress Writer |
| Known for | The Inbetweeners Movie Drifters |
Early life
Knappett was born and brought up in Bingley, West Yorkshire, where she attended Woodhouse Grove School, before studying at the University of Manchester.[1][2][3]
She was a founder member of Lady Garden, a sketch group who met in Manchester in 2005,[4] and performed their first show at the 2008 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, returning in 2009 and 2010. During this period the group toured throughout England: performing at Sheffield, Manchester and Brighton Comedy Festivals in 2008; were 2009 Hackney New Act & Laughing Horse Finalists; and won an Argus Angel for their show in the Brighton Fringe in May 2009.
Career
Knappett was the creator, writer, executive producer and star of the sitcom Drifters, produced by Bwark productions for E4, in which she played the role of Meg.[5] Due to the popularity and success of the first series, it was quickly repeated on Channel 4 and later commissioned for a further three. Knappett was nominated for an RTS award for Best Comedy writer and Broadcast award for Drifters series 2. Series 4 aired on E4 and Channel 4 at the end of 2016.
Knappett played Lisa in The Inbetweeners Movie and appeared in Steve Coogan's Alan Partridge Movie Alpha Papa and the TV Movie Irreversible alongside David Schwimmer. Other credits include Drunk History for Comedy Central, Mid-Morning Matters for Sky One, Twenty Twelve for BBC Two, E4's Meet the Parents for Objective Productions, How Not to Live Your Life and Lunch Monkeys for BBC3. She also played the role of Carly in the BBC Radio 4 comedy series Shedtown alongside Johnny Vegas. She has also recorded a string of pilots, including Everything Happens for No Reason written by Richard Herring, alongside Noel Fielding.[6]
Knappett makes frequent appearances on panel shows, including: 8 Out of 10 Cats and contributes to The Guardian,[7] The Independent, Glamour, ShortList and NME.
She was also a contestant on series 7 of Dave comedy/gameshow Taskmaster, with James Acaster, Kerry Godliman, Phil Wang and Rhod Gilbert.
Personal life
Knappett married Dan Crane in September 2016 [3][8] and their first child was born in summer 2017.[9]
Her brother is the comedy producer Ben Knappett.
She has stated in interviews that Drifters was a semi-autobiographical, therapeutic re-writing of history.[10]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Judge Romesh | Court clerk | Series 2 |
| 2019 | The Last Leg | Self | Season 17 Episode 8 |
| 2019 | Hypothetical | Self | Series 1 Episode 1 |
| 2019 | The Russell Howard Hour | Self | Series 2 Episode 8 |
| 2019 | The Inbetweeners: Fwends Reunited | Self | |
| 2018 | The Last Leg | Self | The Last Leg of the Year |
| 2018 | Taskmaster | Self | Series 7 |
| 2018 | Travel Man | Self | Ibiza |
| 2018 | Sunday Brunch | Self | Series 7 Episode 30 |
| 2018 | 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown | Self | Series 15 Episode 1 & Series 16 Episode 6 |
| 2018 | Go 8 Bit | Self | Series 3 Episode 3 |
| 2017 | The Educatoror | Charlotte Baines | TV mini series |
| 2017 | Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled | Self | Series 5 Episode 4 |
| 2017 | Drunk History: UK | Self | Series 3 Episode 2 |
| 2016 | Drunk History: UK | Self | Series 2 Episode 4 |
| 2016 | 8 Out of 10 Cats | Self | Series 20 Episode 4, Series 19 Episode 4 |
| 2015 | Drunk History: UK | Florence Nightingale | Series 1 Episode 8 |
| 2014 | Irreversible | Sarah | TV movie |
| 2013 | Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa | WPC Ruth | |
| 2013-2016 | Drifters | Meg | 24 Episodes & also creator |
| 2011 | The Inbetweeners Movie | Lisa | |
| 2011 | Coming of Age | Alice | Series 3 Episode 8 |
| 2011 | Lunch Monkeys | Becky | Series 2 Episode 4 |
| 2011 | Meet the Parents | Sister | Series 1 Episode 1 |
References
- Huddleston, Yvette (24 October 2013). "My Life: Jessica Knappett". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
- Hannah Begbie. "Jessica Knappett CV". United Artists. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
- Harriet Gibsone (10 October 2016). "Drifters' Jessica Knappett on turning her wilderness years into a TV smash". The Guardian.
- Stuart Husband; Horatia Harrod (27 October 2010). "Britain's Funniest Women". The Telegraph. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
- http://www.channel4.com/programmes/drifters
- https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/2418/richard_herring_tv_pilot/
- https://www.theguardian.com/profile/jessica-knappett
- Jessica Knappett (26 March 2017). "The Guardian - Life and Style - How I married a world-champion air guitarist who turned up on my doorstep". The Guardian.
- Jessica Knappett (16 April 2017). "The Guardian - Life and Style - Nothing prepared me for pregnancy, apart from the never-ending hangover of my 20s". The Guardian.
- https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/drifters/interview/jessica_knappett/