Jessica Knappett
Jessica Amy Knappett 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 Bingley, West Yorkshire, England |
| Occupation | Actress, writer |
| Known for | The Inbetweeners Movie Drifters |
| Spouse(s) | Dan Crane (m. 2016) |
| Children | 1 |
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.
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, Hypothetical and The Last Leg. She contributes to The Guardian,[7] The Independent, Glamour, ShortList and NME.
She was a contestant on Series Seven of Dave comedy/gameshow Taskmaster, with James Acaster, Kerry Godliman, Phil Wang and Rhod Gilbert. In episode 7 of the series, Knappett fell off the stage during a task.[8] The show has since named the stage "The Knappett" in her honour.[9]
Personal life
Knappett married Dan Crane in September 2016 [3][10] and their first child was born in summer 2017.[11]
She has stated in interviews that Drifters was a semi-autobiographical, therapeutic re-writing of history.[12]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Rob Beckett's Undeniable | Voice Over | Series 1 |
| 2021 | Complaints Welcome | Self | Series 1 |
| 2021 | Outsiders | Self | Series 1 |
| 2021 | Ghosts | Lucy | Series 3, Episodes 2, 4 & 6 |
| 2021 | Hypothetical | Self | Series 3, Episode 2 |
| 2020 | Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun | Zach | Series 1, Episode 5 |
| 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. Archived from the original on 31 October 2010. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
- "Drifters – All 4". www.channel4.com. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- Guide, British Comedy (28 January 2017). "Richard Herring films multiple universe sitcom pilot for Channel 4". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- "Jessica Knappett". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
- "Taskmaster – Series 7, Episode 7 | Full Episode | 'The perfect stuff'".
- "Of course the stage is called the Knappett, just of course it is 🤣".
- 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.
- Guide, British Comedy (14 November 2013). "Jessica Knappett interview – Drifters". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 22 July 2021.