Keith Carter as Nige is known as one of the best character comedians on the circuit and so much so, many have not known he was in character. His most famous creation Nige has gained cult status amongst comedy fans and comedians alike and is see as a comedy icon in his native Liverpool. ‘Nige’ has won several awards including Liverpool Echo Comedian of the Year 2003 and North West Breakthrough Comedian of the Year 2005. Capital of Culture judge, Sir Jeremy Isaacs, was quoted as saying ‘He helped Liverpool win the bid’.
He may look like any ordinary scally but beneath his shell-suit lies a wealth of intelligent gags and stories. Watch open mouthed as he explains how superheroes should make their money, hold back a tear as he explains his father’s drug-related death (a box of Lemsips fell on him) and reel back with amazement as he travels through time before your very eyes.
His unique ability to improvise and interact with an audience whilst delivering a perfectly honed set of belly-laugh gags and hilariously surreal stories has taken him across the globe, as well as working with, amongst others, Sean Lock, Reg D Hunter, Ricky Gervais and Russell Brand.
Carter can count Johnny Vegas and Jon Richardson as fans of his work. His contemporaries like him so much that Steve Coogan’s company, Baby Cow paid for his one man show Edinburgh run in 2012 and Craig Cash’s company, Jelly Legs paid to make a half hour teaser pilot to be shown at the BBC of one of Carter’s characters.
For a comic that is not a TV celebrity, Carter still managed to perform a multi character one man show to a sell-out crowd in Liverpool’s Neptune Theatre in 2014 and turned it into a successful selling DVD. Because of its offbeat format, It has started to become a ‘cult film’ for comedy aficionados.
Carter wrote a weekly column for The Liverpool Echo Newspaper about his life as a comedian before it was banned (after two years and despite public outcry) in 2016 for being ‘too honest’ for a Sunday morning readership.
Carter is constantly being offered the chance to showcase his style on television. A temptation he has resisted until he feels the time is right. He has dabbled in television and radio work, his infamous ‘Jesus’ Younger Brother’ series for the BBC in 2013 was banned before it was even aired (no joke) and he recently became the presenter of Radio 5’s new show, ‘Better Than The News‘.
Carter is currently working on ‘The Murdererers’; a twist-riddled comedy about to tour, ‘The Wrong ‘Uns’; a dark musical for the Royal Court and ‘Box of Frogs’; a sitcom with Johnny Vegas’ company Woolly Back Productions.
TV and RADIO credits (as writer and performer):
‘Jason Manford’s Tonightly Show’ (Channel 4)
‘It’s Adam and Shelley!’ (BBC 3)
‘Comedy Shuffle’ (BBC 2)
Johnny Vegas’ Tatt’ (Sky One)
‘Scallywagga’ (BBC 2)
‘Gerald Roberts Radio Show’ (BBC Merseyside)
‘The Show What We Wrote’ (Radio 4)
‘Newsjack’ (Radio 4)
‘How I Won the Capital of Culture’ (Radio 4)
‘A Deck of Friends’ (Radio 4|)
‘A character comic of rare skill’ – The Guardian
‘Carter is in danger of becoming huge’ – Chortle
‘Surely this man will have a sitcom in a few years time’ – Metro