Alistair McGowan is probably most famous for his TV show ALISTAIR McGOWAN'S BIG IMPRESSION (Vera Productions) which aired on the BBC between 2000 and 2004. However, there are more strings to an already well-strung bow! After leaving The Guildhall School of music and Drama in 1989, Alistair began working as a stand-up comic, playing every club from Balham Banana to The Comedy Store. He soon became known for his excellent impressions and began working on Radio Four’s WEEKENDING and then from 1992 - 1996 on SPITTING IMAGE where he provided voices for Tony Blair, John Major, Chris Eubank, Prince Charles and Hugh Grant, among many others.

He has since appeared on television as a comic on a long list of programmes which includes: THE STAND-UP SHOW, ODDBALLS, AUNTIE’S SPORTING BLOOMERS, TARBUCK LATE, THE COMEDY STORE, TALKING TELEPHONE NUMBERS; he was part of THE ROYAL VARIETY PERFORMANCE in 1995, and also appeared in A ROYAL CELEBRATION 1998. He has featured three times as a guest on THEY THINK IT’S ALL OVER and CALL MY BLUFF, and once on UNDER THE MOON and THE BEST SHOW IN THE WORLD...PROBABLY. Alistair has also been involved in several sketch shows including FIST OF FUN and ANT AND DEC and is part of Scotland’s hugely popular football spoof ONLY AN EXCUSE

Alistair has been interviewed by many of Britain’s chat show hosts, facing questions from CLIVE JAMES, DES O’CONNOR, Johnny Vaughan on THE BIG BREAKFAST, JACK DOCHERTY, ALLY McCOIST (for BBC Scotland), and IAN WRIGHT. On radio he has been interviewed by SYBIL RUSCOE, JOHN INVERDALE and MARK & LARD. He was also interviewed as Jimmy Hill by Jimmy Hill in ON SIDE. 

As an actor, he is probably best known for his role as ‘Spock’ in Tim Firth’s multi-award-winning PRESTON FRONT. Further work includes appearing as Jan Francis’ husband in Roy Clark’s SPARK and he has popped up in JONATHAN CREEK, MURDER MOST HORRID, AGONY AGAIN, HISTORY FILE and CHILDREN’S WARD. He also performed characters of a rock star and a newsreader for CRECH LANDING. He has extensive radio acting experience - taking lead parts in COLD CALL, DECLINE & FALL (alongside Jim Broadbent and Andrew Sachs) and ROBERTO ZUCCO... 

Alistair is a very familiar name to the Radio 4 Light Entertainment department, having been involved in countless radio comedies including: THE NICK REVELL SHOW, FIRST IMPRESSIONS, LIFE, DEATH & SEX WITH MIKE AND SUE, THE HARPOON and DOON YOUR WAY. He appeared on and co-wrote WHEN HARRY MET ALLY (with Harry Hill) and four series of THE GAME’S UP for Radio Five. Other BBC radio work includes: THE WORLD OF PUB, THE FIRST EVER WIMBLEDON and DEAD RINGERS.

His favourite radio work however, has been reading books for BOOK AT BEDTIME. He has now covered two books and two collections of short stories by PATRICK SUSKIND and CHEKHOV. Alistair has also contributed to National Poetry Day events for the BBC.

His re-voicing of video footage is another talent. Having worked on THE STAGGERING STORIES OF FERDINAND DE BARGOS for BBC2, he has since made the technique his own, providing video pieces for THE SPORTS REVIEW OF THE YEAR (for five years), MATCH OF THE DAY and ODDBALLS. He has released two videos using this technique FOOTBALL BACKCHAT and THE SECOND LEG which were bets sellers in both the comedy and sports charts. He has also ventured into the pop charts with Yeahforce One’s contribution to World Cup songs, “World Cup Crescendo”.

Also in 1996, Alistair fronted the new commercial for FRUIT & FIBRE/OPTIMA, was used as the voice(s) for an EIDOS computer game, ALL STAR SOCCER, and wrote and presented BRITANNIA AIRWAYS in-flight commercials for their duty-free services.

He is now well established as an after dinner speaker and has spoken at events as diverse as The Professional Footballers Association Annual Dinner and The Royal Television Society Awards. Furthermore, he has begun writing regular columns for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH Saturday sport section.

He made his début broadcast as a tennis commentator for BBC Sport at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships.

Since 2 June 2012, McGowan has written and hosted ITV topical comedy sports show You Cannot Be Serious! Impressions include England Manager Roy Hodgson, Eurovision Duo Jedward and TV personality Louie Spence