Ben Elton is an atheist. Elton studied at Stillness Junior School and Godalming Grammar School in Surrey, South Warwickshire College in Stratford-upon-Avon and the University of Manchester. His first television appearance was a stand-up performance on the BBC1 youth and music programme, The "Oxford Road Show". His first TV success, at 23, came as co-writer of the television sitcom, "The Young Ones", in which he occasionally appeared. In 1983/84 he wrote and appeared in Granada Television's sketch show "Alfresco", which was also notable for early appearances by Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Emma Thompson and Robbie Coltrane. In 1985, Elton produced his first
Ian Martin (writer) Ian Martin (writer) Ian Martin (born 1953) is an English Emmy award-winning comedy writer. Ian was a writer for the BAFTA-winning BBC series "The Thick Of It". He was famously hired as ‘swearing consultant’ in 2005 by the show’s creator, Armando Iannucci, for Series 1 of the political satire and went on to become a full member of the writing team. Ian won an Emmy for his writing across five series of VEEP and was Bafta nominated for co-writing The Death of Stalin. Martin was born in London and has lived in Lancaster since 1988. Ian Martin edits the satirical