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
TV Funhouse 2008 under the title "Comedy Central's TV Funhouse". TV Funhouse Saturday TV Funhouse was the title of a recurring skit on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" featuring cartoons created by "SNL" writer Robert Smigel. It also spawned a spinoff series of "TV Funhouse" that aired on Comedy Central. Programmed to air between the host segments of "Saturday Night Live", "TV Funhouse" parodied such genres as 1950s educational films, Saturday morning Hanna-Barbera/Filmation cartoons of the 1970s and 1980s, and the 1960s stop motion holiday specials of Rankin/Bass. The animation was produced by J.J. Sedelmaier Productions for first three seasons until Wachtenheim/Marianetti Animation