Sue Perkins

Sue Perkins

Sue Perkins is well known as one half of the comedy presenting duo Mel and Sue, and an established and versatile comedienne and presenter in her own right.

She studied English at New Hall at the University of Cambridge, graduating in 1990. While at Cambridge, she was a member of the Footlights, where she met Mel Giedroyc. She was Footlights president during the academic year 1990/91. She first came to notice with Mel Giedroyc as Mel and Sue. The duo were short-listed for the Daily Express Best Newcomers Award at the Edinburgh Festival in 1993. After a few years writing for French & Saunders (and occasionally appearing on their BBC series), they hosted a lunchtime show on Channel 4 called Light Lunch, and an early evening version, Late Lunch. She has also been a presenter on Channel 4's RI:SE and appeared in Celebrity Big Brother during 2002 in aid of a number of charities.

Television Work

She has made numerous appearances on BBC TV shows Have I Got News for You, Mock the Week, QI, Room 101, Celebrity Weakest Link, Question Time and Newsnight. Perkins hosted Good Evening, Rockall (second series), a short-lived news orientated panel game shown on BBC Choice. She appeared in BBC Four's 2006 language quiz show Never Mind the Full Stops. She was also a team captain on ITV's Win, Lose or Draw Late, appeared on Celebrity MasterChef in 2006, performed in early 2007 on Celebrity Poker and News Knight with Sir Trevor McDonald in 2007. In March 2010, Perkins appeared in a three part mini-series broadcast on BBC Two A Band for Britain in which she attempted to revive the fortunes of the Dinnington Colliery Band. Perkins filmed two series which aired on BBC Two in 2010: Giles and Sue Live The Good Life, with Giles Coren, and The Great British Bake Off, a cookery competition series which she co-hosts with Mel Giedroyc, each episode looking at a different aspect of baking. Following her success in the television show Maestro, Perkins guest-conducted the London Gay Symphony Orchestra on 11 October 2009, at St Anne's Church Garden in Soho. She conducted two pieces, the Simpsons Theme by Danny Elfman, and the William Tell Overture by Rossini, the latter for the first time.

Radio Work

Perkins is a panel member of Radio 4's The News Quiz and has made regular appearances on BBC Radio 2's It's Been a Bad Week. She is also a frequent panelist on another popular Radio 4 show, Just a Minute: in the 2012 television version of that series, she appeared in 4 out of the 10 episodes (more than any other panellist except Paul Merton who appeared in all 10) and won on all 4 occasions. A versatile performer with tons of experience, Sue is a great presenter and entertainer.