Chris Langham, Thick of It actor, dies at 77
Chris Langham, the actor and writer best known for playing hapless government minister Hugh Abbot in the BBC political satire The Thick of It, has died of pancreatic cancer aged 77. His career was defined by both notable comic achievement and disgrace: after early success he was jailed in 2007 for downloading child pornography, an offence he denied at trial, claiming he was researching material for his sitcom Help and processing childhood sexual abuse.
Langham's career began in television comedy in the late 1970s, but alcoholism and cocaine addiction saw him sacked from Not the Nine O'Clock News in 1979. After rehab, he rebuilt his career writing for Alas Smith & Jones and later co-created acclaimed shows including Look at the State We're In!, People Like Us and Kiss Me Kate. His work culminated in The Thick of It and Help, which won him best comedy performance and best comedy programme at the 2006 Baftas. However, he had already been arrested in 2005 on charges of downloading images and videos of child abuse; in 2007 he was convicted on all 15 counts, though acquitted of separately having sex with an under-age girl.
In short
- Chris Langham, The Thick of It star, has died aged 77
- Career spanned Not the Nine O'Clock News, Kiss Me Kate and Help
- Won 2006 Baftas before being jailed in 2007 for child pornography offences
Explained simply
Chris Langham was a British actor and comedy writer whose career spanned several decades. He became widely known for playing Hugh Abbot, a hapless government minister, in the BBC satire The Thick of It, and also co-created television comedies including People Like Us and Help.
His career included major awards as well as a criminal conviction. In 2007, he was jailed after being convicted of 15 counts of downloading child abuse images; he denied the offences at trial, and was acquitted of a separate charge involving an under-age girl. The contrast between his comedy work and his conviction has shaped how his career is remembered.
Business Culture Government Health Markets Medicine Politics
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by The Guardian as “Chris Langham obituary”.