Marcus Brigstocke
Comedian
Stand-up comic, writer, presenter and actor, Marcus Brigstocke joined Cape Farewell on the 2007 Art/Science Expedition. Taking almost three weeks the expedition crossed the north Atlantic to the extreme frontline of climate change, then sailed south to explore East Greenland’s Blosseville Coast. After swearing 2007 was his last Arctic adventure, Marcus was lured back to join the recent 2008 Disko Bay Expedition. Since the expeditions Marcus has joined Cape Farewell at a series of events including SHIFT and Latitude Festival.
Marcus hosts The Late Edition, his own live topical TV show on BBC 4. Marcus makes guest appearances on Have I Got News For You and NewsKnight. He also features on The Now Show, Just a Minute and The Today Show on BBC Radio 4. His humour holds people to account and encourages those with the power to effect change to do so. Through his Now Show counter piece to Martin Durkins’ discredited Great Global Warming Swindle an alliance was formed with the scientific community. Many scientists have since sent messages of thanks and support. Marcus’ experiences in the Arctic will feed into a touring show, to be recorded for TV and entitled Your Time Is Up.
During the 2007 Art/Science expedition, through sickness and health, Marcus wrote a daily blog that was beamed back and published in the Telegraph. If you missed it live you can still read Marcus's blog A comedian in the Arctic and the Telegraph feature The comic who went out in the cold on the Telegraph website. Hear Marcus on the Now Show, talking about his Cape Farewell experience.
Day one
My name is Marcus Brigstocke. I'm 34, I'm married – two kids – I'm a comedian and I'm in the Arctic. It's cold. Evidently not as cold as it's supposed to be, but it still feels pretty frosty to me.
I am on board a Norwegian schooner called the Noorderlicht, sailing away from Norway towards Greenland. I am here because a group called Cape Farewell heard a rant I did on Radio 4 about climate change (it pissed off a lot of listeners but pleased a few scientists). They asked me if I would like to sail, with several artists, educators and oceanographers across a stretch of water that has only just become a stretch of water. Until recently, the 78th parallel was part of the Arctic ice cap, but not any more. Now it is open sea and we will be the first people to sail across it – ever.
I'd love to say I feel like Captain Cook or some other great pioneering explorer, but in truth I'm pretty scared. I've been looking forward to this trip for four months. It is, after all, the opportunity of a lifetime – but now I'm here it suddenly all feels a long way from home and my family and it's certainly very different from the familiar safety of a stand-up club, a TV studio or the warm embrace of the BBC Radio theatre...
Read the full blog at www.telegraph.co.uk ›
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Comedian in the Arctic
Marcus Brigstocke wanted to do his bit to save the Arctic from global warming. But first he headed off to Greenland with a boatload of scientists to see if it was worth saving.
Telegraph feature and blog ›
Marcus Brigstocke
The latest from Marcus - tour dates, shows, festivals, rants, his Arctic blog and much more.
marcusbrigstocke.com ›
Marcus Brigstocke 2007
"It seems to me that mankind is like a smoker who has seen 7 doctors, all of whom have diagnosed us with cancer and told us we must give up the fags. Instead of heeding the doctors warnings we have decided in our infinite wisdom to take the advice of our newsagent who smiling says 'well you look alright to me pal and would you like a bag of crisps with those Marlboro lights?"
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