Roy Walker, former host of television's exciting, high rating family game show, 'Catchphrase', has emerged as one of the driest comedians in Britain today.

His lugubrious style of humour, his dead pan expression and his approach to entertaining, has paid handsome dividends. His casual line in patter has endeared him to audiences all over the country.

He was born in Belfast and first became involved in entertaining at school where he sang in the choir and acted in the end of term plays. It was as a boy soprano, at the age of fourteen, that he started out on the first steps to a career in showbusiness. After auditioning at the Belfast Opera House, Roy was invited to join the celebrated Francis Longford Choir, and for the next twelve months toured extensively, undertaking concert and theatre engagements all over the British Isles including appearances at the London Palladium and on television.

Next stop was Roy's National Service, seven years in uniform but he still found time to entertain regularly. On leaving the service his sights were firmly set on a professional career in showbusiness. Not finding any work in Northern Ireland he moved to England where the club and cabaret scene were thriving. At first the going was extremely tough as he tried to establish a name for himself in comedy taking any day job to supplement his income whilst touring the clubs at night.

However, he was slowly building a reputation as a comedian, emerging as a very funny man in his own right and firm favourite in clubland.

Roy was to make his mark in more ways than one when he recorded the highest marks ever given to a comedian on television's 'New Faces'. It was the start of a television career that has blossomed ever since and has seen him starring on all the major TV variety shows including Blankety Blank, Des O'Connor Tonight, Bob Monkhouse Show and much more.

It was at the beginning of 1987 that he hosted his first series of 'Catchphrase' which went on to become a very popular and high rating addition to the ITV Network scheduling each year since.

Away from television Roy Walker's career has flourished. He has undertaken concert, theatre and cabaret seasons at all the topline venues throughout Britain and appeared, with great success, in major summer shows. He has also toured extensively with Russ Abbot, Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey.

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