Table of Biography
Early Life
Alexei Sayle was born in Anfield, Liverpool, England, the United Kingdom, on 7 August 1952. His full name is Alexei David Sayle and holds British nationality. He comes under the birth sign of Leo and is currently 71 years old.
His parent’s names are Joseph Henry Sayle and Molly Sayle. By profession, his father was a railway guard and his mother was a pool clerk. Meanwhile, his parents were also members of the Communist Party of Great Britain.
Caption: Alexei Sayle’s childhood photo with his mother (Source: Daily Mail)
Alexei Sayle – Education
Sayle attended Alsop High School in Walton from 1964 to 1969. He was expelled halfway through sixth form.
Moreover, he completed a foundation study in art at Southport before entering Chelsea College of Art and Design in London. He went to Garnett College in Roehampton, a training institution for teachers in further education.
Professional Career
Stand-up comedy and theatre
When The Comedy Store opened in London in 1979, Alexei Sayle responded to an ad for aspiring comedians and became its first master of ceremonies.
Martin Lewis, a comedy producer, observed Sayle perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1980 and hired him. He rose to prominence as a performer at The Comic Strip. He performed on ‘The Comic Strip Album’ (1981) and ‘Cak!’ (1982).
Caption: Sayle on stage in 1982 ‘Michael McIntyre’s audience doesn’t know anything about comedy (Source: Irish Mirror)
He also starred in the stage production, film, and comedy album ‘The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball’ (1981-82). His writing covered a wide range of themes, but one of his favourites was politics. His aggressive attitude, along with his energetic delivery, added significant sting to his content. He performed Trinculo in Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest,’ directed by Jonathan Miller and staged at London’s Old Vic Theatre in 1988.
Radio Works
His early career includes multiple appearances on 95.8 Capital FM. In 1981, he created and performed the radio series ‘Alexei Sayle And The Fish People,’ which earned him a Sony Radio Award. He later released an album based on the program called ‘The Fish People Tapes.’ He has contributed to several additional radio shows.
On November 3, 2006, he broadcast ‘Chopwell Soviet,’ a 30-minute show on BBC Radio 4 that examined the Chopwell miners 80 years after the community became known as Little Moscow.
Television works
His first high-profile television performance was on Central Independent Television’s late-night alternative cabaret show “O.T.T.” (1982). He exited nine weeks into the show’s run to tour Australia with The Comic Strip.
Moreover, he appeared in many parts in the situation comedy The Young Ones (1982-1984), alongside Adrian Edmondson, Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer, and Christopher Ryan. He frequently represented the students’ landlord, Mr. Balowski, as well as other Balowski family members.
He made his Doctor Who appearance in “Revelation of the Daleks” in 1985. Between 1985 and 1993, he also starred in various episodes of “The Comic Strip Presents…,” most notably as the two main characters in “Didn’t You Kill My Brother?”, which he co-wrote with David Stafford and Pauline Melville.
He has also co-written and starred in several other shows, including three series of “Alexei Sayle’s Stuff” (1988-91), two series of “The All New Alexei Sayle Show” (1994-95), and one series of “Alexei Sayle’s Merry-Go-Round” (1998).
He has also voiced characters in animations, such as Rubbish the Cat in the children’s TV series Rubbish, King of the Jumble (1992-94). In 1994, he hosted the miniseries ‘Drive,’ which provided advice on safe driving using Sayle’s characteristic comedy interspersed with serious elements. In 2008, he developed and produced “Alexei Sayle’s Liverpool,” a three-part television series in which he visited his hometown.
Films
Sayle varies between comedy and character acting roles, which range from serious (“Gorky Park,” 1983) to hilarious (“Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” 1989).
He starred in the 1992 Carry On film, “Carry On Columbus,” alongside other comedians, including Comic Strip creator Peter Richardson and members of the original Carry On crew. He narrates “Oh Jeremy Corbyn: The Big Lie,” a 2023 political documentary film.
Music
He has recorded five comedy tracks that have complete musical backing. The most successful of these was “‘Ullo John! Gotta New Motor?” which earned Top 20 chart success in the United Kingdom when re-released in 1984.
Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley (who previously produced for Madness and Elvis Costello) created the 12-inch version of the single, which became well-known for its excessive use of filthy language.
The two follow-up singles, “Didn’t You Kill My Brother?” and “Meanwhile,” were taken from the album Panic, whose cover parodies Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall.
Writing
Sayle has authored two short story collections, five novels, including a graphic novel, and essays for a variety of publications. His book, ‘Great Bus Journeys of the World,’ co-written with David Stafford, is mostly a compilation of his columns for Time Out and the Sunday Mirror.
He was one of eight authors who contributed to the BBC Three competition End Of Story, in which members of the public finished the second half of established authors’ works. Arthur Allan, a freelance writer, wrote the winning submission for Sayle’s story, ‘Imitating Katherine Walker.’ Sayle’s autobiography, concentrating on his early upbringing and described as a satirical memoir’, was published in 2010.
Internet
He began hosting a monthly podcast, “The Alexei Sayle Podcast” in November 2020. Moreover, he has created a YouTube channel with recordings of numerous bike journeys.
Net Worth 2024
The British actor earns a decent amount of money through his professional career. As of 2024, his net worth is estimated at around $6 million while his salary and his income are unknown.
Relationship Status
Alexei Sayle married Linda Rawsthorn in the year 1974. He and his wife are enjoying their life, and they are both content with their relationship. Furthermore, the couple does not have any children.
Sayle has not been a part of any controversy and rumour as he is maintaining his personal life perfectly.
Body Measurements
Caption: Alexei Sayle riding bicycle (Source: Tribune)
This talented actor stands 5 feet 11 inches and weighs around 67 kg. Moreover, he has a pair of dark brown eyes with short hair colour.
Alexei Sayle – Social Media
On his Instagram page ‘@alexeisaylepod’ there are over 3.9k followers. Likewise, there are over 5.3k followers on his Twitter ‘@AlexeiSaylePod’ and 73k followers on his official Facebook page. He also runs a self-titled YouTube channel and there are over 17.9k subscribers.