Heydon Prowse

Heydon Prowse
Prowse in 2018
BornFebruary 1981 (age 43)[1]
London, England
MediumStand-up, television, film, radio
EducationKing Alfred School, London
Alma materUniversity of Sussex
Years active1993–present
GenresTopical comedy/satire
Subject(s)Politics, current affairs

Heydon Prowse (born February 1981) is a British activist, journalist, satirist, director and comedian. He is best known for writing and performing in BBC Three's Bafta-winning The Revolution Will Be Televised alongside Jolyon Rubinstein.[2][3] As part of that show he gave George Osborne a GCSE maths text book, a stunt that featured on the front cover of The Daily Telegraph and other publications.[4][5]

In May 2023, Prowse traveled to Brazil where he was ambushed alongside activist Txai Suruí by local tribesmen in Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau.[6][7]

Early life

Prowse was educated at King Alfred School, London and the University of Sussex where he studied philosophy, graduating in 2004.[8] As a schoolboy he played Colin Craven in the 1993 film The Secret Garden.[9][10] Prowse made national news in the UK in 2009 when a secret recording he made of Conservative politician Alan Duncan in the Houses of Parliament resulted in Duncan's dismissal from the opposition front bench.[11][12][13][14]

Revolting

Heydon Prowse and Jolyon Rubinstein created and starred in Revolting on BBC2 in 2017, a short-lived satire show which garnered controversy through sketches including "The Real Housewives of ISIS".[15][16]

Don't Panic

Prowse is director and talent with the viral creative agency Don't Panic[17] for whom he has created a number of award winning films. In 2013, Prowse directed his first VICE show, presented by Nimrod Kamer at the Venice Film Festival.[18]

Michael Green

For the 2015 United Kingdom general election, Prowse changed his name to Michael Green via deed poll to stand as an independent candidate against Grant Shapps in the Welwyn Hatfield constituency.[19][20] The name Michael Green is a pseudonym of Shapps which has attracted controversy. He secured 216 votes in the election, placing sixth out of seven candidates.[21]

Presenting

Prowse also acted as the presenter for the BBC documentary show The Town That Took on the Taxman shown in January 2016, where businesses in the small Welsh town Crickhowell attempted to minimise their tax burden using the same methods as large corporations.[22][23]

Prank calls

Prowse is known for prank calling notable figures in politics and entertainment. In February 2017, he duped Number 10 Downing Street claiming the US President wanted to send Theresa May her favourite bouquet as a special gift.[24] In May 2017, he called Jeremy Corbyn who mistook Prowse for Stormzy and discussed making a grime video together.[25]

References

  1. ^ "Heydon PROWSE". Companies House. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  2. ^ "BBC3 announces new entertainment commissions". Televisual. Archived from the original on 4 February 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Heydon Prowse". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  4. ^ The pranksters who gave George Osborne a GCSE maths book, By Leo Hickman, 22 August 2012, The Guardian
  5. ^ "Heydon Prowse & Jolyon Rubinstein: 'We do The Revolution Will Be". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  6. ^ "UK director, Indigenous group ambushed in Brazil: activists". 20 May 2023. Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  7. ^ Farias, Elaíze (16 May 2023). "Neidinha, artista Mundano e indígenas sofrem emboscada no Burareiro". Amazônia Real (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  8. ^ "From angel to activist: Heydon Prowse". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 7 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  9. ^ "Secret Garden actor turns into a green campaigner". London Evening Standard. 12 April 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  10. ^ Samadder, Rhik (6 October 2014). "'Some of the things we do are brazen. I would punch us'". the Guardian. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  11. ^ "Alan Duncan's exchange with Heydon Prowse". 13 August 2009. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  12. ^ Bingham, John (13 August 2009). "How Alan Duncan's olive branch to YouTube prankster Heydon Prowse backfired". ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 8 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  13. ^ "From angel to activist: Heydon Prowse". London Evening Standard. 12 April 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  14. ^ "The pranksters who gave George Osborne a GCSE maths book". The Guardian. 21 August 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  15. ^ "Interview: Heydon Prowse on politics, controversy and the future". The Cambridge Student. 3 February 2017. Archived from the original on 7 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  16. ^ "Heydon Prowse Archives". Huck Magazine. 27 May 2017. Archived from the original on 16 August 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  17. ^ "Heydon Prowse | Contributors". www.dontpaniconline.com. Retrieved 2 September 2018.[permanent dead link‍]
  18. ^ Kamer, Nimrod (14 November 2016). "Best Ever VICE Series - Nimrod Kamer". Medium. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  19. ^ Burke, Dave (29 April 2015). "Satire show comic is standing against Grant Shapps after changing name to Michael Green". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Archived from the original on 2 May 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  20. ^ Crace, John (29 April 2015). "A la Recherche du Shapps Perdu … or anyone seen Grant Shapps?". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  21. ^ Metcalfe, Neil (8 May 2015). "General Election 2015: Welwyn Hatfield result". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  22. ^ Hawksley, Rupert (20 January 2016). "The Town That Took on the Taxman, BBC Two, review: 'disappointing'". Archived from the original on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2019 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  23. ^ "BBC Two - The Town That Took on the Taxman". BBC. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  24. ^ "Downing Street Fooled by Valentine's Day Prank". News18. 14 February 2017.
  25. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn mistakes prankster for Stormzy and discusses making a grime video with him". www.independent.co.uk. 11 May 2017.