Television One of Biggins' earliest roles was on
Upstairs, Downstairs in Series 2, as the character Mr. Donaldson in the episode "
An Object of Value" (1972). He appeared as the regular character
Lukewarm in the situation comedy
Porridge (1974–1977) starring
Ronnie Barker. Other comedy shows he appeared in include
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? (1973) and ''
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'' (1973, 1978). He played the Roman emperor
Nero in the
BBC's version of
I, Claudius (1976), dramatised from the novels by
Robert Graves, having been selected for the role partly on the strength of a
television commercial for
Heineken in which he had played Nero presiding over the
games. He appeared in the BBC's
Poldark (1977) as the Reverend Osborne Whitworth, in
Minder in the episode "The Bounty Hunter" (1979) and the TV miniseries
Masada (1981). On
children's television, he had a regular role as department store owner Adam Painting in the children's television programme
Rentaghost (1978–1983) and also played Reverend Whiting in
Southern Television's
Brendon Chase, produced in 1980. He had a leading role in
The Phoenix and the Carpet (1997) and a supporting role as villainous antique dealer, Mr. Benger, in the
Look and Read serial "Dark Towers" (1981). Biggins' co-hosting of
Surprise Surprise and hosting children's
game show On Safari (1982–1984) for
TVS, led to his being
typecast as a "bubbly personality". He was asked in 2005 if he resented this situation replying: He was the subject of
This Is Your Life in 1999, when he was surprised by
Michael Aspel at the
Theatre Royal,
Brighton. He appeared in
The One Doctor, one of
Big Finish Productions' audio dramas based on the television series
Doctor Who. In 2003, Biggins appeared in
Shed Productions programme
Bad Girls as himself. He featured heavily in episode seven where he was 'held hostage' by a group of prisoners protesting over the change of management in the prison. During the episode, he strikes up a relationship with many inmates, but one in particular,
Buki Lester, whom he invites to live with him in episode fourteen of the same series. He took part in the
seventh series of ''
I'm a Celebrity...Me Out of Here!'' in 2007. He was eventually voted the winner of the show on 30 November 2007. He took part in an episode of
Celebrity Come Dine With Me, first shown on
Channel 4 on 15 February 2009. He won £1,000 for his chosen charity. In 2009, he played himself as a pantomime director in the
BBC Two sitcom
Psychoville. In 2010, he was a celebrity guest team captain on an episode of
What Do Kids Know? along with
Rufus Hound,
Joe Swash and
Sara Cox on
Watch. In May 2011, he starred in the second series of Channel 4's
Celebrity Five Go to... in which the celebrities visited South Africa. In 2013, he appeared on
The Celebrity Chase, where he was the first person in the history of the show to answer all six questions correctly while going for a higher offer. In 2014, he took part in the celebrity cookery programme
Celebrity MasterChef on
BBC One, and returned again in 2020, for a Christmas Special. In 2014, he took part in a celebrity edition of
Catchphrase. He voices ''
It's Not Me, It's You'' on Channel 5. On 28 July 2016, Biggins entered the
Celebrity Big Brother house to participate in its
eighteenth series. He was chosen by the public to take part in the first secret mission. He was removed from the house on Day 9. The show's producers stated that Biggins had made "a number of comments capable of causing great offence to housemates and the viewing public". He described
bisexuals as the "worst type" and suggested they were reluctant to admit they were gay. Biggins also told
Katie Waissel, who is Jewish: "You better be careful or they'll be putting you in a shower and taking you to a room." Biggins later apologised, stating: "I am mortified by what's happened. I love Jewish people. I have a lot of bisexual friends and I'm not in any way a bigoted person." Forty-four people complained to
Ofcom about comments Biggins made, but Ofcom ruled that he was not in breach of broadcasting rules.
Theatre Biggins' theatre roles have included performances with the
Royal Shakespeare Company, playing Herod in
Jesus Christ Superstar, and 18 months at the
London Palladium in the stage adaptation of
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. In 2010, Biggins appeared as a guest star narrator in
The Rocky Horror Show at various theatre venues in the United Kingdom.
Pantomime Biggins has performed in
pantomime. He has played
Widow Twankey in
Aladdin (in Plymouth in 2009,
Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton in 2010),
Buttons in
Cinderella (at the
Mayflower Theatre in
Southampton in 2008), and the title role in
Winnie the Pooh. In 2011, Biggins played the part of Mrs Crusoe in the
Robinson Crusoe pantomime at the
New Theatre, Cardiff and returned to the
Theatre Royal, Plymouth in
Dick Whittington in December 2012. In 2023 he played the Man in the Mirror in
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at
Mayflower Theatre in
Southampton. In December 2013, he was cast in the role of Dame Trot alongside
Bob Carolgees in a production of
Jack and the Beanstalk at
New Theatre,
Hull. In 2014, he was in a production of
Peter Pan as Mrs Smee in
Southend,
Essex. In 2017, he received the Lifetime Achievement award at
The Great British Pantomime Awards.
Film His film roles include
The Sex Thief (1973),
Eskimo Nell (1975),
It Could Happen to You (1975),
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), ''
Adventures of a Plumber's Mate'' (1978),
Derek Jarman's
The Tempest (1979), and "The Baker" in the 1999 film
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. In 2012, he was cast in
Ray Cooney's comedy film
Run for Your Wife.
Radio In 2008, he briefly co-presented a Sunday morning radio show on
BBC London with
Lesley Joseph. In 2014 and 2015, Biggins covered for
Liza Tarbuck on
BBC Radio 2 while she was away. In May 2017, he returned to BBC Radio 2 to cover for
Paul O'Grady on his Sunday early evening programme.
Other work Biggins hosts an annual show
West End Live in London's
Leicester Square. In 2017 he recorded two songs for the album
Wit & Whimsy – Songs by Alexander S. Bermange (one solo and one featuring all of the album's 23 artists). ==Personal life==