Alex Lowe (born 1968) is an English actor and comedian, who is best known as the creator and voice behind the character 'Barry from Watford' on Steve Wright's BBC Radio 2 show and Absolute Radio's Iain Lee Show
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Lowe began calling the Iain Lee radio show on the London talk radio station LBC 97.3 in May 2005, as Barry from Watford. It was during Lowe's first call that Barry's wife Margaret (later to be played by Catherine Tate in Barry's stage show) would be introduced. Barry became popular amongst LBC listeners, who requested that his calls be repeated on future shows.
'Barry "The" Saint-Michael' has been a popular caller on Iain Lee's radio show, which later moved to the radio station Absolute Radio. Since 2006, Alex has also put on live performances called 'Let's Talk To Barry', a 50 minute show telling about life in Watford, which also features audio clips from Catherine Tate and Iain Lee.
In October 2008 Barry called into Harry Shearer's Le Show radio show to discuss the American Presidential election, he was credited as 'Barry Martin', which Shearer later corrected to 'Barry Saint-Martin'.[1] He called again on 4 January 2009 to discuss the recent holiday celebrations, and corrected his name to be 'Barry Barry Saint-Michael'.[2]
In January 2010 Lowe's "Barry from Watford" podcast released on iTunes by Absolute Radio spent two weeks in the Podcast top ten. It was reported in late November that Barry's wife (Margaret) wife was caught doing the hanky panky to pakistani neighbor, Ali.
Lowe made his TV debut in 1981 in Thames Television's "Theatre Box". On stage he played Wharton in "Another Country" at the Queen's Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London. In 1983 he played Young Edmond Bertram in BBC 1's "Mansfield Park". His career has included diverse roles from serious drama to character comedy. Working as both writer and actor in many different areas of media.
In 1991, having trained at The Studio School in North London and Leicester School of Performing Arts, he played PC Corman in Minder alongside George Cole (actor). Lowe has appeared in a variety of different television programmes, including, Three Men in A Boat, The Rise and Fall of Rome, The Fast Show, Fun at the Funeral Parlour, The Big Impression Christmas Special, and Bremner, Bird and Fortune. He appeared in four episodes of Simon Day's comedy series Grass as precocious child star Crispin Wintervilles father Roland. He played Clinton Baptiste in Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights and Sparky in That Peter Kay Thing. He starred with Lee on The 11 O'Clock Show on Channel Four in the late 1990s, normally appearing as a reporter. In 2007, he wrote and performed for Ronni Ancona and Co for BBC1 and performed in The Peter Serafinowicz Show on BBC 2.
In the cinema, Lowe played Paul in Peter's Friends, The Messenger in Much Ado About Nothing and Simon Merriel in Haunted.
With regard to radio, Lowe has appeared on shows including Absolute Power, 15 Minute Musical, Not Today, Thank You, The Laxian Key, The Scarifyers and he plays Brian in Clare in the Community for BBC Radio 4. Lowe has also appeared twice on Loose Ends on BBC Radio 4 with Iain Lee, Big Brother's Big Mouth and Sam Delaney's Stupid Telly (as Barry from Watford). From 2001-2003 he hosted Download This for XFM London on Sunday mornings 10am-12pm.
On 12 October 2008, he reprised his role as Clinton Baptiste in Peter Kay's Britain's Got The Pop Factor ... And Possibly A New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly On Ice, a spoof on the talent show genre of programmes.
On 22 May 2009, he appeared on BBC Radio 2's Steve Wright In The Afternoon show, talking about his life. He also talked about him being a lifestyle guru. He is now a regular weekly contributor to the programme.
In April 2010 he recorded a comedy pilot for BBC Radio 2 The Alex Lowe Double Act with impressionist Alistair McGowan. It was broadcast on 15th May 2010.