Wednesday 9 July 2008 afternoon ceremony
Rik Mayall
Professor Sir Martin Harris
 Rik Mayall (DLitt)
Rik Mayall, born in 1958,
is an English comedian and
actor. Perhaps best known
for his enduring
partnership with Adrian
Edmondson, Rik was one
of the pioneers of the
alternative comedy scene
that emerged in the early
80s.
He attended Kings School,
Worcester and went on to
study drama at the
University of Manchester.
He debuted at The Comedy Store in London in 1980 and his
growing popularity led to the character ‘Kevin Turvey’
appearing regularly in the cutting edge series A Kick Up the
Eighties.
Other television credits include The Young Ones, Bottom, The
New Statesman, Rik Mayall Presents, Blackadder Goes Forth,
Filthy Rich and Catflap and, more recently, the title role in the
ITV series All About George.
Rik has also had extensive experience in the theatre, playing
Vladimir in Waiting for Godot, at The Gielgud Theatre and
Khelstakov in The Government Inspector at The National. Sellout
tours include Rik Mayall & Adrian Edmondson and Rik
Mayall & Ben Elton.
Rik has received much acclaim throughout his career, and his
awards include ‘Best Comedy Actor’ award at the British
Comedy Awards for Rik Mayall Presents. For The New
Statesman, he won ‘Best Performer & Narrator’ at the
International Film & TV Awards New York, an International
Emmy Award and a BAFTA. In addition Rik Mayall Presents was
nominated for two Emmy Awards. Bottom won ‘Best New
Comedy’ at the Comedy Awards. Jesus Christ Superstar won
an Emmy for ‘Best Performing Arts Video’, Bring Me the Head
of Mavis Davis won Rik ‘Best Actor’ at the San Remo Film
Festival, and his voice-over skills for Toad in Wind in the Willows won him an Emmy for the ‘Best Voice Over’ award.
Rik lives in Devon and London with his wife and three children.
Update - Rik Mayall sadly passed away in June 2014.
Listen to Rik Mayall’s speech here.
 Professor Sir Martin Harris (LLD)
A graduate of Cambridge
and London in Linguistics
and Philology, Professor Sir Martin
Harris became Vice-
Chancellor of the
University of Essex from
1987 to 1992.
He has been a Director of
Universities
Superannuation Scheme
(USS) since 1991 and
Chairman since 2006.
He was Vice-Chancellor
of the University of
Manchester from 1992 to 2004 and he served as Chairman
of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals (now
UUK) from 1997 to 1999. He has chaired a number of
national reviews, in particular in the fields of modern
languages, careers services and postgraduate education.
Professor Sir Martin Harris is currently Deputy Chairman of the North
West Development Agency and Director of the Office for
Fair Access. He is also Chairman of Manchester: Knowledge
Capital and became Chancellor of Salford University in April
2005.
He chaired the Clinical Standards Advisory Group from
1996 to 1999 and was a Commissioner for Health
Improvement from 1999 to 2002. Professor Sir Martin was knighted
in the Millennial Honours List. He is an Honorary Fellow of
Queens’ College Cambridge and has been awarded
honorary doctorates by the Universities of Essex, Salford,
Manchester Metropolitan, Lincoln, Queen’s Belfast, Ulster,
UMIST, and Manchester. He was made Hon FRCP and Hon
FRSEd in 2006.
Listen to Professor Sir Martin Harris's speech here.
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