Jon Monie Bath, United Kingdom

Jon Monie is a highly experienced and versatile actor, presenter, comedian and writer. 

As well as being familiar face on ITV West for more than a decade, Jon has also worked extensively in most genres of television - and across many networks. Live light-entertainment for the BBC, quiz shows for Endemol, pseudo-sports programmes for Sky One, consumer and current affairs, religion, politics, lifestyle, education … throw in a healthy amount of radio, voice-overs, corporate videos/live events, emceeing awards ceremonies, TV audience warm-up and script writing too… it’s a diverse CV. The one constant is Jon’s unique brand of banter and quick-witted humour.

As a result of his many varied projects, Jon has had to grapple with a multitude of activities; from jungle warfare training in the rainforests of Belize and hunting UFO’s in the Arizona desert, to broadcasting live from the barricade of Les Misérables in the West End. He has interviewed celebrities ranging from Shirley McClaine to Miss Piggy, Gene Wilder to the Spice Girls and Dame Edna Everage to Lord Richard Attenborough.

Meanwhile on the acting front, Jon won great critical and public acclaim for his performance as Dandini in Bath Theatre Royal's hugely successful pantomime Cinderella during the 1996/7 season. As a result he has become a firm favourite with West Country audiences and has appeared at the Theatre Royal Bath in nearly every pantomime since, building an 11 year relationship with the late, great, "doyen of Dames", Chris Harris. Jon has now performed in panto on the Theatre Royal Bath stage over 1,000 times. Roles include Wishee Washee in Aladdin (2007/8, 2010/11 & 2016/17), Smee in Peter Pan (2005/6, 2013/14 & 2018/19), Ugly Sister in Cinderella (2006/7), Simple Simon in Jack and the Beanstalk (2008/9 & 2015/16), Silly Billy in Sleeping Beauty (2009/10), Idle Jack in Dick Whittington (2004/5 & 2011/12), Muddles in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (2012/13 & 2017/18) and Buttons in Cinderella (2014/15). He returns to the Theatre Royal this Christmas to play Louis La Plonk in Beauty and the Beast. Jon also contributes heavily to all UK Productions pantomime scripts and was recently commissioned to write a brand new version of Beauty and the Beast which premiered at the Blackpool Grand over Christmas 2018 and is currently working on a new version of Aladdin.

Jon leads workshops in improvisation for both enthusiastic adults and drama students, and regularly performs with Instant Wit – the South West’s premier comedy improvisation company.

Jon originally trained in Drama and Theatre Arts at Goldsmiths' College, University of London, graduating in 1993. In the same year Jon formed a successful sketch-comedy act, Avent & Monie, winning ITV's This Morning ‘Young Comedy Writer and Performer Award’ and appearing at London’s Hackney Empire. Individual careers soon beckoned but Avent & Monie reunited in 2012. They won the BBC's Funny in 15 Seconds competition ("These guys know what 'funny' is" Jon Plowman, BBC) and have worked in the corporate world for companies such as Coca-Cola. In 2013 they performed their own sell-out show Back for Good at the Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal Bath, and were proud hosts of Great Britain’s Special Olympics summer games opening ceremony in Bath’s Royal Victoria Park in front of an audience of 8,000. In August 2014 they enjoyed a highly successful run of their new show Back to Front at their Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut ("My favourite sketch show in Edinburgh... truly satisfying belly laughs" **** Broadway Baby).