Collins And Herring's Biographies
Richard Herring on Andrew Collins
If you need someone to sit in for a pregnant DJ at 4am on 6 Music then just call Andrew Collins. He is so desperate to get his "Mr Bean" voice on the radio he will take any job available. Rumour that he has been going around trying to artificially impregnate 6 Music DJs are without legal foundation. Though Shaun Keaveny is in the process of launching an official complaint.
Collins (born Andrew Collings in Northampton in 1965) has the rare accolade of being the least good one in two double acts, after first teaming up with Stuart Maconie (now a multi millionaire author and broadcaster) and now with Richard Herring (who having been the less good one in one double act sensibly opted to team up with someone worse than him for his second).
Andrew is best known for appearing on the TV show "I Love 1983" which strangely he never actually appeared on. Even so it is widely considered to be his best work. Andrew has met Keifer Sutherland, Billy Bragg and the man from inside the gorilla costume in the Mighty Boosh in real life and considers them all (incorrectly) to be his close personal friends. Richard Herring remains nothing but a colleague. Despite their on air chemistry they despise each other in real life and only converse via an intermediary. Even so the pair have made the Saturday morning show their own. Until Adam and Joe say they want to come back.
Andrew Collins on Richard Herring
Richard Keith Herring, the chubby, Marks & Spencer-sponsored, York City-following half of Lee & Herring [1992-2000], Collings & Herrin [2008-] and Collins & Herring [2010-], is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma: a nationally known comedian who has managed to spread himself across every media platform over the past 20 years and yet persists in mythologising himself as comedy's greatest failure. His failure comes only in failing to recognise how known he is, which is nationally. Though his London mantelpiece groans under the weight of coins and old papier machine Lee & Herring props rather than industry awards, Richard's achievements from 30 years in showbiz are all the greater and more noble for having been ignored and in many cases slapped around the face over cold lamb and three-bean salad.
Overweight male Doctor Who fans in their thirties and forties openly give him half-filled Caffe Nero loyalty cards in the street and remind him of funny things he said in 1996 which he cannot remember. Women who wouldn't normally see past his grunge-style hair, miniature hands and cavalier attitude towards hygiene throw themselves at his mocassin-clad feet. Commissioning editors in radio and TV queue up to reject his pitches and scripts. Janet Ellis knows who he is. He has the moon on a stick, and he knows how many calories are in it. Cheddar's most famous headmaster's son, Richard Keith has achieved so much over the 40 or so years he has been trudging up and down the steep hills of Edinburgh with buckets overflowing with self-doubt, and yet, he still has so much more to give. He'd like to see Andrew Collins do a radio show on his own. He'd like to see that.
