Alan Carr may be best known for presenting a string of comedy and talk shows over the years, but he’s also used his upbringing to create a series based on his own life.
The comedian, presenter and writer has appeared on shows including The Friday Night Project, Alan Carr: Chatty Man and RuPaul’s Drag Race.
In 2008 he released his autobiography Look Who It Is! and then last year his semi-autobiographical TV show Changing Ends.
Starring Oliver Savell as the younger version of himself, the series follows Alan growing up in Northampton during the 1980s, the son of a professional football manager.
Graham Carr was a former professional footballer who was the manager of Northampton Town F.C. when they won the Football League Fourth Division title in 1986-87.
But although those around Alan were in awe of his dad’s success, the show explores the young boy grappling with going through adolescence ‘when your family are Match of the Day and you’re a bit Miss Marple’.
The second season of the show hits screens today, but before tuning in, here’s everything we know about Alan’s private life, which has provided plenty of inspiration for his projects over the years.
Is Alan Carr married?
Alan is gay, but previously spoke about not wanting his sexuality to be a focal part of his work.
‘I just think gay people need to get over themselves. Just because you’re gay and on the telly doesn’t mean you’re a role model. I’m just a comedian. That’s all I am,’ he said in 2008.
He once also spoke about being comfortable with his sexuality from a young age on Chatty Man, saying he was ‘never really in’ the closest and that other children were already making fun of his camp behaviour when he was eight or nine years old.
Who is Alan’s ex-husband?
In January 2018, Alan married his partner of ten years, Paul Drayton, in Los Angeles, with Adele officiating the wedding.
However, four years later the couple announced they had split, which came after Paul was convicted for drink-driving.
Alan was open about his struggles in the aftermath, especially as his beloved dog, Bev, died not long afterwards.
He admitted he felt ‘lonely’ and struggled to be at home by himself.
Alan later opened up about the reasons behind the split, citing Paul’s alcohol addiction as being ‘too much’ to cope with.
Who is Alan Carr’s dad?
William Graham Carr is an English former professional footballer, manager and scout who is currently an associate director for Northampton Town.
A half-back, he joined Northampton Town in 1962 before going on to play for York City and Bradford Park Avenue before moving into non-league football with Altrincham and Telford United.
He later played for Poole Town and Dartford, with whom he won the Southern League and gained an FA Trophy runners-up medal in 1974.
Graham was appointed player-manager of Weymouth in 1977 and then managed Dartford, Nuneaton Borough and Northampton Town.
After a brief stint with Blackpool he managed Maidstone United, Kettering Town, Weymouth, Dagenham and Redbridge and Doncaster Rovers.
In more recent years he has worked as scout for Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United but in 2017 returned to his former club Northampton Town to take up a role as an associate director.
Is Changing Ends based on Alan Carr’s life?
Changing Ends, which was ITVX’s most viewed comedy of 2023, is a semi-autobiographical look at Alan’s upbringing.
The series also stars Shaun Dooley as Graham Carr, Nancy Sullivan as Christine Carr and Taylor Fay as Gary Carr.
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Changing Ends season 2 starts at 9pm tonight on ITV1.
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