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Often described as the compere beyond compare, Arthur Smith was born in Bermondsey, South London in 1954. Before becoming a fully-fledged playwright, panellist, performer and stalwart of the Edinburgh Festival, Arthur worked as a road sweeper, dustman, market researcher, teacher and advertised chicken burgers in supermarkets dressed as a fox. A career in comedy was the only one that could follow a build up like that. He was one of many stand-up performers on the alternative comedy scene in the Eighties. He still performs in much the same manner, perhaps ironically, he now describes himself as a 'semi-professional' comedian. His plays include the award-winning An Evening with Gary Lineker, My Summer with Des and The Bed Show. He has presented Radio 4's Excess Baggage and Radio 2's The Smith Lectures and is a regular guest on Loose Ends. He describes himself as Radio 4's bit of rough - "I'm home counties ladies' bit of rough".