Comedian and satirist Armando Iannucci awarded honorary degree

Published: 29 June 2011

The comedian, satirist and writer Armando Iannucci hsa been awarded an honorary degree at the University of Glasgow.

The comedian, satirist and writer Armando Iannucci has been awarded an honorary degree at the University of Glasgow.

The Glasgow-born writer, producer and director, best-known for his work on the BBC comedy shows On the Hour, The Thick of It and I’m Alan Partridge, was made a Doctor of Letters at a ceremony on 28 June in the University’s Bute Hall.Armando Iannucci

Iannucci’s comedy writing has won him many plaudits and fans, as well as a host of awards including three British Comedy Awards and two Sony Radio Awards. He began his career on BBC Radio Scotland and Radio 4 before moving to television where he wrote comedy shows such as The Day Today; Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge; and Time Trumpet.

He transferred the show The Thick of It to the big screen with the 2009 film In the Loop, which he directed, and is currently working on a political satire for US channel HBO.

Professor Graham Caie, Clerk of Senate and Vice Principal of the University of Glasgow, said: “Armando’s comedy writing is wonderfully witty, his satire supremely scathing. He has delivered several very memorable characters into the public’s affection – including Alan Partridge and Malcolm Tucker.

“Armando is another representative of a proud writing and comic tradition in Glasgow and he continues to go from strength to strength. We are delighted to recognise his achievements with an honorary degree.”

Other who have received honorary degrees are Lord McFall; Alastair Reid, writer and translator; Donald Shaw, Artistic Director of Celtic Connections; Katrina Brown, Director of the Glasgow International Festival of Visual Arts; the Very Reverend David Lunan, Clerk to the Presbytery of Glasgow; and Baroness Marjorie Hale, barrister and judge.

The honorary degrees were conferred at graduations ceremonies which took place between 15-30 June.

The complete list of honorary degree recipients is: the Very Reverend David Lunan (Doctor of Divinity); Baroness Marjorie Hale (Doctor of Laws); Professor Toshiyuki Takamiya (Doctor of Letters); Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz (Doctor of Science); Professor Victor Dzau (Doctor of Science); Lord McFall of Alcuith (Doctor of the University); Katrina Brown (Doctor of Letters); Professor Simon Blackburn (Doctor of Letters); Professor Sir Hilary Beckles (Doctor of Letters); Professor Caroline Walker Bynum (Doctor of Letters); Armando Iannucci (Doctor of Letters); Alastair Reid (Doctor of Letters); Professor Sir John Bell (Doctor of Science); Professor Sir David Cox Doctor of Science); Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Eglington (Doctor of Science); Professor Bernard Schutz (Doctor of Science); Donald Shaw (Doctor of Music) and Professor Nick Kuenssberg (Doctor of the University).


For more information contact Stuart Forsyth in the University of Glasgow Media Relations Office on 0141 330 4831 or email stuart.forsyth@glasgow.ac.uk

First published: 29 June 2011

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