Despite coming to public attention as a team captain on 'Have I Got News For You', Paul Merton was already a successful comedy writer, and a founder member of the Comedy Store Players with whom he still performs. As a sketch writer Paul excelled, especially on 'Sticky Moments' With Julian Clary. Improvised comedy show 'Whose Line Is It Anyway' also provided a platform for his razor sharp spontaneous wit. Two series of 'Paul Merton - The Series' offered an inspired mixture of surreal stories and ingenious sight gags. Very much in the spirit of Spike Milligan’s Q, it was inventive without resorting to coarse language and violent slapstick. After seven nominations for a BAFTA award for Best Entertainment Performance, Paul Merton finally won the award in April 2003. His talent for improvisation continues to serve him well as host of BBC's 'Room 101' and a regular on 'Have I Got News For You'.