Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris explained

Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris are a British comedy writing duo. Their work includes a collection of parody Ladybird books, and they have written scripts for many British comedy series and films, including That Mitchell and Webb Look, Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe and the Paddington films.

Early lives

Hazeley (then known as Jason Smith) and Morris met at King Edward VI Grammar School in Chelmsford, Essex.[1] [2] Whilst at school they produced a parody newsletter, and at sixth form received their first paid work after selling a joke to the Russ Abbott show.[3]

Career

Television and film

Hazeley and Morris have written for a number of British TV shows and films. These include That Mitchell and Webb Look, A Touch of Cloth, Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe, Electionwipe and Newswipe programmes, and several Philomena Cunk series. The pair are regular contributors to the British adult comic Viz. The 2016 Electionwipe won the BAFTA award for best Comedy and entertainment programme.[4]

The pair also wrote for Paddington[5] and Paddington 2.[6]

Books

Hazeley and Morris have co-written books including Bollocks to Alton Towers,[7] and a series of parody Ladybird books which re-caption original illustrations from the Ladybird series with jokes aimed at an adult audience.[8] Topics have included Donald Trump,[9] hipsters and hangovers[10] and Brexit.[11] The books were so successful that in 2015 only JK Rowling, David Walliams and Julia Donaldson sold more copies in the UK.[12]

In October 2015, it was announced that Morris had co-written a series of Ladybird books for adults with Jason Hazeley. The books, which parody the style of the company's classic books for children, re-caption original illustrations from the Ladybird series with new text, offering sardonic commentary on many areas of modern life. The initial run included titles such as The Hangover, Mindfulness, Dating and The Hipster and were published on 18 November 2015.[8] [13] The series was later expanded to include public figures such as Donald Trump.[9]

The pair were writers on The Framley Examiner, a local news parody website which later became a book, with Robin Halstead and Alex Morris.

Podcast

Hazeley and Morris hosted the comedy podcast Rule of Three until 2020.[14] Rule of Three was named in the best podcasts of 2018 by The Guardian.[15] On the show they invite a comedy performer on to discuss their career and a comedy performance or programme, a TV show, a film, a book, an album or a comic that means a lot to them.[16] Guests have included Eddie Izzard, John Finnemore, Danielle Ward, Jon Holmes,[17] and Aisling Bea[18] Topics have included Bill Hicks, films such as Trading Places and Time Bandits, and the LP version of The Album of the Soundtrack of the Trailer of the Film of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.[19] The podcast has branched out into live shows with special guests such as Sue Perkins.[20] Hazeley has also appeared as a guest on the Griefcast podcast with Cariad Lloyd.[21] At the 2020 British Podcast Awards it was named best Arts and Culture Podcast.[22]

Music

From 1998 to 2003 Hazeley was part of the folk-pop duo Ben & Jason.[23] In 2024, he toured the UK as part of Beth Gibbons' live band, and appeared with her on Later... With Jools Holland.

Morris is lead singer in the band Candidate[24] [25] who released their fourth album in 2004.[26] His harmonies with his brother were compared in The Guardian to Simon and Garfunkel.[27]

Publications

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Notable Alumni. wKegs.org.uk.
  2. Web site: Meet the men who revived Ladybird and reinvented the toilet book. 6 January 2018. Inews.co.uk. 1 August 2020.
  3. Web site: Ladybird Book duo Joel Morris and Jason Hazeley are now spoofing Scandi noir on Radio 4. Radio Times.
  4. Web site: Comedy & Comedy Entertainment Programme - CHARLIE BROOKer's 2016 WIPE. Bafta.org. 11 April 2017.
  5. Web site: BBC Radio 2 - Jo Whiley & Simon Mayo, Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris, Ladybird Book Confession, The link between Ladybird, Paddington and Bins!. BBC. 20 November 2018 .
  6. Web site: Joel Morris and Jason Hazeley | United Agents. Unitedagents.co.uk.
  7. Book: Bollocks to Alton Towers: Uncommonly British Days Out. Jason. Hazeley. Robin. Halstead. Alex. Morris. Joel. Morris. March 2, 2006. Penguin Adult. 9780141021201. Google Books.
  8. Web site: Spoof Ladybird books target adult market . . 12 October 2015. . 12 October 2015.
  9. Web site: Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris on writing A Ladybird Book About Trump. 30 September 2019. Inews.co.uk. 1 August 2020.
  10. Web site: Ladybird Books' mid-life crisis: New books take on hangovers and hipsters. Irishtimes.com.
  11. News: Ladybird book authors make light work of Brexit. The Guardian. 25 October 2018.
  12. Web site: Meet the Ladybird authors knocking everyone off the best-sellers list - including me. Telegraph.co.uk.
  13. Web site: Are You Alright in There? - Radio 4 Documentary. Comedy.co.uk.
  14. News: Sawyer . Miranda . The week in radio and podcasts: Football Daily; Giant; Athletico Mince . 6 April 2020 . . 23 June 2019.
  15. Web site: The 50 best podcasts of 2018. Hannah J.. Davies. Hannah. Verdier. Harriet. Gibsone. Gavin. Haynes. June 30, 2018. Theguardian.com.
  16. https://www.podnews.net/podcast/1362621695
  17. Web site: Podcast of the Week: Rule Of Three » We Are Cult. James. Gent. Wearecult.rocks. June 8, 2018.
  18. Web site: AISLING BEA - Actor, Writer, Stand-Up, MC. People have woken up to worse. Rule Of Three – Father Ted. Aisling. Bea. Aislingbea.com.
  19. Web site: Dissecting comedy classics: Rule of Three. August 31, 2018. Rnz.co.nz.
  20. Web site: Rule of Three with special guest Sue Perkins • Comedy • Kings Place. Kingsplace.co.uk. June 2023 .
  21. Web site: Ep. 56 Jason Hazeley - Griefcast (podcast). Listennotes.com. 23 October 2018 .
  22. Web site: Winners 2020. Britishpodcastawards.com. 1 August 2020.
  23. Web site: Ben & Jason - New Songs, Playlists & Latest News - BBC Music. BBC.
  24. allmusic (((Taking on the Enemy's Sound > Overview)))
  25. Web site: Joel Morris | Credits. AllMusic. 1 August 2020.
  26. Web site: BBC - Radio 2 - Folk and Acoustic. Bbc.co.uk.
  27. News: Candidate, London. The Guardian. 12 January 2002. Clarke. Betty.