You may not know that one of Britain’s fastest joke-writers grew up in south London.
Born in 1967, Timothy Mark Vine, best known as Tim Vine, was raised in Cheam, where he would later develop the quick wit and wordplay that made him one of the UK’s most recognisable comedians.
He is best known for his rapid-fire puns and one-liners, as well as his role as Timothy Gladstone Adams in the BBC sitcom Not Going Out, starring alongside Lee Mack.
I don’t know why I put myself through this. pic.twitter.com/lZoCKXdUQX
— Tim Vine (@RealTimVine) December 5, 2025
Vine is the son of Diana Vine, a housewife and occasional doctor’s receptionist, and Guy Vine, a civil engineering lecturer.
He grew up in a creative household alongside his older brother Jeremy Vine, now a well-known broadcaster, and his younger sister Sonya Vine, an artist.
Vine went to school in Surrey, attending Lynton Prep School in Ewell, Aberdour School in Burgh Heath and Epsom College.
Before comedy became his full-time career, Vine worked an office job in Croydon, where he began performing at open-mic nights as a hobby.
In the early 1990s, he honed his act at London comedy clubs, including the Comedy Café, gradually discovering that audiences responded best to his tightly written one-liners.
By 1993, he had come second in the Hackney Empire New Act competition, and the following year he quit his job to pursue comedy full-time.
Vine made his first television appearance on BBC One’s Pebble Mill in 1994.
A chance encounter with Lee Mack in 1996 led to a long-running collaboration, with the pair later working together on The Sketch Show, Not Going Out and several Comic Relief projects.
From 2004 to 2014, Vine held the Guinness World Record for the most jokes told in an hour, delivering an astonishing 499 jokes, with each requiring a laugh from the audience to count.
He became a familiar name at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, winning the award for best joke in both 2010 and 2014, and placing runner-up three times in between.
His television career has included hosting and appearing on shows such as Whittle, Fluke, Countdown, Taskmaster and Football Genius, as well as portraying Sebastian Beach in BBC One’s Blandings.
Vine is also a writer, publishing several successful joke books, including The Biggest Ever Tim Vine Joke Book, featuring more than 1,000 jokes.
Alongside comedy, he is a musician who plays multiple instruments and has released novelty music albums.
He is a lifelong Elvis Presley fan and has even performed sell-out tribute shows inspired by the singer.
Vine lives in Banstead, Surrey, is a practising Anglican, and is a devoted supporter of Sutton United.
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