favourite TV impressionist

I think Bremner is probbly the best but he's kind of stick in the political satire section whereas Culshaw is free to do general celebs.

McGowan is good but his face makes it difficult to pull of visual impressions.

Debra Stevenson really impressed me with her impressions. I didn't realise it was one of her skills until her show last year.
 
Debra Stevenson is great... I thought she could only play a serious dramatic character but she is ace as a impressionist.
 
Culshaw is very good as is Debra Stevenson, I remember Steve Nallon form the 80's didn't he do the MaggieThatcher voice at the end of the film For Your Eyes Only.
 
Culshaw used to be my favourite, but I've been noticing that he'll attempt an impression even though it's rather blatant that he's not very good at it, especially his Arnie impression.

I'd have to say Bremner and Stephenson.
 
No one has mentioned Mike Yarwood, a seventies legend whose shows attracted 20 million viewers. He could do almost anyone and was hilarious.
 
I agree that Mike Yarwood was probably the best. I really used to look forward to his show each week.

Today's impressionists try too hard, with long drawn out sketches that just become boring and the theme repeated. Debra Stephenson is really good but always overdoes it, especially with Davina. Jon Culshaw & Rory Bremner are the same. Out of a half hour show, there's probably a couple of excellent sketches while the rest is just clever but not funny enough.

I prefer the more "stand-up" type of performance that Yarwood used to do, less make-up with quicker varied delivery.
Alistair McGowan is excellent doing a varied stand-up routine but boring doing the sketch show with Ronni Ancona.

Other impressionists worth a mention are Steve Coogan and Phil Cool.

Must admit I also enjoyed the quick fire impressions from Paul Burling on BGT earlier in the year.

Phil Cool and Paul Burling eh, "where are they now".
 
The seventies was very different to today because not many people were able to break into tv other than the established few. Mike Yarwood was the face of impressions for almost all of the decade and has a place in the childhood memories of many like me. He was very good with alot of impressions-not so good with some others. His monologues at the end of his shows were particularly good -his steptoe and son and eric morecambe were fabulous along with many politicians and for many his Christmas Show was required viewing, though the wheels came off when he went to ITV.

One other thing very different from then and now is that Mike could not sleep at night if he thought he offended anyone with his impressions of them-how innocent that was given the character assassinations of stuff like Spitting Image and the general outspoken comedy that is around today.
 
Impressionists are hit and miss but when they get it right, they are brilliant. Even though he's not an impressionist, Rob Brydon is great as is Debra Stephenson. John Culshaw is good but he struggles with certain celebrities like Gok Wan which was more like Dale Winton. Often the best impressions aren't neccerarily mimicries of the target celebrities but the mannerism and persona are exaggerates like Jan Raven's Fiona Bruce and Harry and Paul's Dragons.

I used to love Bo Selecta's Craig David even though it was nothing like him but it's such a funny character that I think it may have ruined his music career.
 
I used to think so to until I watched some of his old stuff & realised he was dire! Rather like the Brother Lee's who were also dire but fun too.

Yarwood would end his show by doing some impersonations the said & this is me! before singing. Personaly I couldn't tell the difference between him & his impressions :D

Eddie Large was another. Terrible impressions but fun too :D

No one has mentioned Phil Cool haven't seen him in years but he was fantastic.
 
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