Craig Charles is a
Liverpudlian actor who started out as a performing
poet. He starred, as
Dave Lister, in every episode of the long-running
BBC sitcom Red Dwarf. (Although interestingly he doesn't fit the description of how
Grant Naylor visualised the character before the show went into production - they wanted "an English
Christoper Lloyd".)
After the sixth series of Red Dwarf was made, he was accused of rape. (Obviously the BBC didn't publicise this much, but the scummier tabloids probably did.) After clearing his name, he has presented various sci-fi themed programmes on BBC2 and Bravo (including Robot Wars), as well as making an awful sitcom for Channel Four (Captain Butler).
Geekhaus sez: Don't forget his brilliant performance in Lynda La Plante's The Governor, and his successful stand-up comedy.