John Sessions - part-time genius, full-time gentleman, and undoubtedly one of Britain’s greatest actors and comedians, is perhaps best known for his regular appearances on Channel 4’s hit improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway? He is arguably the most underrated man in the entire universe, and the only man ever to outsmart his protégé, Stephen Fry, and get away with it (apart from that one episode of QI when Giles Brandreth outsmarted everybody). The NHA hereby take this opportunity to celebrate the legend that is Johnny Sessions.

Born in Scotland, Sessions spent most of his childhood outsmarting chess computers. From the tender age of six, his lifelong ambition was to design and train the ultimate chess computer, one which could not only defeat him, but which could also converse in Welsh. Much to his horror, the machine was finally completed in 1979. Named Sedrick, Sessions’ computer turned against his master in a mad frenzy and tried to kill him seventeen times.

In 1980, after waking from his coma, Sessions vowed never to return to Scotland, and instead turned to attention to acting, where he became the loveable fellow we know and rejoice today. Recently, Johnny has spent much of his time inventing and refining the BBC iPlayer, which he maintains is far better than 4oD. Bold words indeed, John!

PREVIOUS HEROES:

JOHN SESSIONS | ALAN COREN | TIM WONNACOTT | MIDGE URE | BORIS JOHNSON | PAUL SHAFFER | BRIAN MAY | NICK RHODES