Lise Mayer


Lise Mayer is an American-born English television and film writer, best known as, alongside Rik Mayall and Ben Elton, a creator and co-writer of the BBC comedy series The Young Ones.

Background and work

Mayer was born in Chicago, Illinois, to David and Anne Mayer, who met when they were studying drama at Manchester University, where her father was a tutor. Her mother is a theatre PR. In addition to The Young Ones, she has written for television programmes including The Last Resort, Paramount City, London Underground, The Fast Show, Saturday Zoo and Casualty, and produced Denis Leary's No Cure For Cancer.
She was a writer/consultant for the film The Borrowers, and co writer of Suite 16, Paper Marriage, Flushed Away and The Matchmaker. Books include Bachelor Boys: The Young Ones Book, People I Have Shot, The Utterly Merry Comic Relief Christmas Book, Go to Bed With Jonathan Ross, Amassed Hysteria and In Search of Happiness.

Personal life

Mayer was in a relationship with Rik Mayall, co-writer and star of The Young Ones. She has a son, Isaac, with comedian and television presenter Angus Deayton, with whom she was in a relationship from 1991 to March 2015. Her sister, Catherine Mayer, co founded the Women's Equality Party with Sandi Toksvig. She has another sister named Cassie.