Shropshire Comic Greg Davies's praise for his ex-teachers

And now Shropshire-born Greg Davies has praised his former teachers for the help and encouragement he received while attending Thomas Adams School in Wem.

Mr Davies said two teachers in particular at the Lowe Hill Road school helped inspire him.

"I had some great teachers and I'm sure I learned a great deal from them," he said. "But my two favourites were Ed Lamont and Derek Evans, English teachers at Thomas Adams School, who taught me on and off from year nine right through to A-level.

"The reason they are my favourites is the same for both of them: they ignited within me a love of literature and for the arts generally. They were also probably the first people to take me to the theatre.

"But it was more than that: they were the first teachers who actually listened to us – that's how we all felt and that's why we still speak of them in such fond terms. I was in a group of friends at school who were constantly making up nonsense comedy sketches.

"Mr Lamont used to run an arts festival and he allowed us to do silly comedy sketches for it.

"We were also in a terrible comedy band called Doom Trivia. One thing that really sticks in my mind is the occasion when Doom Trivia recorded an album on a cassette, which I'm sure was absolutely rubbish. Mr Evans took it home with him; after the weekend he came in and he had written a two-side review of the album."

Mr Davies went on to study English and drama at Brunel University and before embarking on a career in comedy, he taught drama and English for 13 years at schools in Berkshire and Middlesex.

Mr Lamont, who worked at Thomas Adams for 28 years and was deputy headteacher and head of sixth form during his time, retired in 2005 but died a year later after a short battle with cancer.

There is a building in Adams College sixth form named after him and his picture on the wall. He is survived by his wife Jean, who lives in Market Drayton and used to teach religious studies at Shrewsbury High School, and children Sarah, 39, Ben, 37, and Emily, 35.

Sarah said her father would have been very pleased with Mr Davies's comments.

She said: "We are all absolutely chuffed to bits. It was really nice coming after Father's Day as well, because we all miss him terribly."

She added: "When I decided to go into teaching he said to me that you need to be on the kids' side and build a relationship with every child, listen to them and know how important their opinions are.

"I have always remembered that and clearly that is how he taught. He would be delighted to be remembered for the non-educational reasons because he always said there was a lot more to teaching than just getting the kids through exams."

His family had sometimes wondered if Mr Lamont was some inspiration for Greg Davies' character in The Inbetweeners, Mr Gilbert.

"I knew he taught Greg Davies and my brother always said he might have been some inspiration for it," Sarah added.

"On his first day at Thomas Adams School he was actually late for work because my mum had locked him in the bathroom. He was quietly outrageous."

Current Adams' headteacher Liz Dakin said she felt immense pride when she read Mr Davies's comments.

She said: "We are very proud of every former pupil from Thomas Adams.

"It is a highlight to hear Greg's comments about his time here and we are delighted that he felt inspired and we have helped to shape the person he is today.

"We try to ignite each one of our pupils with something that they love and nurture each of them to be the best they can and become a well-rounded individual.

"To hear this feedback, and at a teaching supplement read by many people is humbling and hopefully inspiring to today's teachers."