Background
Canter was born and brought up in the Jewish community of Golders Green, North London and studied law at the University of Cambridge where he became President of Footlights.
Canter was born and brought up in the Jewish community of Golders Green, North London and studied law at the University of Cambridge where he became President of Footlights.
University of Cambridge.
He became a principal writer for the comedian Lenny Henry, also writing for Dawn French, Angus Deayton, Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones, as well as script editor for Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. He co-wrote the 2003 British Broadcasting Corporation television satirical comedy Posh Nosh with the co-star Arabella Weir. And the British Broadcasting Corporation Radio 4 situation comedy Legal, Decent, Honest and Truthful with Guy Jenkin.
He wote a Radio 4 Afternoon Play I Love Stephen Fry in 2008.
He wrote for the Independent Television animated cartoon version of Mr. Bean, and the screenplay for the film Full Monty 2.
His first novel, Seeds of Greatness, a comic story inspired by his upbringing, was published in 2006 (), and was abridged by Fiona McAlpine as a British Broadcasting Corporation Radio 4 Book at Bedtime. His subsequent novels have been A Short Gentleman (2008) and Worth (2011).
An adaptation of A Short Gentleman was first broadcast on British Broadcasting Corporation Radio 4 in January 2012.
Since 2008 he has been a regular contributor to The Guardian"s comment pages.