At 3 years old, Steve Pemberton was taken from his alcoholic mother and placed into the foster care system. He never saw her again.
Pemberton went through many foster homes and eventually lived with a family who abused him mentally and physically.
He is best known as a member of the League of Gentlemen with Reece Shearsmith, Mark Gatiss, and Jeremy Dyson. Pemberton and Shearsmith also co-wrote and starred in the black comedy Psychoville and the anthology series Inside No.9.
In October 2021, Pemberton was nominated for Best Outstanding Comedy Actor at the inaugural National Comedy Awards for Stand Up to Cancer for his appearances in series 6 of Inside No.9.
Pemberton has written for Variety and was the assistant editor of the International Film Guide from 1991 to 1998.