Global Talent Directory

Comedians from United Kingdom

The comedian directory for United Kingdom: profiles, bios, photos and social links.

327 comedians

Abi Roberts

Born in Cardiff, Abi Roberts is a British comedian who delivers stand-up routines and offers commentary on political matters. Her education includes studying Russian and Italian at Swansea University, attending the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and also studying at the Moscow Conservatoire. She gained prominence in comedy and sketch shows, performing in productions like Newsrevue, The Vagina Monologues, and Taking Charlie. Her participation in various events solidified her reputation both on London's theatrical scene and at the Edinburgh Festival. Roberts began performing stand-up comedy in 2011 and has since toured extensively across the UK and the US. Her comedy is described as “raucous and incredibly funny,” with very funny, rapid-fire, infectious humor, and was even called "ground-breaking" and a "tour de force" by The New Statesman. Roberts has served as a guest comedian on numerous radio programs, including Midweek, Weekend, and Outlook on BBC Radio 4, alongside appearances on Fubar Radio, Moscow Comedy FM (Russia), and Wildfire Radio (US). In February of 2016, she made history as the initial UK comedian to perform in Russia, completing three entirely sold-out performances at Moscow Comedy Bar while speaking in Russian. She has also appeared on television programs such as Good Morning Britain and frequently appears on GB News. Beyond stand-up, Abi Roberts’s work includes roles in the films One Under , The Honeymoon , and Bucketless , with recent filming for One Under and The Honeymoon completed for Square Cat Films. She also played Irina in Cameron Gordon’s Bucketless . She has been a tour support for prominent comedians like Michael McIntyre, Sarah Millican, Jack Whitehall, and Tom Stade for seven years. Among her accolades are a finalist and runner-up position in the London Comedy Store Costa Light Comedy Competition and the Harrogate Theatre’s Comedian of the Year competition in 2012; additionally, she secured the Audience Award at the Harrogate Theatre’s Comedian of the Year festival that year. She is also part of the character act 'Frankly On Tuesday,' playing Ginny Frankly alongside Brenda Gilhooly’s Gayle Tuesday, which premiered at the Guernsey Comedy Festival. In June 2021, she reported her agent dropped her due to her views.

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Adam Bloom

Adam Bloom is a British comedian and writer, born on December 8, 1970. He declared at age ten that he would become a comedian, and began performing stand-up comedy by age 23. Bloom is frequently referred to as the ‘comedian’s comedian,’ and has appeared on national television in both Britain and the United States. His parents nicknamed him 'The Voice' when he was just 18 months old, perhaps foreshadowing his future career. He debuted at the Edinburgh Festival in 1996 and has been a frequent performer there, completing seven sell-out solo runs from 1996 to 2007. Bloom’s career includes numerous awards and appearances at prestigious comedy festivals. He won the Edinburgh Festival Polygram Punter Comedy Award at some point, and received the Time Out Comedy Award for Best Stand-Up in 1998. He appeared at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in both 1999 and 2000. Appearing at the Montreal Just For Laughs comedy festival on four occasions—in 1998, 2001, 2005, and 2013—he also had television galas filmed during his 2001 and 2005 appearances, which were then shown worldwide. In 2012, he was nominated for a Chortle award. Bloom’s work extends beyond stand-up performances. Between 2003 and 2005, he created and featured in three seasons of *The Problem with Adam Bloom*, a series aired on BBC Radio 4. He also had a Channel 4 half-hour special, Beyond a Joke , commissioned in 1999. In 2004, he participated in the Just For Laughs Comedy Tour, performing for over 42,000 people across 17 Canadian cities. He has ghost-written material for over 40 other comedians and written for approximately 50 comedians overall, and provides bespoke material for corporate events. In 2023, Bloom released *Finding Your Comic Genius: An in-depth guide to the art of stand up* independently; this publication is recognized as a resource detailing the techniques involved in comedy writing. He maintains an active presence online with accounts on Instagram (@adambloomcomedy) and Twitter (@adambloomie2).

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Adam Buxton

Adam Buxton is an English comedian, podcaster, and actor. Adam Buxton’s career has been considerably influenced by his comedic partnership with filmmaker Joe Cornish, forming the comedy duo Adam and Joe. Their collaborative work began in 1996 when they presented The Adam and Joe Show on Channel 4, continuing until 2001. They also had a BBC Radio 6 Music series from 2007 to 2009 and again in 2011, demonstrating their ongoing collaboration across different media. Buxton and Cornish have been recognized for revolutionizing DIY TV and podcasting through their projects. Buxton’s comedy style encompasses various formats. He was on TV shows like Would I Lie To You?, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. He is quick and makes things up as he goes. In 2005, he presented a character-driven comedy show titled 'I, Pavel' at the Edinburgh Festival. He has also acted in films, including Edgar Wright’s Hot Fuzz (2007) as Tim Messenger and Son of Rambow (2007) as a teacher. In 2004, Buxton both contributed to the writing and appeared in the Channel 4 mini-series *The Last Chancers*. Since 2015, Buxton has hosted The Adam Buxton Podcast, which features conversations with various interesting people. He creates the jingles and records intros/outros for this podcast while walking with his dog Rosie in the East Anglian countryside. Additionally, he provided narration for books within the Ladybird Classic Me Books iPad app and lent his voice to the character Messy in the children’s animated television series *Messy Goes to Okido* in 2015. He released Ramblebook, a memoir, in 2020, and is scheduled to release another memoir, I Love You, Byeee, in 2025, which will be available as an audiobook with bonus content and original music. The text describes Buxton’s writing style as humorous and poignant, and the forthcoming book discusses challenges of parenting and includes anecdotes about arguing with his wife. Buxton resides with his wife and three children; his life has also included difficult times, such as the death of his mother and a serious health scare related to drug use.

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Alex Horne

Alexander James Jeffery Horne, known professionally as Alex Horne, is a comedian, author, and podcaster born on September 10, 1978, in Chichester, West Sussex, England. His father worked as a general practitioner. He attended Lancing College from 1991 to 1996 and subsequently studied at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, graduating in 2001. While at Cambridge, he participates in the Footlights and contributes to Varsity, marking an early engagement with performance and writing. Horne began his comedy career while still a student, performing stand-up in Cambridge and London. During 1999, he participated in the semi-final round of So You Think You’re Funny. Furthermore, his 2003 Edinburgh production, 'Making Fish Laugh,' earned him a Perrier Award nomination, and this momentum resulted in a Chortle Award for Best Breakthrough Act the following year, in 2004. He collaborated with Tim Key on shows such as 'Every Body Talks' (2004) and 'When in Rome' (2005), touring Roman towns in Britain with the latter in early 2006. Further Edinburgh Festival appearances include 'Birdwatching' (2007) and 'Wordwatching' (2008), which were later published as books, 'Birdwatchingwatching' (2009) and 'Wordwatching' (early 2010). He also performed in Second Life for Sky News in January 2007. Since 2010, Horne has been the compere of comedy variety shows with The Horne Section, a six-piece band he created and leads. The Horne Section Podcast launched in 2018, quickly reaching the top of the iTunes charts. A Channel 4 series, 'The Horne Section TV Show,' premiered in November 2022, following their performances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and appearances on shows like ‘8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown’ and ‘Never Mind The Buzzcocks.’ Perhaps his most significant contribution to British comedy is the creation and co-hosting of Taskmaster , which first aired on Dave in 2015 and later moved to Channel 4 in 2020. Taskmaster has amassed over 100 episodes, receiving an Emmy nomination, a Royal Television Society Award (2020), and a Broadcast Award (2020) for Best Entertainment Programme, as well as a BAFTA, Rose d’Or, and National Comedy Award. The format has been adapted internationally in over a dozen countries, and the show has spawned books, a board game, and two podcasts. He authored three Taskmaster books: An Absolute Casserole , 220 Extraordinary Tasks for Ordinary People , and Bring Me The Head Of The Taskmaster , and also wrote a children's fiction novel, The Last Pebble . Scheduled for December 2025, The Horne Section intends to stage a continuous 24-hour concert, titled 'How-Long-Athon,' with the aim of collecting funds for Stand Up to Cancer.

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Alexis Dubus

Alexis Dubus is an English alternative comedian and actor, born in 1979. Based in London, he frequently performs internationally. His career began as a sketch writer and performer with Ubersausage at the Edinburgh Fringe. While attending the University of Warwick, Dubus pursued studies in both Philosophy and Psychology and participated in the comedy group Ubersausage. He has appeared in television shows such as Nathan Barley, Pramface, Derek, and Red Dwarf XI, alongside numerous other TV and radio appearances worldwide. The French character Marcel Lucont represents a well-known comedic persona for Dubus, through whom he performs nonsensical dialogues and imitations. He co-founded the Falling Down With Laughter Comedy Club in London Bridge with Sy Thomas in 2003; it operated until 2010, and he co-hosted it for approximately six years. As Marcel Lucont, he has released albums including Vive Lucont! (2013), Flâneur, Raconteur, Bon-Viveur (2018) and For A Captive Audience (2021). He has written ten live shows as both Alexis Dubus and Marcel Lucont, with several receiving notable recognition. For example, 'A R#ddy Brief History of Swearing' (2008/9) won a Three Weeks Editors’ award, and Marcel Lucont: Sexual Metro (2009) earned the Best Comedy Individual Award at Buxton Fringe. Marcel Lucont has been a constant presence in the comedy scene. Marcel Lucont: Gallic Symbol (2012) secured both the Amused Moose Laughter Award and the Fringe World Award for Best Comedy. Chortle recognized Alexis Dubus's 'Cars And Girls (2013/14)' as one of the Ten Most Memorable Shows of 2014; furthermore, 'Marcel Lucont Is (2014)' received a Best Comedy Show nomination at the Fringe World Awards. He hosts the Comedy Cul-de-Sac podcast and the Spirits Of The Fringe podcast. Serving as a board member of The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society, Dubus was a finalist for the Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality in 2019 and also received nominations for Best Comedy Show at the Fringe World Awards in both 2016 and 2018. He won a Chortle Award in 2015 and Best Kids Show at the UK Kids Comedy Festival/Leicester Comedy Festival in 2022. He also published 'What We French Think of You British...' as Marcel Lucont in 2011.

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Alfie Joey

Alfie Joey is a British writer, comic, artist, and impressionist with a unique background. Having been born to parents who worked in the County Durham coal mines, he first pursued a vocation for the Catholic priesthood and subsequently dedicated fifteen years to life as a brother within a religious order, embracing a monastic lifestyle. He subsequently left the order to pursue a career in comedy, demonstrating an adaptability that continues to inform his work. Before finding success in comedy, he briefly worked as a toy demonstrator in Harrods. Joey’s comedic endeavors encompass various formats. Alongside Cal Halbert, he forms the comedy impressionist duo known as The Mimic Men, with their performances first appearing at the Jesterval comedy festival in 2015. He also presented his one-man comedy musical, 'Monopolise,' in Edinburgh in 2011 and toured extensively. Furthermore, he appeared in all seven series of the BBC sitcom 'Ideal' alongside Johnny Vegas, and played a doctor in the sitcom 'Hebburn' featuring Vic Reeves. Demonstrating a wide range of talents, he also worked in radio, serving as host of the breakfast program on BBC Radio Newcastle from 2009 until October 28, 2022, which resulted in fifteen years total as a BBC presenter and interviews with individuals including Prime Ministers, pop stars, and Olympians. Beyond his performance work, Alfie Joey is a seasoned event MC and keynote speaker. He has been MCing for twenty-five years, hosting events at prestigious venues like Wembley Arena, TEDx, Birmingham NEC, Barbican Theatre, and London Palladium, and outdoor festivals for audiences of up to 100,000 people. His keynote speech, 'Make an UNFORGETTABLE Impression,' addresses topics such as removing imposter syndrome and improving body language, providing tips, tools, and tactics for effective communication. He has received numerous accolades including the Communicator of the Year award at the CIPR Awards and an Honorary Fellowship Award from Customs House Theatre for Services to Broadcasting, as well as winning a Radio Station of the Year (Aria Award). His work extends internationally; he has performed in Shanghai, Seoul, Dubai, Singapore, and Bahrain. He also works with clients including BBC, NHS, Northumbria Water, Bloomberg, Santander, and Sick Children’s Trust. As an artist, his artwork, known as #AlfArt, has been displayed in galleries and at Spennymoor Town Hall, demonstrating another facet of his creative output.

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Ali Cook

Ali Cook, hailing from Yorkshire, is a British actor and comedian. He took on the role of Sergeant Paul McMellon in the feature film Kajaki, which secured the Producer of the Year prize at the 2015 British Independent Film Awards and earned a nomination for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award that same year.

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Andy Hamilton

Andy Hamilton is a British writer and comedian with a diverse career spanning film, television, radio, and literature. Born in Fulham, West London, he attended Westminster City School and later Downing College, Cambridge. Working at Harrods and the Post Office initially funded his career, and he first achieved public notice through performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe during the 1970s. Hamilton joined the BBC in 1976, contributing to early radio shows such as Week Ending, The News Huddlines, and The Million Pound Radio Show alongside Nick Revell, with whom he recorded six series. Throughout his career, Andy Hamilton has been involved in numerous successful comedy projects. He co-created Channel 4’s Ballot Monkeys and Channel 4's Drop The Dead Donkey with Guy Jenkin, and together they also co-wrote and directed the 2014 film What We Did on Our Holiday . He is known for the BBC Radio 4 sitcom Old Harry’s Game , where he has written and starred as Satan since 1995. His writing credits extend to television shows including The Two Ronnies, Not the Nine O'Clock News, and Alas Smith & Jones, and he co-wrote several other series like Power Monkeys and Kate and Koji . Reviewers have characterized his comedic style as “thought-provoking,” “highly entertaining… genuinely funny,” and suggested it is comparable to “spending time at a pub with an exceptionally clever and knowledgeable friend.” Andy Hamilton’s work continues to be enjoyed by audiences. He frequently appears as a panelist on The News Quiz , I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue , and QI , and has also been a guest on Have I Got News For You . He provides the voice of Dr Elephant in Peppa Pig , having previously voiced Bob Fish in Bob and Margaret and Captain Squid in Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom . During 2007, he shared hosting duties on BBC Radio 4’s Woman's Hour as part of Comic Relief. He both wrote and acted in Revolting People as Sergeant McGurk, and also hosted the BBC Four series It’s Only a Theory alongside Reginald D. Hunter in 2009.

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Jimmy Mulville

James Thomas Mulville works in England as an actor, stand‑up comic, comedy scriptwriter, producer and TV host. He gained prominence for establishing the independent UK television company Hat Trick Productions together with Denise O'Donoghue and Rory McGrath. In 2003, The Observer included Mulville and O'Donoghue among its selection of the fifty most humorous Britons, recognizing them for their role as Hat Trick’s founders.

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Noel Fielding

Born May 21, 1973, Noel Fielding is a British artist, television personality, writer, actor, and comedian. He began his journey in comedy after graduating from Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education with a BA in graphic design and advertising in 1995. Prior to that, he started writing comedy sketches around the age of 13 and experimented with makeup at 15, reflecting an early interest in performance and visual expression. Fielding attended Croydon Art College and Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education before embarking on his career. In 1997, Noel Fielding met Julian Barratt, and together they formed The Mighty Boosh, a comedy troupe that rose to recognition in the late 1990s. They first performed together in 1998 and presented their work at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival from 1998 to 2000 under different names. Originally a six-part radio program on BBC London Live starting in 2001, The Mighty Boosh later evolved into a three-season television series airing from 2004 to 2007 on BBC Three, garnering many awards. Fielding’s father, Ray Fielding, also appeared in The Mighty Boosh, portraying Chris de Burgh. Beyond The Mighty Boosh, Fielding has continued to build a diverse career. He played Richmond in the TV series The IT Crowd from 2006 to 2013 and created and starred in the surreal series Noel Fielding’s Luxury Comedy , which included Luxury Comedy: Tales From Painted Hawaii , both broadcast on E4. Since 2017, he has co-presented The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4 alongside Alison Hammond. He is also a team captain on Never Mind the Buzzcocks , appearing from 2009 to 2015 and again from 2021 to 2025. Fielding’s talents extend beyond television; he is an accomplished stand-up comedian who performs internationally, and his artwork is regularly exhibited across the UK and Europe. He has also appeared in various other shows including The Last Leg , QI , 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown , and Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place .

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Paul O'Grady

Paul O'Grady, a comedian and actor, was born Paul James O'Grady on June 14, 1955, in Tranmere, Cheshire (now Merseyside). His father, Patrick 'Paddy' Grady, immigrated to England from Ireland in 1936, while his mother, Mary 'Molly' Savage, was born in England to Irish immigrant parents. He grew up in Tranmere, raised in an Irish Catholic household, and attended St Joseph's Catholic Primary School and St. Anselm's College. After departing school at the age of sixteen, he took on a role as a clerk within a magistrate's court and subsequently engaged in several other positions, such as providing cleaning services for Cleo Laine and employment at an abattoir. He had a daughter, Sharyn, when he was still a teenager. O’Grady commenced his professional life in the latter part of the 1970s following a relocation to London, starting with a position as a traveling care officer for Camden Council. He developed his drag act in 1978, creating the character Lily Savage based on female relatives and someone he saw in a Sheffield market, drawing inspiration from his mother, Molly, and aunts Chrissie and Annie. Before going solo as a stand-up comedian, he performed as part of the drag mime duo the Playgirls. He began formulating the idea for Lily Savage while working as a waiter in Manila in 1977, and started performing as Lily Savage in 1985. The character of Lily Savage, characterized as a sharp-tongued, audacious, platinum-haired woman from Birkenhead, achieved widespread recognition as his signature persona, and he presented her at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT) for a period of eight years. He appeared at the Edinburgh Festival in 1987 and was nominated for a 1992 Perrier Comedy Award. Throughout his over three-decade career, O'Grady presented numerous television shows, including The Big Breakfast (1995–1996), Blankety Blank (1997–2002, known as 'Lily Savage's Blankety Blank’ from 2001), Lily Live! (2000–2001), and later, For the Love of Dogs (2012–2023), Animal Orphans (2014–2016), Blind Date (2017–2019), and Great British Escape (2020). He also hosted BBC Radio 2’s Paul O’Grady on the Wireless (2009–2022) and presented The Paul O'Grady Show (2004-2006, 2006-2009) and Paul O’Grady Live (2010–2011). His television breakthrough came in 1995 with 'Live From The Lilydrome'. He appeared in productions like ‘Coronation Street’, the film ‘In The Name Of The Father’, West End shows including ‘Prisoner Cell Block H’ and ‘Annie’, and pantomimes such as ‘Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs’ (1999) and ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’. Throughout his career, he was recognized with several honors, including a Bafta in 2005 for 'The Paul O'Grady Show', a National Television Award in 2008, and the distinctions of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2008 and Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Kent in 2022. In 2020, he assumed the position of president of the British Music Hall Society.

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Tommy Handley

Thomas Reginald Handley was born on January 17, 1892, in Liverpool, Lancashire. His parents were John Handley and Sarah Ann Pearson; his father ran a dairy business but died when Tommy was a baby. Starting in his teenage years, Handley started appearing on stage, quickly gaining recognition as both a comedian and a singer within the music hall scene. He served in the Royal Naval Air Service from 1917 to 1919 during World War I. Following the war, he briefly toured in the operetta The Maid of the Mountains in 1916, and even auditioned for Rupert D’Oyly Carte with the possibility of joining a touring company. Handley’s career included musical comedy and music hall performances, and he became widely recognized for his role in the sketch The Disorderly Room , which ran from 1921 to 1941. This sketch was featured in the 1924 Royal Command Performance, marking an early milestone in his public recognition. His radio career commenced in 1924, and he frequently appeared on BBC variety programmes from that year onwards. He married actress and singer Jean Allistone in 1929, and from 1935 to 1949, performed regularly with Ronald Frankau as ‘Mr Murgatroyd and Mr Winterbottom.’ He also made guest appearances, such as in Henry Hall’s tramp’s guesthouse. Tommy Handley is most celebrated for the BBC radio comedy show It's That Man Again (ITMA), which he hosted from 1939 to 1949. The show’s original title, 'It's That Man Again!', referenced Hitler. He played the role of Minister of Aggravation and Mysteries, later moving to a setting called the Office of Twerps. The original performances featured Cecilia Eddy in the role of Cilly and Eric Egan portraying a deranged Russian inventor. The show briefly changed its name to 'It's That Sand Again' in June 1941, and its setting evolved, including a period as a seaside resort called Foaming at the Mouth. A character, Deepend Dan the Diver, was inspired by someone Handley observed diving off New Brighton Pier. ITMA achieved an unprecedentedly large audience and significantly boosted British morale during World War II; a special show was even performed for Princess Elizabeth’s 16th birthday in April 1941. A stage show and film adaptation were also produced, and Colonel Humphrey Chinstrap, known for the phrase 'I don't mind if I do,' was introduced in 1942. The final broadcast occurred on January 6, 1949. Handley died suddenly on January 9, 1949, from a brain haemorrhage, just three days after the final ITMA broadcast, leading to its cancellation and a tribute broadcast on January 13th.

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