Global Talent Directory

Comedians Directory

Browse comedian profiles, biographical summaries, country of origin, and official links.

1899 comedians

Barry Elliott

Barry Elliott, known professionally as Barry Chuckle, was a British comedian and entertainer born on December 24, 1944. Following a brief illness, he passed away on August 5, 2018, having reached the age of 73. His family hailed from northern England and had a history in entertainment; his father, James Patton Elliott, performed as Gene Patton and even worked with Peter Sellers in 1943. Elliott began his career alongside his younger brother Paul Harman Elliott, forming the comedy double act The Chuckle Brothers. They initially performed in their backyard for friends and family before gaining wider recognition. Their early appearances included winning Opportunity Knocks in 1967 and New Faces in 1974. In 1966, they gained experience and crafted their distinctive comedic style—characterized by slapstick, visual humor, and clever wordplay, frequently featuring memorable phrases such as 'To me, to you!' and 'Oh dear, oh dear!'—while employed as Butlins Redcoats. The comedy duo first appeared on television screens in April 1979 as stars of the BBC program, *Lennie and Jerry*. The Chuckle Brothers achieved significant success with their iconic children's show, ChuckleVision, which aired from 1987 to 2009 for 21 seasons and 292 episodes. The show featured them attempting new tasks each episode with slapstick humor. They also appeared in other television shows such as 3-2-1, The Good Old Days, and The Freddie Starr Showcase. In 1985, they launched the pre-school programme The ChuckleHounds. In 2008, the British Academy Children's Awards honored their significant impact on children's programming with a Special Award for Lifetime Achievement. Barry also appeared in Still Open All Hours from 2013 to 2014 and starred in a short film, 'The Funniest Man In The World', about Joseph Grimaldi. They recently filmed a new show called 'Chuckle Time' for Channel 5, which began airing in June 2018 but was cut short due to Barry’s death. His manager, Phil Dale, described his legacy as '50 years of laughter'.

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Dominic Frisby

Dominic Frisby, a British comedian, writer and voice‑over artist, has made a name for himself through his witty musical parodies and his analysis of finance and economics.

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Dustin Demri-Burns

Dustin Demri‑Burns is a UK‑based actor, comedian and scriptwriter. He gained prominence through the sketch show Cardinal Burns (2012‑2014), appeared in the espionage series Slow Horses (2022), and is set to feature in the 2026 production Criminal Record.

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Emmanuel Sonubi

Emmanuel Sonubi is a British-Nigerian stand-up comedian based in London. Growing up as the sole boy among six children in Enfield, England, he was born in London. At 44 years old, as of a recent interview, Sonubi’s comedic journey began in 2015, following a previous career as a bouncer in nightclubs. Prior to his comedy debut, he also performed in musical theatre, notably taking a leading role in 'Daddy Cool' in 2007. Sonubi’s comedic material is largely based on events from his life, frequently addressing topics such as perseverance and death. Having performed at locations including The Comedy Store and The Glee Club, he has undertaken tours both within the United Kingdom and abroad, with frequent appearances in Ibiza, Cyprus, Turkey, and Holland. His work gained wider recognition when he hosted BBC's 'Live at the Apollo,' and he has also appeared on shows such as Comedy Central Live, Richard Osman’s House of Games, Celebrity Weakest Link, QI, Celebrity Mastermind, Have I Got News for You. The events of 2019 significantly impacted his life and career; while performing in Dubai, he suffered heart failure, an experience that led to a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) shortly after his recovery. He subsequently quit smoking due to this health scare and now manages dilated cardiomyopathy with medication, initially facing the possibility of a heart transplant. The profound impact of his near-death experience is reflected in his 2025 show, 'Life After Near Death,' which explores themes of resilience, identity, and mortality. In 2025, his performance was recognized with the Mervyn Stutters Spirit of the Fringe award for being the best show. Before that recognition, he was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Show in 2023, and for Best Newcomer in 2022; additionally, he received a Chortle Award nomination for Best Club Comic in 2023. From July 30 to August 25, 2024, he is presenting 'Life After Near Death' at the Edinburgh Fringe, and subsequently embarking on a UK tour from September 17 to November 28, 2024. Sonubi’s motivation stems from a desire to set a good example for his three children, and he attributes his resilience to his mother's teachings.

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Jamie Demetriou

Jamie Demetriou, a British comedian, actor and screenwriter, is best known for portraying Bus Rodent in Fleabag and for conceiving, co‑writing and starring in Stath Lets Flats. His work on the latter brought him three BAFTA trophies in 2020: Best Male Comedy Performance, Best Comedy Writing and Best Scripted Comedy.

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Jenny Howard

She began her career in London music hall shows and married Percy King, who subsequently became her manager. Beginning her career in England, she initially became known as 'the poor man's Gracie Fields,' mimicking Gracie Fields during stage performances and recording versions of her songs, frequently issuing these recordings on less expensive labels following Gracie’s own releases. Critics noted this comparison. Howard and Percy King moved to Australia in 1929 and performed together on the Tivoli circuit. They returned to Australia in 1940, settling in Bondi, and remained there for the rest of her life. During World War II, she raised significant funds for Britain and entertained Allied troops in Korea several times in the 1950s, including a tour in 1954. She also performed in concert party tours to Papua New Guinea during the war and frequently appeared on radio variety programs. She interrupted The Crazy Show on May 27, 1941, to announce the sinking of the Bismarck. Howard’s career encompassed a wide range of performances. Featuring in Tivoli productions, she worked alongside George Wallace, who composed 'A Brown Slouch Hat' specifically for her; she repeatedly presented this song onstage, including for military personnel stationed at army camps. The song was initially written for ‘Bubby’ Allan and later popularized on radio by Joy Nichols. She specialized as a pantomime 'principal boy,' frequently appearing in productions like Babes In the Woods , Robin Hood , Peter Pan , Aladdin And His Wonderful Lamp , Dick Whittington and His Cat , and Jack And The Beanstalk . During a tour with The Jenny Howard Show, part of the Sorlie Revue company, she performed in Canberra in 1953 alongside acrobatic clowns The Flying Warrens and June Daunt. Similarly, in Broken Hill in 1955, her performances included appearances with circus acts The Myrons and The Muracs, vocalists The Bridges Sisters, and dancers The Sadler Twins. She was described as ‘Australia’s favourite English entertainer’. In 1979, Jenny and Percy toured Australia again on the Tivoli circuit. Her first show was Fun’s A Buzzin with Dixie Rose, Honest John Gilbert, and Connie Chalmers. Later in her career, she played Bertha in the stage musical Pippin in 1974 and performed at Orton’s Music Hall in Surfers Paradise, singing 'Nobody Loves A Fairy When She’s 40’. Jenny Howard passed away in Tweed Heads, New South Wales, in 1996, having reached the age of 94. Articles about her and 'A Brown Slouch Hat' appeared in On Stage (March 2023) and the Australian Journal of Biography and History later in 2023; she is also included in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, which now includes sound recordings. Occasionally labeled as an 'incorrigible liar' or a 'relentless self-publicist,' she revived ‘A Brown Slouch Hat,’ forty years after its creation, at a live concert accompanied by the Duntroon Military Band.

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Jon Harvey

Jonathan David Harvey, a comedy writer and performer from the United Kingdom, shot to prominence in 2019 when he introduced the character Count Binface. The absurdist candidate, billed as an “intergalactic space warrior,” runs in British elections sporting a helmet fashioned like a dustbin. Before adopting this persona, Harvey portrayed a comparable figure—Lord Buckethead—who challenged Prime Minister Theresa May in the 2017 general election. A legal clash with filmmaker Todd Durham, the owner of the Buckethead trademark, forced him to abandon that role and launch Count Binface instead. Apart from his on‑stage antics, Harvey is known for shunning publicity, rarely granting interviews or appearing publicly without his mask.

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Mawaan Rizwan

Born in Pakistan, Mawaan Rizwan is now a British actor, comedian, writer, and director. Born on August 18, 1992, in Lahore, Pakistan, he emigrated to London with his family in 1994, settling in Ilford. His mother, Shahnaz Rizwan, is a former child actress who starred in Pakistani films, and his father is Mr. Rizwan. Alongside additional siblings, Mawaan Rizwan has a younger brother named Nabhaan Rizwan, who shares his profession as an actor. In 2024, after facing the possibility of deportation at age eight, Rizwan’s family was permitted to remain in the country indefinitely. When he was just two years old, Rizwan's family relocated from Pakistan to East London. Starting at the age of 16, Rizwan launched his career in comedy with 'The Mawaan Show' on YouTube, accumulating over 200,000 subscribers and 30 million views. Rizwan developed his comedic abilities through training in physical comedy at the École Philippe Gaulier clown school, located near Paris. His early television work includes roles in the BAFTA-nominated children’s series DNN: Definitely Not Newsround (2013) and the Disney XD UK series Mega Awesome Super Hacks (2015). He also explored LGBTQ+ issues within the Muslim community through the documentary How Gay Is Pakistan? (2015), which appeared on BBC3. Rizwan began his stand-up comedy career in 2010, making his debut at the Asian Network's Big Comedy Night in 2014 and performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2018 and 2019. He contributed writing to Netflix’s Sex Education and appeared in BBC dramas like Murdered by My Father (2016) and Sky’s Two Weeks to Live (2020). In 2020, he finished third on Taskmaster and was recognized as one of Forbes’ ‘30 under 30’. He created, starred in, and co-produced the BBC Three comedy series Juice (2023), which blends clowning, music, and narrative absurdity; a second series was released in 2025. In 2024, Rizwan received a British Academy Television Award for his work in *Juice*, and he was also recognized with a Royal Television Society Award for Comedy Drama. Upcoming projects include roles in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui at the Royal Shakespeare Company (2026) and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at the Royal National Theatre (winter 2027). He appeared on Comic Relief on BBC Two in March 2024 and will appear in The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland (2024).

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Norman Clapham

Born in Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire, in 1879, British comedian Norman Clapham was known professionally as John Henry. He initially worked as a journalist after emigrating to Canada. During World War I, around 1914, he entertained Canadian troops with his comedic performances. Subsequently, he worked as a clerk for the British civil service at the Board of Trade; around 1923, he began working in radio comedy as a side job. Clapham quickly became the BBC's first comedy star in the 1920s and early 1930s, pioneering radio comedy and making early commercial recordings in the genre. He was known for being a prolific writer and performer, often satirizing current events; one routine focused on a BBC attempt to train an elephant via wireless. John Henry’s comedy style was characterized by portraying a ‘lugubrious Yorkshireman,’ and he is considered by some critics as the start of domestic comedy in radio, particularly with the introduction of his wife, Blossom, into the show 'An Hour in a Restaurant' in 1925. From 1925 to 1932, His Master’s Voice released recordings featuring his sketches. He and Gladys Horridge toured Australia and New Zealand, and he wrote in character for publications like ‘The Radio Times’ and ‘Tit-Bits’. Ambitious performances included a live broadcast from an aeroplane over London with Blossom. Clapham also claimed to have created a two-hour original opera, demonstrating his wide range of creative endeavors. Despite early success and being considered a forerunner of later comedians like Tommy Handley and Tony Hancock by critics such as Seán Street, Clapham’s career faced challenges. The BBC's shift in focus, making peace with theatreland, led to a decline in his engagements, resulting in public disagreements with BBC management. A complicated private life involving bigamy ultimately contributed to his tragic end; he died by suicide on May 14, 1934, due to grief over Gladys Horridge’s death and fear of exposure. Norman Clapham's real name was revealed in court shortly before his passing. Approximately 500 people gathered at Streatham Park Cemetery for his funeral, concluding a career where he was the inaugural comedian to support himself exclusively through radio work and nightly performances at various BBC local stations.

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Paul Elliot

The Chuckle Brothers were a British comic duo consisting of the real brothers Barry David Elliott and Paul Harman Elliott. Their fame stemmed from the BBC children’s series ChuckleVision, which ran from 1987 to 2009 and was honoured with a 2010 live tour titled An Audience with the Chuckle Brothers to mark its twenty‑first series. Their routine leaned on slap‑stick physicality, visual jokes and wordplay, and they are remembered for the catch‑phrases “To me, to you!” and “Oh dear, oh dear!”.

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Rosa Robson

Rosa Grace Robson is a British actress and comic. She earned television recognition for her part in the ITV2 series Buffering, which aired from 2021 to 2023. Her screen work also includes the 2022 movie She Is Love.

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Scaredy Kat

Ally Cubb, a British drag artist who also works as a comedian, actor, writer and musician, is most recognized for her appearance as Scaredy Kat in the first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.

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