Global Talent Directory

Comedians from United Kingdom

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

325 comedians

Alan Bennett

Born in Armley, Leeds, on May 9, 1934, Alan Bennett is a versatile English creative figure known for his work as an actor, author, playwright, and screenwriter. After attending Christ Church, Upper Armley, Church of England School and Leeds Modern School, Alan Bennett pursued higher education at the University of Oxford, where he earned a first-class degree in history. Initially aspiring to be a medieval historian, Bennett taught medieval history at Oxford for several years before transitioning to writing full-time. His work often reflects the Yorkshire culture and coastal holidays of his childhood. Bennett gained fame in 1960 at the Edinburgh Festival as part of the satirical revue Beyond the Fringe , earning a Special Tony Award for his participation. Since then, his writing has been successful across various media, including stage, screen, and page. He has written numerous plays, including Forty Years On (1968), Getting On (1971), Habeas Corpus (1973), and The Old Country (1977). His work has been adapted into films such as The Madness of King George (1994), The History Boys (2006), and The Lady in the Van (2015). Bennett is also known for creating the popular television series Talking Heads (1988) and writing On the Margin (1966), a sketch series later rediscovered. He does not write on commission. The History Boys , which premiered at the National Theatre in 2004, is considered by Bennett one of his happiest plays to write, taking less than his usual five years. This play, taking place in 1980s Britain, depicts the experiences of eight students at a Sheffield boys’ grammar school and examines topics such as adolescent desire, workplace dynamics among teachers, sexuality, maturation, and the essence of history and education. It subsequently transferred to Broadway, winning six Tony Awards and three Olivier Awards. The play is returning to London's West End in April 2027, with previews beginning on April 10, 2027, and closing on July 24. Bennett has received numerous awards including four BAFTA Awards, four Laurence Olivier Awards, two Tony Awards, and a Society of London Theatre Special Award in 2005. He is considered by many to be the premier English dramatist of his generation, known for portraying everyday British lives with charm, humor, and respect.

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Alan Young

Alan Young, born Angus Young on November 19, 1919, in North Shields, Northumberland, England, had a career spanning radio, film, and television. His parents were Scottish; his father worked as both a mine worker and tap dancer, while his mother was a singer. Before his sixth birthday, the family moved from Edinburgh, Scotland, to West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, after initially relocating there when he was a toddler. Young’s early interest in radio developed due to asthma during childhood. He started delivering comedic monologues on stage at 13 and, throughout the 1930s and early 1940s, he had already secured radio work in both Canada and the United States. During World War II, Young served in the Royal Canadian Navy. He left the Navy after being assigned to write for a Navy show; he reportedly attempted to join the Canadian Army but was rejected due to childhood asthma. After completing his military duty, Young commenced starring roles in variety-comedy programs, known as The Alan Young Show , broadcast on both radio and television from the 1940s through the 1950s. His role as Wilbur Post in the television series Mister Ed (1961–1966) is what he is most widely recognized for. Throughout his career, he continued to appear in films and television shows, including Tom Thumb (1958), Baker's Hawk (1976), The Cat From Outer Space (1978), Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983), Ducktales: The Movie (1990), The Love Boat (1983), and Murder, She Wrote (1986), as well as a role on the soap opera General Hospital . From 1974 until his death, he provided the voice of Scrooge McDuck, lending his voice to films and video games. He also voiced Flaversham in The Great Mouse Detective (1986), using a Scottish brogue. Young starred in the short-lived sitcom Coming of Age (1988-89). Alan Young died on May 19, 2016.

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Anna Russell

Anna Claudia Russell-Brown, known professionally as Anna Russell, was born in London, England, on December 27, 1911. She died on October 18, 2006. Born to Claud Russell Brown, a Royal Engineers colonel and amateur pianist, and Beatrice Tandy, who later obtained Canadian citizenship due to her Canadian ancestry, she was an English-Canadian singer and comedian. Anna attended St Felix School in Southwold, Suffolk, and subsequently studied at Harrogate College, Brussels, and Paris. Her musical education continued at the Royal College of Music, where she studied with piano teacher Marmaduke Barton, graduating with a degree in musicology and composition between 1934 and 1939. Russell’s career began with engagements in opera, including a notably unsuccessful appearance as Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana . She appeared on BBC radio as a folk singer in 1931 and later worked for the BBC's education department. Following her father’s death in 1939, Russell and her mother relocated to Toronto, Canada, settling in Unionville, Ontario, and becoming Canadian citizens in 1943 before gaining American citizenship in 1955. She quickly established herself as an entertainer on local radio stations by 1940, cohosting the variety show Syd and Anna on CJBC in the early 1940s. In 1942, the Toronto Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire presented her debut solo performance. Russell gained international recognition with the help of Sir Ernest MacMillan in 1944. She made her New York City debut in 1948 and toured extensively throughout the English-speaking world, performing concerts singing and playing comic musical sketches on the piano. Her comedy style was characterized by deadpan humor and a mockery of pretension, often emphasizing the absurd in accepted stories. She is best known for The Ring of the Nibelungs (An Analysis) , a 22-minute humorous synopsis of Wagner's opera, which she performed and released on an album in 1975. Other notable works included How to Write Your Own Gilbert and Sullivan Opera and appearances in an animated film of Hansel and Gretel (1954), as well as roles at the New York City Opera (1954) and Cosmopolitan Opera (1957). She appeared on Broadway in All by Myself (1960) and on The Ed Sullivan Show , performing at Carnegie Hall and Royal Albert Hall. She founded Grow Productions, Inc. in 1963, and authored her autobiography, I’m Not Making This Up, You Know! , in 1985. A video special called The First Anna Russell Farewell Special was released in 2001.

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Anthony McPartlin

Anthony David McPartlin, a native of England, has built a career as a TV host, producer, comedian, and previously as a singer, rapper, and actor. He gained widespread recognition for co‑hosting with Declan Donnelly under the moniker Ant & Dec.

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Armando Iannucci

A Scottish satirist, writer, director, producer, and performer is Armando Iannucci. Born on November 28, 1963, in Glasgow, he hails from a family with Italian roots; his father was from Naples and his mother was born in Glasgow. His father's history as a writer for an anti-fascist newspaper and participation in the Italian partisans as a teenager likely influenced Iannucci’s worldview. He pursued higher education at the University of Glasgow and subsequently at the University of Oxford, earning a degree in English Literature. Iannucci began his career working with Chris Morris on radio series like 'On the Hour', which was adapted to television as 'The Day Today' in 1994. He is also recognized for co-creating the character Alan Partridge alongside Steve Coogan, a collaboration that resulted in several shows including ‘Knowing Me Knowing You’ (1994-1995) and ‘I’m Alan Partridge’ (1997-2002), and the film 'Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa' (2013). He hosted 'The Armando Iannucci Shows' in 2001, and created the spoof documentary 'Time Trumpet'. His early radio work included Meanwhile in Glasgow with Arnold Brown and The Mary Whitehouse Experience , gaining significant recognition in 1991 with On The Hour . Iannucci’s most notable works include the political sitcom 'The Thick of It' (2005-2012), which received 13 BAFTA nominations and won 5, and its film adaptation, 'In the Loop' (2009), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. He created and served as showrunner for the HBO series 'Veep' from 2012 to 2015, earning two Emmys in 2015 – Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing; it has won four Emmys in total for Outstanding Comedy Series. He directed the films 'The Death of Stalin' (2017), nominated for two BAFTAs and winning Best Comedy at the European Film Awards, and 'The Personal History of David Copperfield' (2019), which won Best Screenplay at the WGBA and BIFA and received a Golden Globe nomination. He continues to create comedy, currently working on 'Avenue 5' and ‘The Franchise’ with Sam Mendes. In fall 2024, a production is planned for London’s West End, where Steve Coogan will reprise his role, as Armando Iannucci adapts Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Dr Strangelove’ for the stage and makes his debut as a playwright with 'Pandemonium', reuniting with Coogan. He published 'Hear Me Out' in 2017, a book about classical music, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (RSL).

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Bernard Manning

Bernard Manning was a comedian born on August 13, 1930, in Harpurhey, Lancashire, and raised in Ancoats, Manchester. His paternal heritage was Russian Jewish, while his family also traced their origins to Ireland. Leaving school at age 14, he initially worked in a tobacco factory and briefly assisted in his father’s greengrocery business. He served in the British Army during National Service, beginning in 1950. While stationed in Germany, Manning started singing to entertain fellow soldiers, which led him to perform free shows and eventually charge admission, recognizing an opportunity in showbusiness. During the 1950s, Manning pursued a career as a professional singer and worked as a compère, notably fronting big bands like the Oscar Rabin Band. In 1959, he purchased the Embassy Club, transforming it from a dilapidated billiard hall. The Beatles reportedly performed at the Embassy Club early in their career. He transitioned into comedy, making his television debut in 1971 on Granada TV’s The Comedians . His comedy style was characterized by an old-school approach and the use of stereotypes, incorporating pub gags, racist comments, and sentimental material. Manning hosted The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club starting in 1974, a role considered among his best-known work. Manning’s career included appearances in the short film A Couple of Beauties (1972) and hosting the documentary short The Great British Striptease (1980), as well as the short-lived comedy quiz show Under Manning (1981). In 1994, he faced an industrial tribunal regarding allegations of racial discrimination related to his act, and in 1998 admitted to being a racist on The Mrs. Merton Show . Despite these controversies, he maintained a loyal fanbase who considered him a ‘no-nonsense hero.’ Towards the end of his life, Manning experienced a minor television career revival, including performing in Mumbai. He died in June 2007 from kidney disease at age 76, leaving behind his son, Bernard Jr, who managed the Embassy Club from 1999 onwards and continued to run it after his father’s death.

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Charlie Hall

Charlie Hall, born August 19, 1899, in Ward End, Birmingham, Warwickshire, was an English film actor and a multifaceted comedian. Growing up in Providence, Rhode Island, he completed his education at the Rhode Island School of Design. Initially learning carpentry as a trade, he entered the world of entertainment as a teenager by joining the Fred Karno troupe of stage comedians. This early experience led to time working as a stagehand in New York City and ultimately, by the mid-1920s, employment with Hal Roach. Hall’s career encompassed various roles, including collaborations with Buster Keaton and Charley Chase, demonstrating his versatility within the comedic landscape. He achieved significant recognition for his appearances in nearly 50 films alongside Laurel and Hardy, frequently cast as a mean landlord or opponent. This association made him best known as a nemesis of the iconic duo. His film work extended beyond this partnership, including a role in Charlie Chaplin’s Limelight (1952) and a film with Frank Faylen in 1941. He is recognized as a Rhode Island Comedy Hall of Famer, reflecting his substantial contribution to the world of comedy. Hall’s comedic focus often centered on Rhode Island, incorporating topics like the local accent, figures such as Buddy Cianci, and familiar landmarks into his routines. He created the cabaret comedy show “Ocean State Follies,” which garnered award recognition for its parody songs about Rhode Island. In addition, he is credited with writing “Rhode Island’s It for Me,” which serves as the state's official song. Moreover, he collaborated on sketches for NBC-10 alongside Joe Rocco and held multiple roles – co-owner, performer, and booker – at Periwinkle’s, Rhode Island’s inaugural comedy club, a venue that featured appearances by Louis C.K., Dave Chappelle, and Joe Rogan. He also co-created Comedy Connection, opening in East Providence in 1989. He passed away on December 7, 1959, in North Hollywood, California, from colon cancer, but his legacy continues through his work and current collaborations with Doreen Collins on the comedy-skit show “Aging Disgracefully.”

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Charlotte McDonnell

Charlotte McDonnell is a comedian from the United Kingdom, born on October 1, 1990, in Bath, Somerset. She initially gained recognition under the name Charlie McDonnell, establishing a significant online presence with the launch of her YouTube channel 'charlieissocoollike' on April 3, 2007. The channel rapidly grew, achieving a milestone of one million subscribers in June 2011, marking it as the first UK channel to reach that subscriber count. During this period, she also explored musical avenues; releasing a solo album titled 'This Is Me' in 2010 and participating in the Doctor Who-themed band Chameleon Circuit from 2009 to 2011, alongside involvement in the short-lived musical project Sons of Admirals until May 2011. Her career continued with diverse collaborations. From 2015 to 2016, McDonnell co-hosted the YouTube breakfast show 'Cereal Time' with Jimmy Hill. Between 2013 and 2014, she directed a series of short films. In December 2018, she concluded her regular YouTube uploads, but remained active in other creative fields. She moved to Toronto, Canada in 2017. A significant development occurred in January 2023 when she publicly announced that she is a transgender woman, using she/they pronouns. Following this announcement, she began streaming on Twitch under the account name coollike. Currently, Charlotte McDonnell is known for co-hosting the comedy podcast 'What's All This Then' with Libby Watson. She also serves as a producer and host for the podcast, which focuses on topics related to Britain and releases episodes weekly, each lasting approximately 120 minutes. As of now, there have been 80 episodes released. The podcast has featured numerous guests, including Brendan James, Max Read, Alec Robbins, Jamie Loftus, and Demi Lardner, discussing various British cultural phenomena such as 'Ghostwatch', 'The Wicker Man', 'Neopets', 'Boohbah', and 'Keeping Up Appearances'. She also appeared as a guest on the 'International Waters' podcast. McDonnell recommends both 'What’s All This Then' and ‘Be Gay Solve Crimes’ podcasts, demonstrating her continued engagement with the podcasting world.

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Eric Morecambe

Eric Morecambe, born John Eric Bartholomew on May 14, 1926, in Morecambe, Lancashire, was a British comedian and entertainer. He used the stage name 'Morecambe' derived from his hometown. His birth centenary will be marked in 2026. He died on May 28, 1984, at the age of 58. Starting at a young age, he developed a career as both a comedian and an entertainer, achieving success in many talent competitions, notably one held in Hoylake in 1940. At age 14, he left school in 1940 and started a double act with Ernest Wise. They met on the variety theatre circuit around 1940 and debuted at the Liverpool Empire in 1940. The partnership was briefly interrupted by World War II; he served as a Bevin Boy (coal miner) from May 1944, working in Accrington for 11 months before being invalided out due to ill health. They adopted the stage names Morecambe and Wise, inspired by George Formby and Ernie shortening his surname. The partnership lasted until Morecambe's death in 1984. The comedy duo Morecambe and Wise were featured on television programs such as 'Sunday Night at the London Palladium' and 'Double Six,' and they headlined the series 'Two of a Kind' (1961-1968) broadcast by Associated Television; in 1963, The Beatles appeared as guests on this program. Their move to the BBC in 1968 led to immense popularity, with Eddie Braben becoming their main writer from 1969, marking a 'golden age' for the show. The 'The Morecambe & Wise Show' became immensely popular, attracting celebrities eager to appear; a famous sketch involved Eric lampooning conductor Andre Previn as 'Andrew Preview'. Between 1968 and 1977, the BBC presented their yearly Christmas performances, which became significant television occasions; the 1977 Christmas broadcast drew an audience exceeding 28 million viewers. They performed over 1,000 times in Morecambe, considered their 'spiritual home'. Morecambe was generally considered the funnier of the pair, with Wise playing the straight man. They used 'Bring Me Sunshine' as their theme tune starting in 1969. The 1983 Christmas special for ITV marked their last performance as a team. He starred in 'Night Train to Murder' (1983), broadcast in 1985, and acted in 'The Passionate Pilgrim'.

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Mark Gatiss

Mark Gatiss, born October 17, 1966, in Sedgefield, Durham, England, is a multifaceted English talent. He functions as an actor, comedian, screenwriter, director, producer, and novelist. His parents were Winifred Rose O'Kane and Maurice Gatiss. Gatiss attended Heighington Church of England Primary School and Woodham Comprehensive School before studying Theatre Arts at Bretton Hall College, University of Leeds. He has accumulated considerable experience in the entertainment industry, with acting appearances predating 1997 and early writing work in science fiction projects. Gatiss is best known for his comedic collaborations with Steven Moffat, particularly their co-creation of The League of Gentlemen . This comedy team, including Gatiss, won the Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1997. The series, which involved absurd observational humor about British life, aired from 1999 to 2002. He also co-created, co-wrote, and acted in The League of Gentlemen . Furthermore, he has written several episodes of Doctor Who , contributing under both Steven Moffat and Russell T Davies, and portrayed Frank Renfield in the 2020 miniseries Dracula . His work extends to film and television, including roles in Game of Thrones (2014–2017), Wolf Hall (2015), and Coalition (2015), as well as appearances in films such as Victor Frankenstein (2015), Denial (2016), Christopher Robin (2018), The Favourite (2018), The Father (2020), Operation Mincemeat (2021), and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023). Gatiss’s career has been marked by significant recognition. He received two Laurence Olivier Awards, winning in 2016 for A Month in the Country and again in 2023 for The Motive and the Cue . He also holds a BAFTA TV Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Peabody Award. He is known for portraying Mycroft Holmes in the BBC series Sherlock (2010–2017), including a memorable appearance in “Sherlock: The Abominable Bride” (2016). Other notable roles include Menenius in Shakespeare’s Coriolanus (2013) and King George III in a revival of Alan Bennett’s The Madness of George III (2018). He has also explored various genres, appearing in the dark comedy ‘Nighty Night’ and the sci-fi comedy 'Clone'. Since 2014, he has co-created and acted in the series 'Inside No. 9', and has hosted shows such as 'Hunting Ghosts with Gatiss and Coles' (2022) and 'In Search of Dracula with Mark Gatiss' (2020), demonstrating his continued presence in television.

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Simon Bird

Simon Bird, a comedian, actor, and director, hails from the United Kingdom and was born on August 19, 1984, in Guildford, Surrey. He attended Cranmore School, West Horsley, followed by the Royal Grammar School, Guildford, and ultimately Queens' College, Cambridge, where he studied English and served as president of the Footlights. Subsequently, he received a Master of Arts degree from Birkbeck College, specializing in cultural and critical studies. During 2007 and 2008, Bird’s early career in comedy included performances with 'The House of Windsor' at the Edinburgh Festival, plus involvement in Chortle’s national student awards. He achieved second place in the 2008 competition, delivering a routine about his repeated entries. He gained widespread notice portraying Will McKenzie within *The Inbetweeners*, an E4 comedy show running from 2008 until 2010; subsequent films appeared in both 2011 and 2014. This performance earned him a British Comedy Award for Best Male Newcomer in 2008 and Best Actor in 2009, and the series was adapted into a successful movie. Moreover, Bird played Adam Goodman in *Friday Night Dinner*, a Channel 4 series airing between 2011 and 2020, with Tom Rosenthal as his co-star portraying one of two brothers of Jewish heritage. He co-created, co-wrote, and starred in the sitcom Chickens in 2013, playing Cecil. In 2016, he made his directorial debut with the short film *Ernestine and Kit*, and then followed this with his first feature film, *Days of Bagnold Summer*, in 2020. His work as a director also encompasses television, including directing Series 3 of the mockumentary *Pls Like* and the inaugural series of the sketch show *Ellie & Natasia*. He is set to appear in Star Wars: Starfighter in 2027. He recently directed Such Brave Girls (2023) and appeared in Everyone Else Burns (2023).

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Tommy Cooper

Thomas Frederick Cooper, known professionally as Tommy Cooper, was a Welsh comedian and magician. He was born on March 19, 1921, in Caerphilly, Wales, to Thomas H. Cooper, a former army recruiting sergeant who later became a coal miner, and Catherine Gertrude Wright. His family relocated to Exeter, Devon, when he was three years old, likely due to health concerns related to coal pollution. He attended Mount Radford School for Boys and developed an interest in magic at the age of eight after receiving a magic set from his aunt Lucy. From 1940, he spent seven years in the British Army, initially as a trooper within the Royal Horse Guards, and subsequently joined Montgomery's Desert Rats in Egypt. During this time, while entertaining comrades with a Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAFI) entertainment party, he began wearing a red fez, which would become his trademark, after an audience reacted humorously to him grabbing it from a waiter in Cairo. His professional performing career commenced on Christmas Eve of 1947, and shortly thereafter, he joined The Magic Circle. Cooper’s comedy style centered around “failed” magic tricks, often presenting them as spectacular, choreographed incompetence. This approach proved more humorous than successful conjuring. Critics considered him to be a ‘tight’ person financially, and he was known for his ability to make people laugh, often sharing jokes with the audience. He married Gwen Henty in 1947, and they had children named Thomas Henty and Vicky Cooper. Tommy Cooper passed away on April 15, 1984, at the age of 63; his death resulted from a heart attack occurring during a performance of his ‘famous magic cloak skit’ at Her Majesty's Theatre in London, an event watched by roughly 12 million people.

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