Des Bishop
Desmond Ryan Bishop, known professionally as Des Bishop, is an American-Irish comedian. Born in London on November 12, 1975, he spent his early years in New York before relocating to Ireland at age 14. He attended St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens, New York, and later St Peter's College in Wexford, Ireland, when he was 16. Having retaken the Leaving Certificate at Blackrock College in Dublin, he subsequently obtained a degree encompassing English and history from University College Cork. His upbringing reflects a blend of cultures; his mother is Irish American, and his father, who later held a steady job, initially worked as a model and actor. Bishop’s early life included challenges, beginning to drink at age 12 and being expelled from school at 14, before being sent to boarding school in Ireland. Bishop initiated his career as a comedian in Ireland during the late 1990s, developing his performances at the International Comedy Cellar. He has since built a comedy career in Ireland, performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and releasing several recorded performances, including Des Bishop – Live at Vicar Street (2003) and Des Bishop - Of All People (2024). His work extends beyond traditional stand-up; he is known for innovative television shows like The Des Bishop Work Experience (2004), where he took minimum wage jobs across Ireland, and In the Name of the Fada (2008), which documented his efforts to learn Irish and perform stand-up in the language. He also hosted Joy in the Hood (2006), mentoring local people in stand-up comedy. Bishop’s experiences have shaped his comedic material, including his diagnosis with testicular cancer in 2000; he incorporates this into his performances. Bishop's career includes appearances in film, such as playing a high stockbroker in the 2002 movie In America . He also participated in Dancing with the Stars Ireland in 2017. Additionally, he has explored performing internationally, speaking fluent Mandarin Chinese and performing in China under the stage name Bi Hansheng, living there for a year. In 2011, he released My Dad Was Nearly James Bond , a book inspired by his father’s death from lung cancer that February. Following the loss of his mother Eileen in March 2019, he created 'Mia Mamma'. Since around 2014, Bishop has been working to develop an American career, shooting specials like 'Bridge & Tunnel' and 'Of All People' at the Comedy Cellar. As of June 2026, he is 50 years old, and currently engaged to Hannah Berner, whom he married in May 2022.
