Female Comedians In The UK You Need To Know
Hire top UK female comedians: a vetted list of 22 acts, from Dawn French to Fringe names, for after-dinner hosting or corporate entertainment.
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There’s no better way to start the day than with a healthy dose of humour, and these are the female comedians in the UK you need to know. At PepTalk, we’ve spent time watching, laughing at, and booking the sharpest women comedians in British comedy, and we’re glad to share the list.
No need to limit laughter to mornings, though – get in touch with us to find out about hiring the best after-dinner comedians as exclusive hosts or event entertainment at your next event, and get all the giggles in person. For a wider look at who else is on our roster, see our expanded UK comedy line-up.
Household-Name Female Comedians in the UK You Need to Know
Start with the household names: the women comedians most UK audiences already know from panel shows, sitcoms and arena tours. These are the safest bet if you want instant recognition in the room.
Jo Brand
Jo Brand's cultured sophistication initially belies how extremely funny she is. She started her career as a psychiatric nurse, and her work in the field has received significant recognition. With a masterful command of the comedy stage, she takes unapologetic delight in life and will have your audience doing the same as they roar with laughter.
Katherine Ryan
Katherine Ryan built her name on fearless, unfiltered material about relationships, motherhood, and celebrity culture, delivered with total confidence. She's a fixture on British panel shows and headlines arenas in her own right, making her one of the most recognised comedic voices working today.
Sara Pascoe
Sara Pascoe writes stand-up the way she writes books: curious, well researched, and unafraid to go deep on subjects like evolutionary biology or the female body, while still landing a laugh every thirty seconds. A regular on Taskmaster and QI, she brings genuine intelligence to the stage without ever losing the room.
Interested in booking Sara? Get in touch with the PepTalk team.
Ellie Taylor
Ellie Taylor pairs sharp delivery with a knack for making current affairs and everyday absurdity feel fresh, honed over years as a team captain on The Mash Report and a regular on Would I Lie to You? Her sets move fast and rarely miss.
Interested in booking Ellie? Get in touch with the PepTalk team.
Dawn French
Dawn French built her reputation as one half of French and Saunders before becoming a national institution through The Vicar of Dibley, later recognised with a BAFTA Fellowship for her contribution to British comedy. Her stand-up and hosting work blend sharp character comedy with genuine warmth.
Sarah Millican
Sarah Millican turned observational comedy about relationships, body image, and everyday life into one of the biggest stand-up careers in the UK, selling out arena tours and becoming one of the best-selling female comedians on DVD. Her material is warm, filthy, and instantly relatable.
Interested in booking Sarah? Get in touch with the PepTalk team.
Miranda Hart
Miranda Hart made her name writing and starring in her self-titled BBC sitcom Miranda, drawing on physical comedy and a distinct comic voice that earned multiple BAFTA nominations and British Comedy Awards. She's since moved between stand-up, acting, and presenting.
Interested in booking Miranda? Get in touch with the PepTalk team.
Susan Calman
Susan Calman built her stand-up career on sharp, self-deprecating material with a political edge, becoming a regular on Radio 4's The News Quiz and Have I Got News For You before moving into presenting with Susan Calman's Grand Day Out. She's proof that comedy and warmth aren't mutually exclusive.
Interested in booking Susan? Get in touch with the PepTalk team.
British Female Comedians Over 40
Several of the household names above, including Jo Brand, Dawn French, Sarah Millican and Susan Calman, have been making UK audiences laugh for decades. Booking one of these British female comedians over 40 means an act with a long track record on stage, TV and radio, not just a viral moment.
Rising British Women Comedians in the UK
Beyond the household names, British women comedians on the club and festival circuit bring the same sharpness with a different kind of energy – often more intimate, more topical, and just as capable of holding a corporate room. Here are 14 more of the funniest women working in British comedy today, from Edinburgh Fringe regulars to rising broadcast names.
Jo Caulfield
Award-winning Welsh stand-up comedian Jo Caulfield has the unique ability to turn “pet-hates” into jokes in a way that makes you feel a little less unhinged about having them in the first place. She makes a show out of what nobody else dares to say out loud and will bring the house down while she's at it.
Angela Barnes
If you'd like to hear your intrusive thoughts turned into comedic ammo, give us a call about Angela Barnes. Her hilarious anecdotes keep the audience hanging on for more while somehow managing to make topical issues relatable through laughs. Angela credits her ease on stage to her use of hearing aids and sincerely advocates for vulnerable and marginalised groups.
Toni Kent
Keynote speaker and comedian Toni Kent weaves her humour into insightful discussions on social mobility, resilience, and imposter syndrome in a way we can all relate to. Hailing from a council estate in Basingstoke, Toni ventured first into corporate before finding her feet in comedy. Frank and funny, she makes us feel like we all belong with her light-hearted quips and anecdotes.
Olga Koch
It's great to be able to laugh at your troubles, and even better when someone gets you to laugh at theirs. Stand-up comedian Olga Koch tackles difficult subjects candidly without pulling any punches. Known for her observational comedy, she's unlikely to spare your insecurities but you'll come away laughing about them.
Catherine Bohart
Beware comedian Catherine Bohart's misleading innocence: her stage presence is deceptively gentle right up until the joke lands. A seasoned regular on the UK comedy scene, Catherine has a knack for turning her own overthinking into material that's sharper than it first lets on.
Cally Beaton
Cally Beaton spent years as a media industry VP before Joan Rivers herself told her to get into stand-up. She now reveals the inner workings behind the calm demeanour of every mum and boss lady with an effortless sense of humour and endearing vulnerability, drawn from a genuine corporate career.
Shappi Khorsandi
A regular performer at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Shappi Khorsandi (Shaparak Khorsandi) turns cultural stereotypes on their heads for a laugh. Wielding jokes as tongue-in-cheek cultural commentary, she gets audiences to see the lighter side of life, taking the edge off political correctness with humour and empathy.
Tiff Stevenson
Tiff Stevenson will make you laugh while you reconsider your life choices. One of The Times' Top 10 Comics, Tiff is high-octane and high-jinks and won't hold back, even to spare herself. With something to hit everyone's sweet spot, you can't help but join in as she gets the room in stitches.
Aisling Bea
Aisling Bea moves easily between stand-up, sketch, and scripted comedy, best known for creating and starring in This Way Up. Her sets mix rapid wit with real warmth, making her a strong fit for audiences who want sharp material without any cruelty behind it.
Sindhu Vee
Sindhu Vee left a career in finance for stand-up in her forties and built a following fast, mining family life, culture clash, and parenting for material that's as precise as it is funny. She's toured internationally and appeared on Live at the Apollo and Taskmaster.
Rosie Jones
Rosie Jones writes stand-up that's unflinching about disability, dating, and Britishness, using her cerebral palsy as material on her own terms. She's a familiar face from Mock the Week and The Last Leg and brings that same directness to corporate audiences.
Suzi Ruffell
Suzi Ruffell built her reputation on stand-up about class, family, and growing up in Portsmouth, turning ordinary experience into material that lands with almost any audience. She's toured the UK repeatedly with sold-out solo shows and remains a regular on the festival circuit.
Judi Love
Judi Love brings high energy and warmth to everything she does, from stand-up to her regular spot on Loose Women, drawing on Caribbean heritage and family life for material that's as generous as it is funny. She's a strong choice for events that want comedy with real heart.
Zoe Lyons
Zoe Lyons has been a fixture of the UK circuit for two decades, known for dry, self-deprecating stand-up and a natural ease hosting live audiences. She's a regular on Mock the Week and The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice.
Connect With Comedy Performers
These women have brightened up our lives, but do yourselves a favour and don’t take our word for it: check out their profiles and share the mirth. Their talents extend beyond stand-up, so don’t be shy about enquiring about getting them to set the mood for your corporate event or team function. Looking for something adjacent to comedy? Our guides to award ceremony hosts and inspiring female speakers cover more of the roster.
😂 Would you like to book a corporate comedy act to liven up your next event? Let us know, and we’ll find the perfect one to fit your organisation and needs. Email hello@getapeptalk.com or send us a message via chat. You can also call us on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US). Remember, it’s always a good time to get a PepTalk!
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