Talent

Ian Smith

About Ian

As seen on Live at the Apollo

Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show Nominee 2023

Ian Smith is a multi-award winning comedian, actor and writer set to appear on the forthcoming series of Live at the Apollo.

He’s a regular on BBC Radio 4’s The News Quiz, which he guest hosted this year - and has appeared on The Now Show, Just A Minute, The Ultimate Choice, One Person Found This Helpful as well as his own Radio 4 stand-up series, Ian Smith is Stressed. He been seen on The Stand Up Sketch Show (ITV), Comedy Central Live and Sweat the Small Stuff (BBC3).

He is the co-host of the Northern News podcast, alongside Amy Gledhill - featured in The Guardian’s “best podcasts of 2023 so far”.

Ian’s 2023 Edinburgh Fringe show Crushing was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award, shortlisted for the (ISH) Edinburgh Comedy Award, nominated for a Chortle Award and runner-up in Next Up's “Biggest Award in Comedy”. His sold out run transferred to Soho Theatre, where its run was extended and followed by a UK tour and run at New Zealand Comedy Festival.

His previous Fringe shows have received critical acclaim, an Amused Moose Comedy Award, ThreeWeeks Editors’ Award and seen him invited to perform as part of Best of the Edinburgh Fest at Adelaide and Melbourne Comedy Festivals. In 2015 he was also part of the hugely successful, multi-award winning Fringe show, Richard Gadd – Waiting for Gaddot.

Ian is also a talented actor – starting off as a lead in BBC2 sitcom Popatron. He has gone on to tar alongside Katherine Parkinson in Sky comedy Officially Special and have a leading role in BBC1 drama, The Ark - as well as a number of supporting roles including The Emily Atack Show, Siblings, Pls Like and BBC drama The Syndicate.

Ian has written on The News Quiz, The Now Show, Newsjack (BBC Radio 4), Have I Got News For You (BBC1) and for various other comedians (including on Mock the Week). In 2022 he directed Amy Gledhill's Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominated show, The Girl Before The Girl You Marry. He currently has a sitcom script in development.

“One of the best you will see” ★★★★★ The Mirror

“Excellent, pure stand-up performed by a comedian at the top of their game” ★★★★★ QR

“Stories flow seamlessly from Ian’s brilliant mind. His tales are relatable, plentiful and downright hilarious” ★★★★★ Edinburgh Festivals

“Sheer brilliance” ★★★★.5 Chortle

“There are few fringe shows as purely funny as this” ★★★★ The Guardian

“An effortlessly brilliant stand-up” ★★★★ The Scotsman

“An outstanding and stressed-out hour of stand-up” ★★★★ Fest

“Turns incredulity into an art form, confirming his status as the undisputed sultan of nerve-shredding stress” Rolling Stone

Credits