Talent

Ian Smith

About Ian

As seen on Live at the Apollo, Have I Got News For You and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.

Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show Nominee 2023 & 2025

Ian Smith is a multi-award winning comedian, actor and writer who this year was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award for the second time.

He’s appeared on Live at the Apollo, Have I Got News For You, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and The Stand Up Sketch Show. Ian is 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 and his own Radio 4 stand-up series, Ian Smith is Stressed.

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 and runner-up in Next Up's Biggest Award in Comedy. His sold out run transferred to The Soho Theatre, before touring the UK in 2024.

Ian’s 2025 show Foot Spa Half Empty was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award again - selling out his entire run and receiving critical acclaim.

Ian’s previous Fringe shows have won an Amused Moose Comedy Award, ThreeWeeks Editors’ Award and seen him invited to New Zealand Comedy Festival and 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.

In New Zealand he has appeared on the prestigious New Zealand Comedy Gala (TVNZ) twice and the panel show 7 Days.

Ian is also a talented actor – starting off as a lead in BBC2 sitcom Popatron. He has gone on to star 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 writes 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

“He is a master at turning minor panic into full-bodied punchlines”  ★★★★★ The Telegraph

“Sheer brilliance.” ★★★★.5 Chortle

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

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

“Ian Smith turns incredulity into an art form, confirming his status as the undisputed sultan of

nerve-shredding stress” Rolling Stone

Credits