Sophie Willan

Sophie Willan (born 1987/1988) is a British actress, narrator, writer and comedian.

Sophie Willan
Born1987/1988 (age 32–33)[1]
Bolton, England
NationalityBritish
OccupationComedian, actress, narrator and writer
Known forAlma's Not Normal
Websitehttp://www.sophiewillan.com

Early life

Willan was born and grew up in Bolton, and spent time in care as a child,[2][3] as her mother was a heroin addict.[4] She later worked as an escort, and sex work was chronicled in her stand-up show Branded.[4]

Comedy

Willan's stand up takes inspiration from her unusual life experiences. In 2015 she won the Magners New Comedian of the Year award.

In 2016 she took her debut stand-up series On Record, based on her experiences of growing up in and out of the care system, to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. A nationwide tour followed in 2017, including 10 dates at London's Soho Theatre and a commission to adapt the show into a BBC Radio 4 series, with a second series being greenlit.

Her second show Branded[5] was at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2017, receiving a Herald Angel Award and a nomination for Best Show.

Television

Willan is the narrator of Channel 4’s The Circle and joined the cast of Still Open All Hours (BBC One) and Click & Collect (BBC One). She protrayed Carol in Series 4 of sketch show Class Dismissed (CBBC) and has performed comedy on Live from The Comedy Store[6] (Comedy Central) As Yet Untitled (Dave) and The Last Leg Correspondents (C4).[7]

She has also been nominated as a Chortle Best Newcomer, honoured on the BBC New Talent Hot List and became the first recipient of the BBC’s Caroline Aherne Comedy Bursary.[8] She was a South Bank Sky Arts Award Best Breakthrough Nominee in 2018.[9]

In 2020 Willan's sitcom Alma's Not Normal was commissioned for a full series by BBC Two, following the success of the pilot. The Mirror called it ‘Phoenix Nights meets Fleabag, guided by the spirit of Victoria Wood’;[10] The Times said, ‘Willan's writing is skilled and clearly very personal...uplifting and strangely enchanting’.[11] The full series is due be released in 2021.

Care Work

In 2015 Willan secured funding of over £100k to create the multi-platform literary project Stories of Care, creating and curating short stories written by fellow care leavers. The project recruited Care Leavers across the North West to take part in the creation of published children's anthology for looked-after children.[12]

References
  1. "Sophie Willan, Edinburgh Festival review: Frank and extremely funny". standard.co.uk. 22 August 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  2. Logan, Brian (26 April 2017). "Sophie Willan review – tales of neglect and addiction told with good cheer". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  3. "Comedy review: Sophie Willan: On Record". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  4. "Comedy review: Sophie Willan: Branded". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  5. "Comedy review: Sophie Willan: Branded". www.scotsman.com.
  6. "Lee Nelson introduces the very best of comedy talent from the legendary Comedy Store in London; the fabulous Sophie Willan, the hilarious Stephen Bailey and from Denmark the magnificent Sofie Hagen".
  7. Guide, British Comedy. "The Last Leg: Correspondents cast and crew credits". British Comedy Guide.
  8. "Bolton comedian Sophie Willan has been named as the first winner of the BBC's Caroline Aherne Bursary".
  9. Bennett, Steve. "Sophie Willan up for breakthrough award". www.chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  10. "Ian Hyland - On last night's telly". The Mirror. 8 April 2020.
  11. "The Times". What’s on TV and radio tonight: Tuesday, April 7.
  12. "Looked After Children". NSPCC.
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