Zoe Lyons

Zoe Ann Lyons (born 3 October 1971) is a British comedian.[1]

Zoe Lyons
Birth nameZoe Ann Lyons
Born (1971-10-03) 3 October 1971
Haverfordwest, Wales, UK
MediumStand-up comedy, radio, television
NationalityBritish
Years active2001–present
GenresObservational comedy
Notable works and rolesMock the Week
Survivor
Websitewww.zoelyons.co.uk

Early and personal life

Lyons was born to an Irish father and an English mother in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Her family soon moved to Ireland, where she attended a Catholic primary school in Dunmore East in County Waterford.[2] The family then moved to Clonmel, County Tipperary,[3] to Epsom, Surrey, when Lyons was nine,[4] and then to Glasgow.

Her first job was in a jam factory in Glasgow.[5][6][7] Lyons lives in Brighton with her wife Sindy, a nurse, originally from the Netherlands, who is 14 years her senior. The two met whilst on holiday in Greece, through mutual friends.[8][9]

Career

Lyons graduated from the University of York in 1992 with a degree in psychology.[10] Soon making the decision to become a performer, she moved to London, and trained at The Poor School, thereafter working as a waitress while seeking acting roles and attending stand-up comedy performances.[3]

She appeared on the ITV reality game show Survivor in 2001, in its first series, and was the 11th of the 14 contestants to be voted out of the competition. She was voted out after two members of her Ular tribe alliance (Richard and Jackie) aligned with the eventual winner, Charlotte, to vote against her. She was voted out in a countback tie-breaker - where votes cast during previous episodes come into play.

In 2004 Lyons won the Funny Women Awards. Since then, she has toured the UK stand-up circuit, as well as playing regular gigs in London and Brighton. In 2007, her debut solo show, "Fight or Flight", was nominated for the best newcomer award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 2008, her second solo show, "Mangled Mantra of the Messed up Modern Mind", featured a joke which was awarded digital television channel Dave's Joke of the Fringe.

Lyons featured in The Independent's tenth annual "Pink List" for 2009, detailing the 101 most influential lesbian and gay people in Britain. Lyons was placed at number 81.[11]

In 2011 as part of her second international tour, Lyons was invited to perform "Clownbusting" at the Melbourne Comedy Festival in Australia. Reviews were favourable, with a critic from Australian Stage reporting: "I have renewed faith in stand-up comedy after seeing UK comedian Zoe Lyons. 'Clownbusting' is a magnificently written and delivered show which holds from start to finish".[12]

Television and radio
Lyons holding Amnesty International placards in 2013

Lyons' television credits include appearances on Mock the Week,[13] Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, The Paul O'Grady Show, The Wright Stuff (as a regular guest panellist), Room 101, Dave's One Night Stand and QI.

Her radio appearances have included Clive Anderson's Chat Room (BBC Radio 2), PMQ with Andy Parsons (BBC Radio 4), 4 Stands Up (BBC Radio 4), The Jon Richardson Show (BBC 6 Music), The Christian O'Connell Solution (BBC Radio 5 Live), and Jo Caulfield Won't Shut Up (BBC Radio 4).

From 2018, Lyons has appeared in TUI adverts on Sky One, alongside fellow comedian Mark Watson.[14]

In 2021, Lyons hosted her own teatime TV quiz show, Lightning, on BBC Two.[15]

Awards
  • Winner, London Awards for Art and Performance: Comedy, 2011
  • Nominated, Dave's Joke of the Fringe, 2009[16]
  • Winner, Dave's Joke of the Fringe, 2008[17]
  • Nominated, Best Newcomer, if.comedy Awards, 2007[18]
  • Winner, Funny Women Awards, 2004[19]
  • Finalist, ‘So You Think You’re Funny’, 2004[20]

References
  1. "Pop Up Comic". Zoe Lyons. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  2. Lyons, Zoe (26 September 2018). "Past". Zoe Lyons: Passport Paddy. Series 1. Episode 1. BBC. BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  3. Ganatra, Shilpa (28 May 2018). "'Were we being passport Paddies or was there a level of patriotism?'". Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  4. Fetherston, Sinann (30 May 2019). "Zoe Lyons: "Ireland has had such a transformation"". Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  5. "Happyness 2014: Zoe Lyons". whatsonhighlands. 16 May 2014.
  6. "First Up: Zoe Lyons". Leicester Mercury. 26 May 2015.
  7. "When Sally Met Sally :: Interview with Zoe Lyons". When Sally Met Sally. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  8. "Comedy Blog: Michael McIntyre and Zoe Lyons". BBC. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  9. "Manchester Pride Meets: Zoe Lyons". Manchester Pride. 10 November 2011. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  10. "Funny Woman". Grapevine. Alumni Office, University of York (Autumn 2005): 2.
  11. "British gay women make The Pink List". AfterEllen.com. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  12. "Clownbusting | Zoe Lyons". Australianstage.com.au. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  13. "Mock The Week - The Cast". Mocktheweek.tv. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  14. "TUI Holidays - Discover Your Smile". TUI Holidays - Discover Your Smile.
  15. https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/2021-01-25/lightning-quiz-show-start-date/
  16. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 27 August 2009. Retrieved 24 August 2009.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. "Festival prize for Winehouse joke". BBC News. 22 August 2008.
  18. "Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2013 - newcomers". Comedyawards.co.uk. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  19. "Funny Women 2004 | Funny.co.uk - UK Comedy Site". Funny.co.uk. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  20. "the UK's largest collection of comedians biogs and photos". comedy cv. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
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