John Kearns is an actor, writer and the only comedian to have won both the Edinburgh Comedy Awards for Best Show (Shtick) and Best Newcomer (Sight Gags for Perverts) in the awards’ 40-year history.
John was a breakout star of series 14 of Taskmaster (Channel 4) and is the co-host of Guessable on Comedy Central alongside Sara Pascoe and team captain Alan Davies. He was the lead role in cult BBC3 sitcom Top Coppers and has also appeared on shows including 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (Channel 4) and House of Games (BBC2).
An internationally acclaimed live act, John has delivered his ‘richly, idiosyncratic comedy’ (The Guardian) across the world, and beyond his Edinburgh Comedy Award success, his shows have notably picked up three Melbourne Comedy Award nominations, and he was twice-voted one of the Evening Standard’s 1000 Most Influential Londoners.
John’s fifth stand-up comedy hour The Varnishing Days was his most critically acclaimed to date. It was directed by Olivier Award-winning director Jon Brittain, won Best Show at the Chortle Awards 2024 and secured his third Melbourne Comedy Award nomination. The show toured nationally and saw 4 sold out shows at the Bloomsbury Theatre in London as well as 2 sold-out shows at London’s iconic Royal Court Theatre. The show was also filmed and is to be released as specials on Sky later in the year.
Elsewhere across the airwaves John co-wrote and performed with Tim Key in Lasties (BBC R4), entertained the nation on Christmas Day 2019 with A Very John Kearns Christmas (BBC R4), wrote and performed his own series The John Kearns Show (BBC R4), co-hosts the Microscope podcast with Mat Ewins, and has guested on Tim Key Delves into Daniil Kharms and That’s It (BBC R4). John’s further credits include Pls Like (BBC3), Lazy Susan (BBC3), Drunk History (Comedy Central), Rotters (Sky Arts) and Harry Hill’s Stars In Their Eyes (ITV) as well as hosting and guesting on numerous shows throughout the Edinburgh Fringe (BBC R4/R4 Extra).
