Jo Brand

Jo Brand is one of the most famous female stand-ups in the UK, renowned for her moody persona, unkempt appearance and large figure. Her humour can get a little wearing at times, when she sticks to her favourite pet topics of loving chocolate and hating men, but she has softened recently and is far more entertaining when discussing newer topics like bad parenting and getting older. Her style is razor-sharp and her sarcastic, lazy tones never fail to beef up the humour, though people have noticed her scathing views to have softened of late.

Brand worked as a psychiatric nurse until the mid-1980s (giving her all the tools a comedian needs), after which she began a career in stand-up comedy and acquired the nickname, "The Sea Monster". She was a pioneer of the British alternative comedy movement, working the clubs and appearing on the UK Saturday Night Live TV show. In 1993, her transition into the mainstream was realised when she got her own Channel 4 show: Jo Brand Through the Cakehole. She has since appeared on many TV shows including Have I Got News For You, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, QI and What Not To Wear. She is married with two children, despite assumptions she was a lesbian for several years.