Kate Smurthwaite

Comedian, writer, political activist

British London, England, UK Sagittarius

Quick Info

ProfessionComedian, writer, political activist
NationalityBritish
Date of Birth09/12/1975
Age50 years
BirthplaceLondon, England, UK
Zodiac SignSagittarius

Latest News about Kate Smurthwaite

05/11/2026

Kate Smurthwaite told LBC that the allegations against Russell Brand are only the tip of the iceberg in comedy. She said that she is part of several WhatsApp groups for women in comedy that share information about men considered unsafe to work with. She suggested that hundreds more men in the industry have behaved similarly.

26/08/2026

Kate Smurthwaite was nominated in all three categories of the 2026 Malcolm Hardee Awards at the Edinburgh Fringe. The nominations recognised her plan to create a new show almost every day of the festival, based on audience suggestions from the previous day.

Do you like Kate Smurthwaite?

You can vote only once.

80% like · 20% dislike

Bio/Wiki

SummaryKate Smurthwaite is a British stand-up comedian, writer, public speaker and political activist known for political satire and commentary on feminism, politics and human rights. She has performed comedy since 2004 and has appeared regularly at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where she has hosted her own solo shows. She has written more than 25 solo shows since starting in comedy.
Notable Works
  • The News at Kate
  • Late With Kate
  • The Evolution Will Be Televised
  • Clit Stirrer
  • Evolution Revolution
  • Writing and performing a new full-length show each day of the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe (not Tuesdays)

Educational Qualification(s)

StudiedMathematics
InstitutionLincoln College

Career

Stand-up comedyBegan performing comedy in 2004 and has toured nationally and internationally.
Edinburgh FringeHas performed annual comedy shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe since 2005. In 2026 she announced a plan to write and perform a brand-new show each day of the festival, built from audience suggestions.
News at KateWriter and host of the online political comedy series The News at Kate.
Television and radioHas appeared on Question Time, The Big Questions and BBC Radio 4, and has written for Have I Got News For You and BBC3's The Revolution Will Be Televised.
TeachingTeaches stand-up comedy classes at City Academy in London.
AdvocacyVice-chair and media spokesperson for Abortion Rights UK.
PatronagePatron of Humanists UK.
Awards and nominations
  • ThreeWeeks Editors' Award (2013), for The News at Kate shows
  • BBC 100 Women (2014)
  • Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize nominee (2014)
  • Sitcom Mission Main Prize nominee (2015), for Do Not Resuscitate
  • New Voice Awards Test Card Award nominee (2021), for The News at Kate
  • Perth Fringe World Awards Best Children's Event winner (2025), for Evolution Revolution
  • Malcolm Hardee Award nominee in three categories (2026), for her daily Edinburgh Fringe show project

Style Quotient

Drag personaPerforms in drag occasionally as the character Milo Standards.

Social Media

Websitehttps://katesmurthwaite.co.uk
Gumroadhttps://ksmurthwaite.gumroad.com
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/Kate_Smurthwaite

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Worked in finance briefly before turning to comedy and activism.
2. A clip of her appearance on BBC1's The Big Questions became widely viewed online.
3. Toured Australia with adult and children's shows in early 2026.
4. Her past full-length shows are sold through her Gumroad page.
5. Has been a regular contributor to television and radio, with more than 2000 appearances across TV and radio.
6. Has published columns in The Guardian, The Independent, The Telegraph, The Mirror, Cosmopolitan, Stylist, New Statesman and New Internationalist.

Also born on 9 December

Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
Scroll to Top