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Ian Smith is an award-winning, and twice Edinburgh nominated comedian.
He has appeared on television shows including QI, Live at the Apollo, Have I Got News For You, and The Stand Up Sketch Show.
He is the creator behind several critically acclaimed Radio 4 comedy series, and co-hosts the hit podcast Northern News with Amy Gledhill.
With sharp insight and a warm Yorkshire charm, Ian is a standout host for regional events.
Ian Smith is an award-winning comedian, actor, and writer, who has been seen on TV comedy shows including QI and Live at the Apollo, and on Radio 4’s The News Quiz, The Unbelievable Truth, and his own stand-up series Ian Smith Is Stressed.
In 2023, Ian started the Northern News podcast alongside Amy Gledhill; together they scour the local news from the North to find the stories that listeners didn’t know they needed to know. The popular podcast was featured in The Guardian’s “best podcasts of 2023”, and was nominated for Best Podcast at the 2024 Chortle Awards.

As a stand-up comedian, his 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival show ‘Crushing’ was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award, shortlisted for the ISH Edinburgh Comedy Award, nominated for a Chortle Award for Best Show, and named runner-up in Next Up’s “Biggest Award in Comedy”. The sold-out run transferred to Soho Theatre, which in turn became a UK-wide tour that he then took to New Zealand Comedy Festival.
His previous Fringe shows have received critical acclaim, an Amused Moose Comedy Award, ThreeWeeks Editors’ Award and seen him invited to perform as part of Best of the Edinburgh Fest at Adelaide and Melbourne Comedy Festivals. In 2015 he was also part of the hugely successful, multi-award winning Fringe show, Richard Gadd – Waiting for Gaddot.
Ian is also a talented actor – starting off as a lead in BBC2 sitcom Popatron and award-winning short film, Bonsai. He has gone on to star alongside Katherine Parkinson in Sky comedy, Officially Special, and have a leading role in major BBC1 drama, The Ark, starring David Threlfall – as well as a number of supporting roles including Siblings, Pls Like and BBC drama The Syndicate.
His key areas of interest include modern life, podcasting, comedy, outdoor pursuits, and sport.

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers today to book Ian Smith for your corporate event.
An effortlessly brilliant stand-up show. ★★★★
Scotsman
One of the best you will see. ★★★★★
The Mirror
There are few fringe shows as purely funny as this. ★★★★
Guardian
An outstanding and stressed-out hour of stand-up. ★★★★
Fest
Ian was the perfect host for our awards ceremony. His northern charm really complimented the Manchester event, and he was able to tailor his material to suit our audience and suggestions. We received such positive feedback from our guests, I’d highly recommend Ian for corporate events, very friendly and a pleasure to work with.
The Mortgage Broker Awards