Omid Djalili Stand Up Comedian

Best known for his stand-up, Omid Djalili started at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1995 with his shows ‘Short, Fat Kebab Shop Owner’s Son’ and ‘The Arab and the Jew’. He returned to the festival in 2005 where he broke Fringe records with over 16,500 tickets sold. He was quickly picked up on by comedy broadcasters, leading him to perform on Comic Relief, ITV’s We Are Not Amused (2008) to mark Prince Charles’ 60th birthday and We Are Most Amused and Amazed (2018) for HRH’s 70th birthday.

His success meant the BBC commissioned him for an eponymous show, The Omid Djalili Show (2007-2009) in 2007. The show was a mixture of sketches, stand-up material and music, and would see Omid take a uniquely adult look at contemporary issues such as race and religion, and would go on to be renewed for a second season. His comedy shows have been so popular, he has performed in countries as far and wide as Australia, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Sweden, the US, and Qatar, where he shared a stage with former President Bill Clinton.

In 2007, Omid was voted the 60th best stand-up comedian on Channel 4 programme The 100 Greatest Stand-Ups (2010). He has won a number of awards including the EMMA Award, Time Out Award, LWT Comedy Award for Best Stand-up Comedian, Spirit of the Fringe Award, and the One World Media Award for his documentary Bloody Foreigners (2001). He was also nominated for the Perrier Award for Best Comedian, the Gemini Award for Best Comedy Performance of 2003, the South Bank Award for Best Comedy of 2003, the Royal Television Society Award for Best Stand-up, and the European TV Award for Blood Foreigners.

Omid Djalili Comedy Tours

Omid has taken his comedy on several highly successful national and international tours. He took his box office-breaking show ‘No Agenda’ on a 36 date nationwide tour in 2006, followed by ‘Omid Djalili Live’ in 2008 for 53 dates and ‘The Good Times Tour’ in 2021/22, a tour comprising of over 100 dates across the UK and Europe.

Omid Djalili Straight acting

Not content with sticking with comedy TV, Omid has starred in a number of TV programmes and stage shows including Casanova (2005) alongside Heath Ledger and Jeremy Irons, a role that won him an international film award for best supporting actor, Romeo and Juliet (2011) for BBC Learning and His Dark Materials (2019-). He was in the West End production of Oliver! In 2009 and Fiddler on the Roof in 2017.

In 2020 he started hosting the ITV game show Winning Combination (2020-), he was the guest host for Have I Got News For You (1990-), and was one of the main hosts of the Royal Windsor Horse Show in recognition of Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee celebrations. 

Omid expanded upon his comedy chops to appear in a number of popular and critically-acclaimed feature films including Gladiator (2000), The Mummy (1999), The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018), Notting Hill (1999), Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! (2018), Sex and the City 2 (2010), Over the Hedge (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean III: At World’s End (2007).

Omid Djalili Brand & Advertising Work

He is a go-to face for adverts, campaigns, judging and hosting opportunities, being the face of moneysupermarket.com in 2010 and a judge at the Noor Iranian Film Festival in 2008.

Omid Djalili Corporate Events Entertainer & Host

He is widely experienced in comedy and straight acting, stand-up, hosting and writing. He is intelligent and entertaining, hugely energetic and captivating, a real mixture of characterisations, cultural observations and jokes; available for intimate dinners, after-dinner speeches, corporate events and judging opportunities.

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book comedian and actor Omid Djalili to host your corporate event.

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