Meet award-winning, multi-talented comedian Rosie Wilby, whose credits include BBC Radio 4, The Guardian and Glastonbury.

Born in Liverpool, but now living in Brixton, South London, she was a finalist at Funny Women 2006 and the following year was named the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year.

She’s been touring award-winning solo shows and steadily building a word-of-mouth army of fans ever since. 

Rosie’s Radio 4 cv includes Loose Ends, Summer Nights, Four Thought, Midweek, The Human Zoo and Woman’s Hour whilst she’s also appeared at Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, Green Man, Larmer Tree and Latitude.

As a writer, her work has been published in The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Independent, and the New Statesman.

In 2014 she was a runner up in the Mslexia memoir competition and last year was the only UK writer selected for the 2016 LAMBDA writers’ retreat at the University of Southern California.

Her first book Is Monogamy Dead? was published by Accent Press on August 03, 2017 and follows her TEDx talk of the same name.

Edinburgh Fringe

She co-hosts Radio Diva on Resonance FM alongside Heather Peace every Tuesday and has presented for BBC Sussex and Surrey.

Her one-woman show The Conscious Uncoupling is currently running at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival until August 27. Click here for tickets.

My name: Rosie Wilby

My family: I’m an only child and always craved siblings. It’s something I write about in my book.

I like my home because… I’m close to Brockwell Park which is one of the most beautiful spaces in London.

The walled garden is a fabulous escape for reading and writing in the summer.

One thing I’d change about me… I would perhaps have started following my own dreams earlier.

Resilience

It definitely took at least until my mid thirties to stop feeling guilty that I’d found a somewhat alternative way to build a career and make a living.

In fact, it took until around then to start making a living. So perhaps that was the reason.

One thing I wouldn’t… my resilience and perseverance has kept me going in my career as a comedian even through challenging times.

Best holiday? Without a doubt, my trip to New York in 2013. I love everything about the city. I did some gigs over there which were great fun.

Worst? I had much very wet, rainy childhood walking holidays in the Lake District with my parents.

Fiendish

It’s a beautiful place but I just remember getting soaked all the time.

Earliest childhood memory? Probably a childhood walking holiday!

Favourite film? What a fiendishly difficult question! There are so many favourites including The Piano and Richard Linklater’s trilogy Before Sunrise / Sunset / Midnight.

But, because it resonates with relationship themes that I write about, let’s say Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I’m a little bit in love with Kate Winslet in that film.

Favourite writer? Again, that’s just so difficult.

Nonfiction, it’s probably Caitlin Moran. Or fiction, Sarah Waters.

 Favourite book to read with my children? Ahhh sadly I don’t have any. I occasionally try to get my cat Lily to engage with me while I’m reading.

Unpredictable

She did chew the corner of Amy Liptrot’s The Outrun recently.

Best thing about my life? The variety I experience in my work meeting different audiences and travelling to different cities, gigs and venues.

Worst thing? It’s financially unpredictable.

Star Wars or Star Trek? Oh damn, I’m not really geekily obsessed about either. Can I say E.T.?

What you don’t know about me? I have a degree in Electronic Engineering. I didn’t follow that career path, clearly.

My guilty secret? There is one of my ex-partners who doesn’t know she’s in my book. Her name is changed though and it’s all very respectful and even-handed.

So I hope it’s ok.