Tony Burgess is a Manchester stand-up comedian, comedy writer and actor who has spent more than 25 years working the UK circuit, building a reputation for sharp, well-crafted gags that The Times has praised directly. His stand-up sits alongside a substantial writing career, and that dual skill set, performer and joke-writer, gives his sets an unusually tight, well-structured feel that stands out on a bill. The Big Issue has noted his knack for finding the comic and the absurd in difficult situations, a trait that runs through both his live act and his television work.
Tony won North West Comedian of the Year in 1993 and was runner-up in So You Think You're Funny at the Edinburgh Festival, launching a career that has taken in television, radio and theatre alongside his stand-up. He played DJ Troy in the cult BBC3 sitcom Ideal, wrote on its first two series, and penned his own self-titled BBC1 sitcom The Visit. He co-wrote the Sony award-winning Radio 4 comedy The Nightclass with Johnny Vegas and Tony Pitts, and his play Fire Salad transferred from the Manchester Comedy Festival to full houses at the Royal Exchange Theatre. He has also written material for Steve Coogan and John Bishop.
That breadth of experience, as performer, writer and actor, makes Tony a strong booking for audiences who appreciate genuinely well-built material rather than just volume and energy. He has the range to headline a comedy club, anchor a corporate evening or hold a theatre crowd, and decades of writing for other top names means his own material is honed to a similarly high standard. Reliable, funny and always sharply written, he is a safe pair of hands for any event.