Brummie comedian & writer, Karen Bayley is the first ever female winner of the prestigious Comedy Store King Gong Award. The same year she reached the finals of the BBC New Comedy Award & The Babycham Funny Women Award.

​A regular guest on BBC Radio 5 Live , Karen’s television appearances include The Last Word, Take The Mike, Sex On The Job and 100 Greatest Cartoons.

She recently completed an extensive UK and overseas tour, supporting Joe Lycett. Karen has also written for Joe on Celebrity Juice and 8 Out of 10 Cats.

Karen is passionate about sport, especially her beloved football team West Bromwich Albion. Regular radio appearances talking about rugby, motor racing and football led to Karen being nicknamed “Geezer Bird”. Not that she minded, in fact Karen embraced all that this entails in her hit 2015 Edinburgh solo show, whilst still aspiring to slap on some lippy and slip on some heels.

As an actress Karen is best known for her role as the Holloway Prison Warden in the multi BAFTA winning film LONGFORD, directed by Tom Hooper and starring Samantha Norton as ‘Myra Hindley’ and Jim Broadbent as ‘Lord Longford’. Karen is also fondly remembered for playing Paul Whitehouse’s ‘Goth’ wife in a series of adverts for Aviva.

Prior to comedy, Karen had a successful career as a primary school teacher and before teaching she worked as a professional dancer. Throw her a pair of tap shoes and she can still hot shoe shuffle!

“Karen Bayley is one the most consistently hilarious comedians I’ve had the pleasure of working with. She’s a sharp writer and an unflappable compere, able to cajole any room with her warm audience interaction and precise, intelligent gags. A truly hysterical professional.” Joe Lycett 2016

” I saw her recently and she blew my socks off. She doesn’t dwell too much on ‘lady issues’ she was funny in her own right ,she was brilliant , clever and she’s going to be huge.” BBC online

“Bayley’s material surprised with inspired and sparkling punchlines .. With comic timing that is rarely less than brilliant.” Steve Bennett  Chortle

“Warm, bright, funny.”  Rory Bremner