Anna Crilly
- 46 years-old
- English
- Actor and writer
Known for: Lead Balloon (Magda), Touch Me, I'm Karen Taylor (Ensemble Actor), Sorry, I've Got No Head (Actor), Party (Mel), Pixelface (Claireparker), Detective Sergeant Nick Mohammed (Ensemble Actor)
Anna Crilly is an English comedian and actor best known for playing the deadpan Eastern European housekeeper Magda in Jack Dee's BBC sitcom Lead Balloon. After beginning her career in a stand-up in the early 2000s, reaching the finals of the So You Think You're Funny competition at the 2003 Edinburgh Fringe, she has featured in the CBBC and BBC One children's comedy sketch show Sorry I've Got No Head, as well as her Channel 4' surreal sketch show Anna & Katy, alongside regular partner Katy Wix.
More information
- Born
- Friday 28th November 1975
- Nationality
- English
Biography
Educated at Kent College, Pembury and Middlesex University, where she studied performing arts, Anna Crilly] began her comedy career by finishing as a finalist in the "So You Think You're Funny" competition at the 2003 Gilded Balloon. After two successful shows at the Edinburgh Fringe the following year, she was offered the role of Magda, the deadpan Eastern European housekeeper, in the BBC sitcom Lead Balloon, alongside Jack Dee. For this role she was nominated in 2008 for a British Comedy Award as Best Female Newcomer, eventually losing out to Katy Brand.
In 2013 Crilly began starring in her own sketch show on Channel 4, Anna & Katy, alongside regular comedy partner Katy Wix. Frequent guests include Lee Mack, with whom Wix and Crilly also star in BBC sitcom Not Going Out.
Since her break-out role in Lead Balloon, Crilly has become a regular on TV screens, starring in BBC children's comedy series Sorry I've Got No Head, alongside Nick Mohammed, Mel Giedroyc, Marek Larwood, Marcus Brigstocke, and William Andrews. Moreover, she also appeared as "woman" in a series 2 episode of Ricky Gervais's comedy Extras as an extra herself.
In 2011 and 2012, she played a waitress zombie slayer named Claire Parker in the BBC One and CBBC sitcom Pixelface, which was a spin-off from the sketch show Sorry, I've Got No Head. An inventive idea, it focused on what computer game characters do in the spare time, when not involved in the online world.
Crilly has also played Mel Gatwick in Tom Basden's long-running sitcom Party[/y], broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 2010 to 2018.
Awards
- Chortle Awards 2008
- Best Full-Length Solo Show: Nominee
- British Comedy Awards 2008
- Best Female Comedy Breakthrough Artist: Nominee
- So You Think You're Funny? 2003
- Main Prize: Nominee
Credits
Year | Production | Role |
---|---|---|
2022 | The Train At Platform 4
|
Jocasta |
2022 | Unfair | Lizzie |
2021 | Common Ground | Janice/Allegra |
2021 | Ladhood - Series 2
|
Michelle |
2019 | Still Open All Hours - Series 6
|
Mrs Snaith |
2019 | Horrible Histories: The Movie - Rotten Romans | Flavia |
2018 | Party - Christmas Special | Mel |
2018 | Password | Celeste |
2018 | Still Open All Hours - Series 5
|
Mrs Snaith |
2018 | The Half | Actor |
2018 | Angstrom | Ensemble Actor |
2017 | The Rebel - Series 2 | Cath |
2017 | The Reunion | Mrs Hunt |
2017 | Witless - Series 2
|
Appraisal's Mum (Voice) |
2016 | The Rebel - Series 1 | Cath |
2016 | Witless - Series 1
|
Appraisal's Mum |
2016 | Spot Bots
|
Writer |
2015 | Hoff The Record - Series 1
|
Lucinda Young |
2015 | Celebrity Squares - Series 2
|
Guest |
2015 | The Architects - Series 2 | Sarah |
2014 | Hal - Series 1 | Sam |
2013 | Detective Sergeant Nick Mohammed - Series 2 | Ensemble Actor |
2013 | Anna & Katy - Series 1 | Writer |
2013 | Anna & Katy - Series 1 | Various |
2012 | Party - Series 3 | Mel |
2012 | Dead Boss
|
Gertie |
2012 | Walk On The Wild Side - CBBC Pilot | Various (Voice) |
2012 | The One... | Nurse |
2012 | Pixelface - Series 2 | Claireparker |
2011 | So This Is Christmas | Self |
2011 | Detective Sergeant Nick Mohammed - Series 1 | Ensemble Actor |
2011 | Coma Girl | Lucy |
2011 | Anna & Katy - Pilot | Writer |
2011 | Anna & Katy - Pilot | Various |
2011 | The Back End Of Next Week
|
Guest |
2011 | Cabin Pressure - Series 3
|
Linda |
2011 | Party - Series 2 | Mel |
2011 | Lead Balloon - Series 4 | Magda |
2011 | Sorry, I've Got No Head - Series 3 | Various |
2011 | Pixelface - Series 1 | Claireparker |
2011 | Not Going Out - Series 4
|
Counsellor |
2010 | Nick Mohammed In Bits | Ensemble Actor |
2010 | Party - Series 1 | Mel |
2009 | Nick Mohammed - Apollo 21 | Ensemble Actor |
2009 | Sorry, I've Got No Head - Series 2 | Various |
2009 | Nick Mohammed In Quarters | Various |
2008 | Lead Balloon - Series 3 | Magda |
2008 | Touch Me, I'm Karen Taylor - Series 2 | Ensemble Actor |
2008 | Sorry, I've Got No Head - Series 1 | Writer |
2008 | Sorry, I've Got No Head - Series 1 | Various |
2007 | Comedy Shuffle - Series 2
|
Writer |
2007 | Comedy Shuffle - Series 2
|
Guest |
2007 | Lead Balloon - Series 2 | Magda |
2007 | Touch Me, I'm Karen Taylor - Series 1 | Ensemble Actor |
2007 | My Family - Series 7
|
Researcher |
2007 | Comedy Shuffle - Series 1
|
Ensemble Actor |
2007 | Comedy Shuffle - Series 1
|
Writer |
2007 | Comedy Shuffle - Series 1
|
Guest |
2006 | Extras - Series 2
|
Woman |
2006 | Lead Balloon - Series 1 | Magda |
2006 | Time Trumpet
|
Ensemble Actor |
Psister Psycho | Henchnun |
Non-comedy TV and film credits may be found here:
Anna Crilly on IMDb