Biography

David O'Doherty is an Irish comedian, musician, actor and playwright who won the if.comedy award in 2008 and Best International Comedian at the 2014 Sydney Comedy Festival. He is well known for combining a relaxed, easygoing style of comedy with tunes played on a miniature electronic keyboard.


O'Doherty's career kicked off in 1998 at Dublin's Comedy Cellar, and the year later he won the Channel 4 So You're Think You're Funny competition at the Edinburgh fringe and was a finalist in the BBC New Comedy Awards that same year. Soon his first full show, The Story Of The Boy Who Saved Comedy, was nominated for the Perrier Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Fringe. Since then he has been a well-loved regular the Festival. He has also toured Ireland with Tommy Tiernan, the UK with Rich Hall, and the US with Demetri Martin.

In 2006 and 2008 he performed as part of Honourable Men of Art[I] at the Fringe, along with comedians Daniel Kitson, Andy Zaltzman, John Oliver, and Alun Cochrane. His comedic and musical appearances on panel shows such as 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown are well-loved, especially because he regularly interacts in amusing ways with presenters Susie Dent and Rachel Riley.

O'Doherty has also built up an extensive back catalogue of newspaper and magazine articles, and has also penned two plays, two books, and a radio series. What is more, he has released four live musical albums, with titles like [I]Giggle Me Timbers (or Jokes Ahoy!), which was recorded in front of 35 people in his studio apartment, and We Are Not The Champions.