Karen Dunbar
- Scottish
- Actor, writer and comedian
Press clippings
Karen Dunbar: Comedian on the influence growing up in Ayr
Karen Dunbar has spoken the influence growing up in Ayr has had on her career as she prepares to visit her hometown next week.
Emma Reilly, Ayr Advertiser, 6th November 2023Karen Dunbar - my cultural life
Actor and comedian Karen Dunbar is best known for her roles in Chewin' The Fat but is also a mainstay of theatre stages both in Scotland and England. Later this month she stars in Nae Expectations, the Tron Theatre's adaptation of Charles Dickens's classic novel.
Barry Didcock, The Herald, 13th October 2023Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award 2023 nominees announced
Scott Agnew, Paul Black, Janey Godley, Craig Hill, Kieran Hodgson and Susie McCabe are up for the inaugural Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award.
British Comedy Guide, 31st March 2023Karen Dunbar: 'I earned more from karaoke than first BBC series of Chewin' The Fat'
Scottish comedy favourite Karen Dunbar has revealed she earned more from hosting karaoke nights than starring in the first series of Chewin' The Fat.
Brian Ferguson, Edinburgh Evening News, 10th March 2023Paul Black brings a Hogmanay whodunnit spoof to BBC Scotland
TikTok star Paul Black writes, directs and stars in Paul Black's First Footing for BBC Scotland, part of a festive line-up for the corporation north of the border that also features the return of Greg Hemphill and Robert Florence's Queen Of The New Year and Ooh The Banter, a celebration of Scottish humour presented by Jack Docherty.
British Comedy Guide, 30th November 2022The Good, The Bad And The Unexpected gets TV pilot
BBC Scotland is to pilot two new television formats: The Remotely Amusing Gameshow and an adaptation of radio hit The Good, The Bad And The Unexpected.
British Comedy Guide, 2nd April 2022#CancelKarenDunbar review
Tellingly, the documentary puts 50-year-old Dunbar in front of a much younger audience, trying out a new routine (with the aid of writer Steven Dick) with all she's been exploring about 'punching up' who owns the right to joke about certain topics. And you know what she makes them laugh - mostly - without losing her grit to some imagined liberal soppiness. It's almost as if you can actually do comedy in today's climate without falling foul of liberal witchfinders - and without going into extremes of crass offensiveness. That course might be more difficult that before, but the message is that it's possible. And comedy's probably better for it.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 28th February 2022Karen Dunbar on 'cancel' culture and the changing rules of comedy
Over the course of our interview, Karen Dunbar will delve into complex and far-ranging subject matter - from outdated language and offence to the thorny truth about "cancel" culture - but, for now, the Glasgow-born comedian and actor is reflecting candidly on why she craves laughter.
Susan Swarbrick, The Herald, 19th February 2022Karen Dunbar: BBC right to cut sketches from comedy repeats
The BBC has banned clips from the Chewin' The Fat sketch show which mocked Japanese and blind people. Last month it was revealed that old episodes of the popular Scottish comedy series were being re-edited for repeat showings to avoid offending modern audiences.
Stuart MacDonald, The Times, 19th February 2022BBC cuts 'offensive' scenes from Chewin' The Fat repeats
Censors at the BBC have removed sketches from old episodes of the comedy show Chewin' The Fat to avoid offending modern audiences. The hit BBC Scotland comedy series has been re-edited for repeat showings.
Stuart MacDonald, The Times, 11th January 2022