10 books by UK comedians to tickle your funny bone

Comedians in the UK have always tried to test the boundaries of humour, shine a light on odd cultural norms, and have been instrumental in the evolution of comedy as we know it.

From Laurel and Hardy to Monty Python’s Flying Circus, from the alternative comedy of the 1980s (Ben Elton, Jennifer Saunders) to innovative comedy of the 1990s (Simon Pegg, Jessica Stevenson)- the UK has always been at the forefront of comedy as it evolves.

Many UK comedians currently have autobiographies or humorous non-fiction titles available in your local bookshop: here are our favourites from the most recent releases.

Sarah brings us her trademark mix of down-to-earth, dirty-as-hell, hilariously relatable stories from her own experiences. This is the perfect book for those of us who sniff the crotch of our leggings to determine if they are clean enough to wear for a fourth day in a row…

“Part autobiography, part self help, part confession, part celebration of being a common-or-garden woman, part collection of synonyms for nunny, Sarah Millican’s debut book delves into her super normal life with daft stories, funny tales and proper advice on how to get past life’s blips – like being good at school but not good at friends, the excitement of IBS and how to blossom post divorce.”

Get it here: How To Be Champion

Romesh shares his journey of being a Pontins Holiday Park talent show winner to becoming the “overweight, vegan, Sri Lankan comedian” we all know and love today.

“From the delights of Sri Lankan hospitality to his struggles as a child, teacher and now parent, to his adolescent flirtation with a rap career and his attempts to make it in comedy, Straight Outta Crawley is Ranganathan’s hilarious and irreverent autobiography.”

Get it here: Straight Outta Crawley

If you have ever been stuck in a boring or awkward conversation Richard Herring has come to your rescue with his 1001 Emergency Questions. Even conversations with your friends or family can get a bit stale so liven it up with conversation stimulators like: “Would you rather have pubic hair made of unremovable barbed wire or to be attacked by a rabid badger in your sleep once a week?” or “What do you consider your median achievement?” and kick start an interesting or enlightening conversation.

Get it here: Emergency Questions

“I’m a feminist but… I will ask my husband to buy me this book for my birthday…”

Deborah Francis-White is the comedian behind ‘The Guilty Feminist’ podcast (if you have not heard it then get on it ASAP), “exploring 21st century feminism and the noble goals and insecurities that undermine them.” Deborah has taken the mix of wit, honesty, and sharp humour from the podcast and packaged it up neatly within 336 pages of guilty feminism.

“From inclusion to the secret autonomy in rom coms, from effective activism to what poker can tell us about power structures, Deborah explores what it means to be a twenty-first-century feminist, and encourages us to make the world better for everyone. The book also includes exclusive interviews with performers, activists and thinkers – Jessamyn Stanley, Zoe Coombs Marr, Susan Wokoma, Bisha K. Ali, Reubs Walsh, Becca Bunce, Amika George, Mo Mansfied and Leyla Hussein – plus a piece from Hannah Gadsby.”

Get it here: The Guilty Feminist

A comedy great brings us this wonderful insight into what it was like honing his craft as a writer and comedian in the 1960s and 70s. Eric Idle is one of the familiar faces of Monty Python’s Flying Circus and has become one of the greatest influences on comedy as we know it.

“With anecdotes sprinkled throughout involving Mike Nichols, Mick Jagger, Steve Martin, Paul Simon and many more, as well as the Pythons themselves, Eric captures a time of tremendous creative output with equal parts hilarity and heart. In Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, named after the song he wrote for Life of Brian which has since become the number-one song played at funerals in the UK, he shares the highlights of his life and career with the kind of offbeat humour that has delighted his audiences for five decades.”

Get it here: A Sortabiography

This is something a little bit different for book lovers… Dawn French- one half of the comedy greats French and Saunders- brings us her diary, sort of. Fully interactive, with space for you to add your own bits and pieces, Dawn’s diary is warm, reflective, and packed full of wisdom.

“This book is a way for us to tell the story of a year together. Feel free to write your appointments in it, lists, thoughts and reminders of, say, who to kill, and when, and in what order. But I’ve also written about age and life as I see it, through the seasons and the months, and I’ve added some places for you to join me in some fun and some thinking. By the end of the year, I am hoping you will have a fatter, scruffier book that is written by me but totally personalized by you.

Come on in. The paper is lovely . . .”

Get it here: Me. You. A Diary

Another face from the comedy greats- Monty Python’s Flying Circus- is John Cleese. Cleese’s comedy prowess is well known- his decades of service to the comedy sphere can be seen all over TV and film- and now it is the turn of his academic talents to be celebrated.

“Professor at Large features beloved English comedian and actor John Cleese in the role of ivy league professor at Cornell University. His almost twenty years as professor-at-large has led to many talks, essays, and lectures on campus. This collection of the very best moments from Cleese under his mortarboard provides a unique view of his endless pursuit of intellectual discovery across a range of topics. Since 1999, Cleese has provided Cornell students and local citizens with his ideas on everything from scriptwriting to psychology, religion to hotel management, and wine to medicine.”

Get it here: The Cornell Years

The wonderful Susan Calman brought us a book a few years back aimed at helping readers understand depression and now she is back to remind us to be kinder humans. Sometimes the world is harsh- let’s add a sprinkle of hope for humanity eh?

“These are extremely difficult and confusing times – people are cross and shouty. It’s exhausting! But more than anything, people like Susan, people who don’t hate other people, are apologising for the way that they think. Susan wants to make sure that they don’t. That it’s ok to love people, that kindness is something wonderful and brilliant and to bring on the joy.”

Get it here: Sunny Side Up

Adam Hills is fast becoming an honorary Brit. We realise he is not technically from the UK but, hey, we have adopted him now ok? His brand of open-minded, big-hearted comedy, as seen on The Last Leg on Ch4 is much needed these days.

“Taking us from the early days of the Sydney Stand Up scene to hosting his own radio show, touring the world and eventually landing on British TV, Best Foot Forward is a story of a life in comedy. Along the way Adam shares some childhood tales, a few backstage blunders and encounters some fairly famous faces – the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Connolly, and that guy who sang The Macarena. Yes, him. This is an utterly hilarious and honest collection of stories about Adam’s ups and downs in the world of comedy. It’s a lesson in following your heart, being positive and discovering that what makes you different also makes you unique.”

Get it here: Best Foot Forward

James Acaster has been on the comedy scene for a decade now, and his brand of cheeky, laugh-out-loud comedy has had him perform at Edinburgh Festival, and appear on many UK comedy panel shows.

“Whether it’s disappointing a skydiving instructor mid-flight, hiding from thugs in a bush wearing a bright red dress, or annoying the Kettering Board Games club, a didgeridoo-playing conspiracy theorist and some bemused Christians, James is always finding new ways to embarrass himself.

Appearing on Josh Widdicombe’s radio show to recount these stories, the feature was christened ‘James Acaster’s classic scrapes’. Here, in his first book, James recounts these tales (including never-before-heard stories) along with self-penned drawings, in all their glorious stupidity.”

Get it here: Classic Scrapes