Andi Osho
Encyclopedia
Andi Osho is a British
comedian
and actress.
In an interview for BBC Radio 4 Extra's 'MacAuley & Co' in 2011 at the Edinburgh Festival, Broadcast on August 16th 2011; Osho confirmed her age to be 38 on several occasions.
Osho was born Yewande Osho to Nigerian parents in Plaistow
, London
, England
.
Having previously worked in television production, Osho turned to acting in 2003. By 2006 she had decided to go into stand-up comedy. She spent a number of years working as a receptionist by day, while perfecting her stand-up comedy routine in the evenings.
In 2006, she starred as Alma in Dael Orlandersmith
's powerful drama Yellowman at Liverpool
's Everyman Theatre
. Other notable theatre work includes a critically acclaimed performance in the title role of Medea
(Barons Court Theatre, 2005), Amanda in Cigarettes, Coffee and Paranoia (King's Head Theatre
, 2005) and Zimbabwean exile Faith in the devised piece Qabuka (Oval House Theatre
, 2005).
Her television
roles include Lin Colvin in Casualty, Adeola Brooker in Doctors
, Dr Rogers in Footballers' Wives: Extra Time
and Angela Parker in Sea of Souls
. She has also appeared in Waking the Dead, EastEnders
and Night and Day and Russell Brand and Friends for Channel 4
.
Osho is also a playwright
and one of the founder members of the London writers' group, Vowel Movement. She has contribued to News Review at London's Canal Cafe Theatre
, and in 2008 she co-devised a scratch performance of the stage play Up The Café De Paris for the Pulse Fringe Festival. In 2007, she wrote the comedy CSI: Nigeria, currently in production for BBC Three
. She is presently writing a sit-com.
She has performed at various comedy clubs and festivals across Britain, including: Jongleurs
, The Comedy Store
, The Reading Festival, The Pleasance Dome, The Chuckle Club, The Leicester Festival (Summer Sundae), The Comedy Café, The Shoreditch Comedy Festival, Comedy Camp and Hackney Empire
.
Andi Osho won the 2007 Nivea Funny Women
award.
She co-hosted Tonightly
on Channel 4
and appeared in an E4 pilot, The Andi O Show. She has also appeared on Mock the Week
, Ask Rhod Gilbert
, and is a regular performer on Stand Up for the Week
.
On February 26, 2011, Osho participated in the BBC One programme Let's Dance For Comic Relief
, performing a dance routine to Michael Jackson's Bad. Despite positive comments from the judges, she did not progress to the final round after a public vote.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
and actress.
In an interview for BBC Radio 4 Extra's 'MacAuley & Co' in 2011 at the Edinburgh Festival, Broadcast on August 16th 2011; Osho confirmed her age to be 38 on several occasions.
Osho was born Yewande Osho to Nigerian parents in Plaistow
Plaistow, Newham
Plaistow is a place in the London Borough of Newham in east London. It formed part of the County Borough of West Ham in Essex until 1965.Plaistow is a mainly residential area, including several council estates; the main road is the A112 - Plaistow Road, High Street, Broadway, Greengate Street and...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Having previously worked in television production, Osho turned to acting in 2003. By 2006 she had decided to go into stand-up comedy. She spent a number of years working as a receptionist by day, while perfecting her stand-up comedy routine in the evenings.
In 2006, she starred as Alma in Dael Orlandersmith
Dael Orlandersmith
Dael Orlandersmith is an actress, poet and playwright who is best known for her Obie Award winning Beauty's Daughter and the 2002 Pulitzer Prize Finalist in Drama, Yellowman....
's powerful drama Yellowman at Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
's Everyman Theatre
Everyman Theatre
The Everyman Theatre stands at the north end of Hope Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England. Established in 1964 in a former cinema, it encouraged local talent and played a part in the development of new artistes and writers. The theatre was rebuilt between 1975 and 1977, and was closed again for...
. Other notable theatre work includes a critically acclaimed performance in the title role of Medea
Medea (play)
Medea is an ancient Greek tragedy written by Euripides, based upon the myth of Jason and Medea and first produced in 431 BC. The plot centers on the barbarian protagonist as she finds her position in the Greek world threatened, and the revenge she takes against her husband Jason who has betrayed...
(Barons Court Theatre, 2005), Amanda in Cigarettes, Coffee and Paranoia (King's Head Theatre
The King's Head Theatre
The King's Head Theatre, founded in 1970 by Dan Crawford, is an Off-West End venue in London. It was the first pub theatre in the UK. Adam Spreadbury-Maher became Artistic Director in March 2010 .-Background:...
, 2005) and Zimbabwean exile Faith in the devised piece Qabuka (Oval House Theatre
Oval House Theatre
Ovalhouse formerly called Oval House Theatre is an Off-Westend theatre led by joint Directors of Theatre Rebecca Atkinson-Lord and Rachel Briscoe in the London Borough of Lambeth...
, 2005).
Her television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
roles include Lin Colvin in Casualty, Adeola Brooker in Doctors
Doctors (BBC Soap Opera)
Doctors is a British daytime television soap opera, set in the fictional Midland town of Letherbridge, defined as being close to the City of Birmingham. It was created by Chris Murray; Mal Young drove its development, and Carson Black was the original producer. The first episode was broadcast on...
, Dr Rogers in Footballers' Wives: Extra Time
Footballers' Wives: Extra Time
Footballers' Wives: Extra Time is a British drama programme. A spin-off of Footballers' Wives, the programme aired on ITV2 for two series...
and Angela Parker in Sea of Souls
Sea of Souls
Sea of Souls is a BBC paranormal drama series, based around the fictional activities of a group of investigators into psychic and other paranormal events. Produced in-house by BBC Scotland, initially in association with Sony Pictures Television International, the series debuted on BBC One in the UK...
. She has also appeared in Waking the Dead, EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
and Night and Day and Russell Brand and Friends for Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
.
Osho is also a playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and one of the founder members of the London writers' group, Vowel Movement. She has contribued to News Review at London's Canal Cafe Theatre
Canal Cafe Theatre
The Canal Cafe Theatre is a 60-seat fringe theatre venue in Little Venice, London, specialising in comedy performances.-Location:The theatre is above the Bridge House pub in Little Venice, on the corner of Westbourne Terrace Road and Delamere Terrace, at the meeting point of the Grand Union and...
, and in 2008 she co-devised a scratch performance of the stage play Up The Café De Paris for the Pulse Fringe Festival. In 2007, she wrote the comedy CSI: Nigeria, currently in production for BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
. She is presently writing a sit-com.
She has performed at various comedy clubs and festivals across Britain, including: Jongleurs
Jongleurs
Jongleurs is a chain of comedy clubs in the United Kingdom. Maria Kempinska MBE established and opened the first Jongleurs club in 1983 in Battersea, London. In 1985 Maria then met her business partner John Davy, and together they built the Jongleurs brand. The company evolved into a corporate...
, The Comedy Store
The Comedy Store
The Comedy Store is a comedy club located in West Hollywood, California, at 8433 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip. It has a sister comedy club in La Jolla, San Diego, California.-History:...
, The Reading Festival, The Pleasance Dome, The Chuckle Club, The Leicester Festival (Summer Sundae), The Comedy Café, The Shoreditch Comedy Festival, Comedy Camp and Hackney Empire
Hackney Empire
The Hackney Empire is a theatre on Mare Street, in the London Borough of Hackney, built in 1901 as a music hall.-History:Hackney Empire is a grade II* listed building...
.
Andi Osho won the 2007 Nivea Funny Women
Funny Women
Funny Women is a stand-up comedy competition in the UK entirely devoted to women. It is the only UK Comedy competition that is Pay to Play charging performers to take part. It was founded in 2003, with the sole intention of honouring female comedians in a generally male-dominated profession...
award.
She co-hosted Tonightly
Tonightly
Tonightly is a British comedy entertainment show presented by comedian Jason Manford. It was part of the Generation Next project on Channel 4 and was shown late evening, every weekday. The series concluded on 22 August 2008...
on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
and appeared in an E4 pilot, The Andi O Show. She has also appeared on Mock the Week
Mock the Week
Mock the Week is a British topical celebrity panel game hosted by Dara Ó Briain that launched in 2005. The game is influenced by improvised topical stand-up comedy, with several rounds requiring players to deliver answers on unexpected subjects on the spur of the moment.It is made by independent...
, Ask Rhod Gilbert
Ask Rhod Gilbert
-External links:*List of at TV.com*List of...
, and is a regular performer on Stand Up for the Week
Stand Up for the Week
Stand Up for the Week is a British television comedy series shown on Channel 4, featuring stand-up comedy performances reflecting topical events. The show began in June 2010 with a six-episode series aired on Friday nights, moving to Saturday nights for the second series which began in March 2011...
.
On February 26, 2011, Osho participated in the BBC One programme Let's Dance For Comic Relief
Let's Dance for Comic Relief
Let's Dance for Comic Relief is a British television programme shown on BBC One, featuring celebrities performing famous dance routines to raise money for the charity Comic Relief. The programme is currently presented by Steve Jones and Alex Jones, who replaced previous host Claudia Winkleman in...
, performing a dance routine to Michael Jackson's Bad. Despite positive comments from the judges, she did not progress to the final round after a public vote.