Maisie Adam

English stand-up comedian (born 1994)

Maisie Adam

Adam performing in 2022

Born|

Maisie Elizabeth Adam

(1994-01-24) 24 January 1994 (age 30)

Pannal, North Yorkshire, England

Education| East 15 Acting School (BA)
Occupation| Comedian
Years active| 2016–present
Spouse|

Mike Dobinson

(m. 2023)​

Website| maisieadam.com

Maisie Elizabeth Adam (born 24 January 1994) is an English stand-up comedian.

## Early life

[edit]

Maisie Adam was born on 24 January 1994.[1] She grew up in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, with her parents Phillip and Jill Adam, and her younger brother Daniel.[2][3] Adam's mother used to work for Leeds Beckett University[4][5] and is the founder and executive director of the Louder Than Words Festival[6] in Manchester.[7][8][4] In 1999, Adam's parents were charged with felony abuse for leaving their two children unattended in a Florida hotel room for 45 minutes; they spent the night in jail before returning to England.[9] The charges were widely criticized for being unreasonable.[3]

Adam's maternal grandfather, Sir Lawrence Byford, led an inquiry into the failings of the hunt for the "Yorkshire Ripper".[10] Her uncle, Mark Byford, was Deputy Director General of the British Broadcasting Corporation and head of BBC Journalism from 2004 to 2011.[3][11] At 14, Adam was diagnosed with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.[12][13][14]

Adam attended St Aidan's Church of England High School in Harrogate,[15][16] where she was Head Girl.[17] She trained with the National Youth Theatre in 2010 and 2012[18] and went on to study acting at the East 15 Acting School in Southend on Sea.[19] She won a Laurence Marks sitcom-writing mentorship in 2015,[20] and graduated with a BA in Acting & Community Theatre in 2016.[21]

## Career

[edit]

A trained actress, Adam initially planned on acting and writing professionally.[20][22][23]

### Stand-up comedy

[edit]

After graduating, Adam did not have an agent and had difficulty finding acting jobs.[24] She moved back in with her parents in Yorkshire and worked various temp jobs.[7][24] This led her to try stand-up,[25] with her first gig at the Ilkley Literature Festival fringe on 13 October 2016[26][7][4] with a one-hour show called Living on the Edge.[27] In 2017, Adam won the national contest So You Think You're Funny for new stand-up acts at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.[28] Winning the contest led to her getting signed with an agent.[20]

Adam's first full-length Edinburgh solo show, Vague, was nominated for the Best Newcomer Award at the 2018 Edinburgh Comedy Awards.[29] In that year, she won the Amused Moose National New Comic Award.[30] Adam returned to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2019 with her show Hang Fire, which she took on a UK and European tour in 2019/2020.[20]

### Television

[edit]

Adam first appeared as a contestant on The Chase while she was a university student in April 2016.[4] There, she was eliminated by Paul Sinha in her head-to-head round with him.[31]

Following her television appearance as a comedian on ITV2's The Stand-Up Sketch Show in February 2019,[32] Adam has appeared on episodes of 8 Out of 10 Cats, Mock the Week, QI, Have I Got News for You, Would I Lie To You?, Richard Osman's House of Games, Roast Battle, and The Last Leg.[4][33][34][35] She portrayed punk singer Siouxsie Sioux in a 2018 episode of Urban Myths, titled "The Sex Pistols Vs. Bill Grundy".[7]

She has written for Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and in 2019 she was a writer on two episodes of Rob Beckett's Savage Socials on Channel 4.[33]

She narrated the reality show The Cabins, which first aired on 4 January 2021 on ITV2.[34][36][37] A second series was renewed and aired on 3 January 2022. In June 2022, ITV announced that The Cabins would not return for a third series.[citation needed]

In November 2022, Adam appeared in the new series of Outsiders on Dave. In December 2022, she was on The Big Fat Quiz of the Year as a panellist with Katherine Ryan.[38]

In June 2023, Adam appeared as a contestant in New  Tipping Point for Soccer Aid[39] with Brian McFadden and Sam Matterface, which Brian McFadden won.

In February 2024, Adam appeared as a contestant in Celebrity Mastermind alongside Michelle Heaton, Nihal Arthanayake and Aaron Evans.

In March 2024, Adam announced her biggest tour so far, entitled Appraisal. It began at Reading Concert Hall on 17 September.

### Podcasts

[edit]

Since December 2019, Adam has hosted a podcast, That's a First!, with fellow comedian Tom Lucy.[4][40]

In 2023, Adam became the co-host of Big Kick Energy, with fellow comedian Suzi Ruffell.[41] Having launched the podcast for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, Big Kick Energy now primarily focuses on the Women's Super League Season (WSL). Big Kick Energy has been nominated for a Sports Broadcast Award.

## Awards and nominations

[edit]

Adam has been nominated for or won several awards, including:[35]

* 2018: Winner – Amused Moose National New Comic winner
* 2017: Winner – So You Think You're Funny
* 2018: Nominee – Edinburgh Comedy Awards, Best Newcomer
* 2019: Nominee – Chortle Awards, Best Newcomer

## Personal life

[edit]

As of 2021[update], Adam lives in Brighton.[7][4] She plays for a football team in Brighton and is also a Leeds United fan.[42] She also took part in Soccer Aid 2023.

While in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, she cut her hair to a Chelsea style, which has since become her signature look.[43][44][34][45][46]

In December 2021, she became engaged to Mike Dobinson.[47] They married on 10 June 2023.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Adam, Maisie (24 January 2012). "Had a mint birthday, and drove to school like the pro driver that I am #18dontstopmenow".
2. ^ "Comedian Maisie Adam shares her experiences growing up with epilepsy in her new show Vague". Epilepsy Action. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
3. ^ a b c Downey, Mike (9 June 1999). "Once Again, Many Brits Think We've Overdone It". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
4. ^ a b c d e f g Hawkins, Si (12 July 2021). "Circuit Training 143: Maisie Adam is Making the Most of It". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
5. ^ "Trustees". Harrogate International Festivals. Archived from the original on 20 May 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
6. ^ "Programming Team". Louder Than Words Festival : Manchester. Archived from the original on 16 November 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2022. "The inaugural Festival will take place over the weekend: 15th – 17th November 2013, at The Palace Hotel, Manchester."
7. ^ a b c d e Cobley, Mike; Dessau, Bruce (3 November 2019). "Interview: Brighton-Based Stand-Up Maisie Adam's On Her Rise To Tour Headliner Ahead Of Show @ Komedia Brighton". Brighton Magazine. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
8. ^ "The Team". Louder Than Words Festival. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
9. ^ Marks, Cathy (6 June 1999). "'Child alone' parents face prosecution". The Independent. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
10. ^ "Ripper report police chief dies aged 92". BBC News. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
11. ^ Midgley, Neil (11 October 2010). "BBC's Mark Byford made redundant". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
12. ^ Donaldson, Brian (12 August 2018). "Maisie Adam: Vague". Edinburgh Festival. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
13. ^ Inniss, Tom (11 July 2018). "Interview with Maisie Adam". Voice Magazine. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
14. ^ Stone, Kate (19 August 2018). "Maisie Adam: Vague". Funny Women. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
15. ^ Chalmers, Graham (9 August 2019). "Much-missed Harrogate schoolboy Frank - top comedians tribute concert". Harrogate Advertiser. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
16. ^ Chalmers, Graham (9 August 2019). "Dear Reader - Everyone wants to help Harrogate + the nicer side of comedy". Harrogate Advertiser.
17. ^ "A Level Presentation of Certificates 2019". St Aidan's Church of England High School. 19 December 2019. Archived from the original on 22 January 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
18. ^ "Maisie Adam". Spotlight. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
19. ^ "Maisie Adam, Actor, North Yorkshire". Mandy. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
20. ^ a b c d Huddleston, Yvette (16 January 2020). "How Maisie Adam's climb towards stand-up stardom began in home county of Yorkshire". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
21. ^ "2016 graduates of East 15 Acting School". East 15 Acting School. University of Essex. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
22. ^ "Maisie Adam". PBJ Management. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
23. ^ "Maisie Adam: Vague". Chortle. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
24. ^ a b "Maisie Adam". NextUp. 24 July 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
25. ^ Ayling, Kim (24 October 2018). ""Female comedians are definitely marginalised" - An Interview With Edinburgh Fringe 'Best Newcomer' Nominee, Maisie Adam". Brighton Journal. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
26. ^ "Fringe Festival". Ilkley Literature Festival. Archived from the original on 7 October 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2022. "169\. FRINGE: Maisie Adam – Live Stand-Up Thu 13th Oct at 9:30 pm - Ilkley Playhouse - Wharfeside"
27. ^ "Interview: Maisie Adams". Exposed Magazine. 18 December 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
28. ^ Wolf, Ian (24 August 2017). "Maisie Adam wins 'So You Think You're Funny?' 2017". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
29. ^ "Maisie Adam | 2018 Best Newcomer Nominee". Dave's Edinburgh Comedy Awards. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
30. ^ "Maisie Adam". Amused Moose Comedy. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
31. ^ "Maisie Tries to Take £3000 Pounds Away from Her Team - The Chase". YouTube. The Chase. 7 April 2016.
32. ^ Bennett, Steve (28 January 2019). "The Stand Up Sketch Show". Chortle. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
33. ^ a b Maisie Adam at IMDb
34. ^ a b c Hannam, Laura (22 January 2021). "Maisie Adam on The Last Leg: The comedian's haircut the source of much derision!". Entertainment Daily. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
35. ^ a b "Comedy Artist – Maisie Adam". Mary Tobin Presents. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
36. ^ Colderick, Stephanie (4 January 2022). "Who is ITV2's The Cabins narrator?". WalesOnline. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
37. ^ "Who is The Cabins narrator? Meet Maisie Adam - the voiceover for ITV's new dating show". Radio Times. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
38. ^ "Big Fat Quiz: Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2022". 26 December 2022.
39. ^ @TippingPointITV
40. ^ "Podcast". Tom Lucy. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
41. ^ "Podcast". Amazon Music. 19 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
42. ^ Dessau, Bruce (18 September 2022). "Interview: Maisie Adam". Beyond The Joke. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
43. ^ Jones, John. "Soccer Aid's Maisie Adam and the story behind unique hairstyle". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
44. ^ Panse, Sonal (21 September 2022). "What Is a Chelsea Haircut?". Beauty Answered. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
45. ^ Peters, Alex (28 December 2020). "Former 80s skinheads reflect on the significance of their Chelsea haircuts". Dazed. Retrieved 24 October 2022. "Capturing many of the faces in the scene was photographer Derek Ridgers. Armed with a camera, in the 70s and 80s Ridgers found himself on the front lines of the subcultures that emerged during that time, compiling a definitive record of the kids defining the aesthetics of a movement."
46. ^ Dessau, Bruce (17 December 2021). "Maisie Adam: The rising star comic on her next gig, Live at the Apollo". Evening Standard. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
47. ^ Adam, Maisie (3 December 2021). "HERE WE CHUFFIN' GO". Instagram. Retrieved 26 February 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Maisie Adam at IMDb

Authority control databases: Artists |

* MusicBrainz

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*[m.]: married