Josh Widdicombe
Turning the minor inconveniences of modern life into massive outrages.
2 specials · 2016–2022
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Josh Widdicombe grips the mic close and lets his voice pitch upward into a squeak of consternation. He builds his sets around the posture of an irritated man surrounded by the world’s illogic. A routine starts with a trivial grievance, like an overpopulated group chat or the opening hours of a local park. He then subjects this annoyance to agitated dismay. He rarely smiles. The joke relies on his stupefied expression while he treats a minor inconvenience like a major collapse of society.
Specials
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Josh Widdicombe airs petty modern grievances at the Hammersmith Apollo.
Universal Studios · 60 min
On stage
He occupies a comfortable tier of British comedy. Thanks to years on television and his podcasting work with Rob Beckett, audiences arrive feeling like they already know him. He fills theaters with crowds who want low stakes and heavy exasperation. He is the comic people watch to feel validated about hating their vegetable delivery boxes.
He actively avoids politics, admitting up front that his job is simply to complain. At his best, he finds a strange angle on an everyday topic, wielding a single word over and over until the sheer repetition breaks the room. When he works the front row, he easily falls into a rhythm of lightly mocking the crowd. The only drag on his momentum is when the indignation feels mechanical. Sometimes he works through a list of wedding conventions just to fill time, simulating anger about canapés because it is a professional requirement.
Fatherhood gave him a new set of complaints, replacing early material about flatmates with routines about baby monitors. The older he gets, the more his grumpiness feels like a natural state.
Turning points
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Debut Solo Fringe Show and Best Newcomer Nomination
His debut solo Edinburgh Festival Fringe show 'If This Show Saves One Life...' earned him a nomination for Best Newcomer at the Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards.
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2015–2017
Victory on Taskmaster Series 1 and Champions Special
Widdicombe won the inaugural series of Taskmaster in 2015 after tattooing Greg Davies' name on his foot, going on to win the Champion of Champions special in 2017.
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Launch and Phenomenon of Parenting Hell Podcast
During the 2020 lockdown, Widdicombe and Rob Beckett created the Parenting Hell podcast, which gained over 25 million downloads, spawned an arena tour, and became a Sunday Times bestselling book.
At a glance
Fans also like
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James AcasterCo-hosted the Dave comedy panel series Hypothetical with Widdicombe and frequently collaborated across early fringe shows and radio broadcasts.
Podcasts
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Parenting Hell · co-host
Josh Widdicombe and Rob Beckett share their tales of parenting woe and interview celebrity parents on how they are coping.
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Quickly Kevin, Will He Score? · host
Josh Widdicombe and friends embark on a tour of niche 1990s football topics and interview guest players and comedians.
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Archive of Pop Culture · host
Josh dives into the weirdest, wildest, and most unbelievable stories from the history of popular culture.
Also on screen
- 2012–present
- The Last Leg
- 2015–2017
- Josh
- 2016–2019
- Insert Name Here
- 2019–2022
- Hypothetical
- Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special
A clip to start with
Josh Widdicombe Doesn't Like Planes | Live at the Apollo | BBC Comedy Greats