Laurence Howarth


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Laurence is a comedy writer and performer with extensive experience in radio, television and theatre.

He has most recently been seen in COBRA: New Rebellion (Sky); Casualty (BBC One); Defending the Guilty (BBC Two); Cuckoo (BBC Three); and Home (Channel 4); along with Four Weddings and a Funeral (Hulu).

He was also a regular writer and performer on Tracey Breaks the News, playing characters including John McDonnell alongside Tracey Ullman’s Jeremy Corbyn.

Other television credits include W1A (BBC One), Back (Channel 4), Urban Myths: The Sex Pistols vs Bill Grundy on Sky One in May. Trying Again (Sky One), Come Fly With Me (BBC One) Miranda (BBC Two), Reggie Perrin (BBC One), The Wrong Door (BBC Three) and Hyperdrive (BBC Two).

After winning the British Comedy Award and the Sony Gold Award as one of the head writers of Dead Ringers (BBC Radio 4), he went on to write and script edit for the show when it transferred to BBC Two. He continues to do so for the ongoing radio show, which just won the Chortle Award for Radio.

Laurence was head writer and script editor on Look Away Now (BBC Radio 4), the sports comedy show hosted by Garry Richardson and also wrote for the multi-award-winning That Mitchell and Webb Sound and The Sunday Format (BBC Radio 4). He has also created two acclaimed Radio 4 sitcoms: Rigor Mortis, set in the world of pathology and starring Peter Davison, which ran for three series and Safety Catch, starring Darren Boyd as a reluctant arms dealer, which garnered praise and controversy in equal measure when it debuted in 2007 and had two further series. Laurence’s TV writing credits include The Armstrong and Miller Show (BBC One), The Omid Djalili Show (BBC One) and Alistair McGowan’s Big Impression (BBC One).

Laurence is also one half of the double-act Laurence & Gus, who have made four series for BBC Radio 4. Laurence & Gus have also performed several highly acclaimed shows at the Edinburgh Fringe and on national tours.

On radio, he was a regular performer on the Sony Gold Award-winning, The Jason Byrne Show (BBC Radio 4) and one of the core team on Look Away Now. He’s appeared as a panellist on The News Quiz and as a guest performer on The Now Show and has also appeared in Bleak Expectations, Giles Wemmbley-Hogg Goes Off and Jon Ronson on…(all BBC Radio 4). He contributes regular column pieces to both Front Row and Open Book (BBC Radio 4).