Tony Cowards - Comedy Biography
Tony has been performing stand up comedy all over the country since 2004 and is originally from sleepy Suffolk but now lives in rural Wiltshire, where he sits around in his pyjamas, drinking tea, eating Jaffa cakes and playing with his cat whilst training as a world class procrastinator for the 2016 Olympics.
The Punosaurus
- The List
A quickfire joke teller (described by the List magazine as a “Pun-osaurus”) whose one-liners cover a wide spectrum of subjects, his quick wit has made him a sought after act by various promoters and clubs around the UK including The Comedy Company, Up The Creek, Downstairs at the Kings Head, CKP, Best Medicine, Komedia and many, many more; performing opening, middle and, increasingly, headline spots.
Tony’s likable 'everyman' character and wide ranging humour (which is mostly clean) means he is comfortable in front of any audience and is regularly booked to host comedy nights for the military (entertaining all ranks from squaddies up to top brass) as well as universities, football clubs, festivals and for corporate and after dinner work. Tony is also regularly used as an MC by many of the top booking agents and is renowned for his quick wit and superb improvisational skills.
As well as performing, Tony is also a prolific writer; his credits include material for the Comedy Unit at BBC Radio Scotland, "Newsjack" for BBC7 and he is also the principal gag writer for Bristol based Jack FM, as well as regularly contributing to "Viz" and featuring in "The Times" newspaper.
A beaut of a one-liner merchant
- GQ Magazine
In 2008 he co-scripted a series of popular Christmas podcasts featuring Tony Blackburn, Christopher Biggins and Lesley Joseph and has written several columns for satirical news website "The Daily Mash" and TV comedian, Mark Watson's football site, "Back of the Net". He also supplies jokes for several greetings card manufacturers.
Tony has taken his hour-long shows, “Festival of Football 1 & 2 and ‘Everyman’” to the Edinburgh Fringe, which were well received by critics and audiences alike. He has since performed them at several different festivals and football clubs and continues to tour with them across the country.
He spends more time than is strictly healthy trying out new jokes on Twitter and is scared of buttons.
Quotes & Testimonials
Tony Cowards is a great MC who sets the audience up perfectly, with a nice self deprecating manner.
– Jo Caulfield, Radio 4 and 'Mock the Week'
My favourite joke of the Festival so far was told to me by a Suffolk stand-up comedian and die-hard Ipswich fan Tony Cowards.
– Hardeep Singh Kohli, The Scotsman on Sunday (and BBC1's 'The One Show')
Tony Cowards is an easy going MC who puts the audience at ease and then hits them with killer punchlines.
– Richard Minnis, Out of Bounds Comedy Clubs
Tony Cowards got the evening off to an uproarious start, with our loudest crowd ever. Tony’s laddish, relaxed story telling style went down a treat.
– John Jacklin, Big Jack's Laughter Club, Reading
Tony Cowards as the MC skilfully whipped the full house into a state of rapture in anticipation of the evening's special guest
– Three Weeks, Magazine
