BBC Radio4 Woman’s Hour is searching for the 100 most powerful women in the UK with their Power List. The fabulous Viv Groskop, Funny Women Finalist 2012, met with Woman’s Hour judge, Dawn Porter, to discuss the link between power and humour and proposed some of the big names such as Sarah Millican, French & Saunders and Jo Brand. In anticipation of the Woman’s Hour Power List we asked for your nominations.
After much heated discussions at Funny Women towers, the team have selected the following ladies (in no particular order) for our Comedy Power List:
Miranda Hart – comedy writer/performer
With the third series of her sitcom, Miranda, currently hitting our screens on BBC1, her literary feast, Is It Just Me?, under her belt and a 2014 arena tour coming up, Miranda Hart has stormed the comedy world. Bringing an old school style of comedy to a new generation she has gained a massive online following and has demonstrated her ability to get things trending on Twitter in a heartbeat (*groan*).
Hannah Chambers – agent
With the cream of the comedy talent crop under her management, Hannah Chambers has racked up 15 years in the comedy management arena. With an aim to develop the very best talent in the comedy and entertainment industry, Hannah makes the cut as she has managed 2011's Queen of comedy, Sarah Millican and 2012's King of Comedy, Jack Whitehall, as well as steering the career of Jimmy Carr.
Lucy Lumsden – head of Sky Comedy
Lucy is the first Head of Comedy for satellite channel Sky 1, and was previously the BBC Head of Comedy Commissioning. Lucy is definitely one of the UKs most prolific and inspired comedy commissioners, having been with the BBC for 11 years, and now spearheading Sky 1's move into the comedy genre. In December 2010 she launched Little Crackers, a series of autobiographical comedy shorts written by some of our greatest comedy performers. She has also commissioned, among others, Stella, Hunderby, Trollied, and Moone Boy.
Emma Freud – comedy producer/director
Working alongside the fantastic Richard Curtis, Freud has worked as script editor on many great comedy shows and films. She is most notable for her tireless efforts as director of Red Nose Day for Comic Relief. Who else could persuade pop icon, Jessie J, to shave her head for this year’s Comic Relief?
Sharon Horgan – comedy writer/performer
A fanastic sitcom writer and comedy actress, Horgan was a popular choice in the Funny Women team. Horgan has championed female comedy actresses (Susan Calman, Aisling Bea, Lizzie Roper, Ashley McGuire, Golda Rosheuvel to name a few) with her sitcom, Dead Boss, which she co-wrote with Holly Walsh, finalist in the Funny Women Awards 2006.
Julia Davies – comedy writer/performer
Julia is a leading name in the uniquely dark comedy which Britain specialises in. In 2004, Julia wrote and starred in the highly acclaimed Nighty Night, and has come a long way since starring in Big Train, Brass Eye, Jam, and Nathan Barley (but thematically, not that far!) With her new sitcom, Hunderby, which she created, wrote and starred in, storming the 2012 British Comedy Awards and winning Best Sitcom and Best New Comedy Programme.
Other hotly contested names included: Caitlin Moran, Josie Long, Sue Perkins, Emma Kennedy, Olivia Coleman, Caroline Raphael, Joanna Lumley, Victoria Wood and Sandi Toksvig
This list is far from definitive, which we see as a positive thing, as there are so many powerful women out there in the world of comedy.
Pictured: top to bottom, Emma Freud, Miranda Hart, (left to right) Sharon Horgan, Olivia Coleman and Julia Davis in Bad Sugar
Hannah Moulder
