Michael Van Peel

Michael Van Peel (born September 16, 1978, in Antwerp, Belgium) is a Flemish stand-up comedian, columnist, and writer known for comedy densely packed with jokes about current events, politics, and the absurdities of contemporary life. A commercial engineer by training - he graduated from the University of Antwerp before pivoting to performance - Van Peel made his comedy debut in 2005 at the encouragement of comedian Nigel Williams. He won both the jury and audience prizes at the Culture Comedy Award in 2007, establishing himself quickly as a sharp, reliable voice in Flemish comedy.

Van Peel became one of Flanders' most prolific touring comedians through his annual year-end shows, which he performed throughout Flanders for a decade. His 'Van Peel Overleeft' shows became an institution, summarizing the madness of each passing year through a rapid-fire barrage of topical jokes. The 2017 and 2018 editions were filmed and broadcast as TV specials. In 2018, Van Peel performed 'Brexit Schmexit', a live English-language set offering a Belgian perspective on the Brexit crisis, recorded at the Riches-Claires Theatre in Brussels for BBC World Service's 'The Arts Hour on Tour'. This crossover into English-language comedy demonstrated his versatility and international appetite. Beyond comedy, Van Peel is a passionate traveler: he has undertaken extensive journeys on a Vespa scooter and turned these into two books, 'Van Peel tot evenaar' and 'Nordkapp Stories'. He also writes regular columns for Belgian newspapers De Morgen and De Standaard. His latest show, 'Farce Majeure', premiered in March 2026 in Antwerp and tours Belgium through mid-2026, tackling themes of powerlessness, technological upheaval, and the feeling that modern life has become a running farce.

Michael Van Peel tours Belgian theaters regularly, with his 2026 show 'Farce Majeure' scheduled at venues across Flanders into the summer. Details and tickets are available on his official website at michaelvanpeel.be. Comedy clips and show recordings can be found on his YouTube channel at youtube.com/@michaelvanpeelcomedian.