Shazia Mirza

Shazia Mirza is a British comedian, actress, and writer, best known for her stand-up comedy and for her articles in the British newspapers The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph. Her comedy is said to push barriers, and as a comedian she is often referred to as 'brave'.

Born in Birmingham, England, Mirza was the eldest daughter of Punjabi Pakistani parents who moved to the city in the 1950s. She read Biochemistry at the University of Manchester and achieved a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at Goldsmiths, University of London. Before beginning her career in comedy, Mirza worked as a science teacher at Langdon Park School, where she taught Dylan Mills, now known as the grime pioneer Dizzee Rascal. She later attended Rose Bruford College, where she studied acting part-time while working as a supply teacher.

Beyond stand-up, Mirza was a columnist for The Guardian between 2008 and 2010, and has also written columns for The New Statesman and Dawn newspaper. She was a regular panellist on the Channel 5 topical discussion series The Wright Stuff and, in April 2007, presented a documentary on BBC Three called F*** Off, I'm a Hairy Woman. She has appeared in reality game shows including Celebrity The Island with Bear Grylls on Channel 4 in 2017, the Channel 5 show Celebs in Solitary in 2018, and SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2024. She was recognised as one of the BBC's 100 Women of 2013.