Jo Brand

Jo Brand began her career as a stand-up comedian who delivered her routine--which spoofed popular culture, celebrities, and political figures--in a drab monotone with plenty of pregnant pauses. She eventually came to be known on stage as "The Sea Monster." Her earliest television appearance came with a guest spot on the "Saturday Live" sketch comedy program, a British version of the American sketch comedy show "Saturday Night Live." In 1990, she starred in the live comedy special "The Famous Compere's Police Dog," a benefit for Amnesty International. Soon after, she began making regular appearances on comedy series and specials like "Comic Relief: The Invasion of the Comic Tomatoes" in 1993, and "This Bloke Walks into a Bar." 1993 proved to be a good year for her, as she was made a regular panelist on "The Brain Drain," which had panelists giving funny answers to audience questions, as well as having her biggest triumph to date when she was granted her own series, "Jo Brand Through the Cakehole." She later made multiple appearances on shows like "QI," the Stephen Fryhosted comedy quiz show, and the political comedy quiz program "Have I Got News for You." Her most celebrated role came in 2009, when she was cast in the satirical sitcom "Getting On." Her performance as empathetic nurse Kim Wilde working in a run-down hospital earned her a BAFTA award for best female comedy performance, as well as a nomination for best writing.