Sophie Willan
Biography
Sophie Willan is a British stand up comedian, actress and writer. Willan was born in Bolton in 1987 to a heroin addicted mother. Her early life was difficult and she spent time in care. She later worked as an escort, and sex work is chronicled in her show one-woman stand up show, Branded. She became the recipient of the first ever Caroline Aherne Bursary award from the BBC for 2017-'18 and has won several awards for her stand up, including Edinburgh's Best Newcomer in 2017. She narrates Channel 4 reality gameshow The Circle and is a regular in BBC1 sitcom Still Open All Hours, as well as appearing in festive comedy Click and Collect alongside Stephen Merchant and Asim Chaudhry. In 2021, BBC2 broadcast the first series of her BAFTA-winning semi-autobiographical sitcom Alma's Not Normal to critical and commercial acclaim. A second and seemingly final series was aired in 2024.
Movie Appearances
TV Appearances
The Celebrity Circle for Stand Up to Cancer
as Self - Narrator
2021
The Circle
as Self - Narrator
2018
Alma's Not Normal
as Alma
2020
Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled
as Self
2014
Taskmaster
as Self
2015
The Russell Howard Hour
as Self
2017
This Is My House
as Narrator
2021
The Weakest Link
as Self
2021
Still Open All Hours
as Ruby
2014
Comedy Central at the Comedy Store
as Self
2010
Late Night Lycett
as Self - Guest
2023
Victoria Wood: The Secret List
as Self
2020