Katy Brand
Katy Brand

Welcome!  My name is Katy Brand. I am an actor, writer and comedian. Please take a look around...

August 2024

 

Katy wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of Richard Osman's international best-seller 'The Thursday Murder Club'. Shooting is underway, directed by Chris Columbus, produced by Jennifer Brody and Steven Spielberg's Amblin, and starring Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan.

 

February 2022

 

 'Good Luck To You, Leo Grande' has its European premiere at the 2022 Berlinale in Germany. It was later nominated for four BIFAs, five BAFTAs and a Golden Globe.

 

January 2022

 

'Good Luck To You, Leo Grande', a comedy drama feature with a screenplay by Katy Brand, directed by Sophie Hyde, produced by Debbie Gray and starring Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews. ('A gripping two-hander' - Variety).

 
-- Also this month, BBC Radio 4 have commissioned a full series of 'Influencers', a comedy written by and starring Katy Brand and Katherine Parkinson.

 

February 2021

 

As reported by 'Variety' and The Hollywood Reporter, Katy has written an original screeplay 'Good Luck To You, Leo Grande'. It will film in the UK in March 2021. It stars Emma Thompson, is directed by Sophie Hyde, and produced by Debbie Gray for Genesius Pictures. 

 

January 2021

 

Katy appears on 'QI' as a panellist on the hit BBC2 show.

 

October 2020 

 

Katy's latest book, 'Practically Perfect: Life Lessons from Mary Poppins' is published in Hardback, E-Book and Audiobook by HQ Harper Collins.

 

May 2020

 

The paperback version of 'I Carried A Watermelon', Katy's homage to Dirty Dancing, is published by HQ Harper Collins on 28th May, 2020. It was named as one of The Sunday Times Books of the Year 2019.

 

 

April 2020

 

PRACTICALLY PERFECT!  Following the success of her Dirty Dancing inspired memoir 'I Carried A Watermelon', Katy is writing a second book about Mary Poppins, called 'Practically Perfect: Life Lessons from Mary Poppins'. It will be published by HQ Harper Collins on October 15th, 2020.

 

March 2020

 

Everybody's Talking About Katy! Katy has joined the cast of smash-hit West End musical, Everybody's Talking About Jamie! at the Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue. She is playing the role of Miss Hedge until June 2020.

 

*UPDATE* Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, sadly this production of Everybody's Talking About Jamie! is now on hiatus until further notice.

 

Katy appeared on the BBC in Celebrity Mastermind. Her specialist subject was Dirty Dancing, and she took home the coveted trophy. Her chosen charity was Bowel Cancer UK.

 

February 2020

 

Katy appeared in Midsomer Murders on ITV, playing Jemima Starling in The Miniature Murders.

 

January 2020

 

Katy hosted the Writer's Guild of Great Britain Awards. She was described as a 'warm and witty host who kept the pace moving nicely'.

 

October - November 2019

 

KATY BRAND BOOK TOUR DATES:

 

Katy is going ON TOUR to talk about her book 'I Carried A Watermelon'. She will be visiting various bookshops and festivals throughout October and November, giving exclusive talks and readings about Dirty Dancing and her life-long obsession with it.  Check out all the dates below.  'I Carried A Watermelon' is out on October 10th.

 

WATERSTONES EVENTS

 

BRIGHTON, TUESDAY 15TH OCTOBER 19:30 https://www.waterstones.com/events/search/author/579051

 

BIRMINGHAM, WEDNESDAY 16TH OCTOBER 19:00 https://www.waterstones.com/events/search/author/579051

 

YORK, THURSDAY 17TH OCTOBER 19:00  https://www.waterstones.com/events/search/author/579051

 

GLASGOW, FRIDAY 18TH OCTOBER 19:00  https://www.waterstones.com/events/search/author/579051

 

EDINBURGH, SATURDAY 19TH OCTOBER 18:00 https://www.waterstones.com/events/search/author/579051

 

YEOVIL, SUNDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 20:00  https://www.waterstones.com/events/search/author/579051

 

 

BOOK FESTIVALS

 

GUILDFORD Lit Festival, FRIDAY OCTOBER 11TH 19:30  tickets.visitguildford.com

 

CHELTENHAM Lit Festival, SATURDAY OCTOBER 12TH 20:15 cheltenhamfestivals.com/Literature

 

BERWICK Lit Festival, 14:00  berwickliteraryfestival.com/event/katy-brand

 

SHEFFIELD Off the Shelf Festival, MONDAY 21ST OCTOBER, 19:00  offtheshelf.org.uk/event/dirty-dancing-and-me-katy-brand

 

WANTAGE Literary Festival, SATURDAY 2ND NOVEMBER, 19:30  wantageliteraryfestival.co.uk/2019-programme/katy-brand

 

LONDON, How To Academy, , MONDAY 4TH NOVEMBER, 18:45  howtoacademy.com/events/an-evening-on-dirty-dancing

 

LONDON, Twickenham Book Festival, 8TH NOVEMBER, 19:30  exchangetwickenham.co.uk/event/katy-brand-i-carried-a-watermelon

 

STROUD Book Festival, SUNDAY 10TH NOVEMBER, 19:00  stroudbookfestival.org.uk

 

TAUNTON Literary Festival, , MONDAY 11TH NOVEMBER, 18:30  ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/taunton

 

 

August 2019

 

Katy will be appearing at numerous festivals across the summer and autumn, to talk about her book, 'I Carried A Watermelon' - part memoir, part homage to Dirty Dancing.

 

UPDATE: 'I Carried A Watermelon' will now be published on 10th October, 2019.  You can pre-

order from Amazon.

 

July 2019

 

Katy launched a brand new comedy podcast, also starring Katherine Parkinson.  It's called Women Like Us, and has been attracting 4* and 5* reviews across all platforms.  You can listen here to all the episodes as they are released.  

 

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/women-like-us/id1471104909

 

 

Katy played Lady Edith in a new Radio 4 drama about the Bayeux Tapestry.  'Embroidering the Truth' will be to the airwaves coming soon!

 

June 2019

 

Katy's new radio show 'The Origin of Stuff' is broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

 

Katy interviewed Nigella Lawson for Penguin Podcast about the release of the audio version of her classic food book 'How To Eat'.

 

Katy was a guest artist on Midsomer Murders.  It involved a lot of blood and a lot of purple feathers...

 

February 2019

 

Katy announced that she is writing a book called 'I Carried A Watermelon' - part memoir, and part homage to Dirty Dancing, it promises to be witty, warm, honest, and accessible.  It will be published on October 24th, 2019, by HQ, an imprint of Harper Collins.

 

Katy became a judge for the first Comedy Women in Print prize, launched by comedian, writer and actress, Helen Lederer.  She is joined on the panel by Jenny Eclair, Allison Pearson, Kathy Lette and Shazia Mirza, amongst others.

 

October 2018

 

Katy filmed a cameo role in a new indie horror film, 'Paintball Massacre', expected for cinema release Spring 2019.

 

Katy continues her work interviewing top authors for Penguin Books Podcast, including Gabourey Sidibe, Pat Barker, Tim Peake, Colm Toibin and Viv Groskop.  Go to the Penguin Podcast website to listen.

 

'Grandpa's Great Escape' by David Walliams, adapted for BBC1, starring Katy as Miss Verity, has been nominated for a Children's BAFTA.

 

September 2018

 

Katy filmed The Pilgrimage: Series 2 for BBC2, a new prime-time commission for Easter 2019.

 

August 2018

 

Katy launches her new podcast, 'Lucky Bitches', interviewing Jennifer Saunders, Helen Lederer and Emma Kennedy, with many more to come.

 

July 2018:

 

Katy was the headliner at the Saturday night show in the Comedy Tent at Cornbury Festival on 14th July 2018.

 

June 2018:

 

Katy was delighted and honoured to be a judge on the highly prestigious Women's Prize for Fiction 2018.

 

The winner was 'Home Fire' by Kamila Shamsie.

 

May-June 2018:

 

Katy's debut play '3Women' enjoyed a sell-out run at Trafalgar Studios 2, 18th May-9th June 2018.

 

'3Women' starred Anita Dobson, Debbie Chazen, Maisie Richardson-Sellers and Oliver Greenall.  It was directed by Michael Yale, and produced by Eilene Davidson for Stage Traffic.

 

It premiered to wide critical acclaim and sell-out audiences.

 

'* * * * brilliantly clever writing' - New European

'* * * * a timely and important play' - Daily Express

'sharp and convincing' - The Guardian

'it has heart and lots of laughs' - Daily Mail

'witty and insightful - I really recommend this' - Woman's Hour, BBC Radio 4

 

'3Women' is available to buy from Samuel French Ltd.

 

April 2018:

 

Katy Brand’s Book Group - 26th April 2018, 9.15pm, Underbelly Festival South Bank.

 

 

Katy and guests discuss good books, bad books, childhood books and dirty books. It won’t stay highbrow for long... Starring Al Murray and Natalie Haynes as guests.


Tickets here:  http://www.underbellyfestival.com/whats-on/katy-brands-book-group

 

 

 

 

2017 News:

 

December 2017

 

Katy was honoured to be Team Captain for her alma mater, Keble College, Oxford for the 2017/18 edition of Celebrity University Challenge.  

 

The rounds were broadcast on BBC2 across Christmas and New Year, and saw Keble win over all, beating Reading University in a now legendary final.

 

October 2017

 

Katy was thrilled be cast as Miss Verity in the BBC's adaptation of David Walliams' 'Grandpa's Great Escape', broadcast on BBC on New Year's Day 2018.

 

August 2017

 

Katy's Edinburgh Fringe show 'I Could've Been An Astronaut' was at The Pleasance, 2-26th August 2017.


Tickets here:
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/katy-brand-i-could-ve-been-an-astronaut
 

Didn't make it up to Edinburgh? Never fear! Katy is bringing her brand new show 'I Could've Been An Astronaut' to Soho Theatre next month!
 

September 19th - 23rd 2017
£12 - £16

Tickets: http://www.sohotheatre.com/whats-on/katy-brand-i-couldandrsquo-ve-been-an-astronaut/
 

‘Intelligent storytelling' - Times
‘Brand has an innate ability to hook the audience and tell a great story enabling her to deliver a fun show.’ - Reviews Hub

 

May-June 2017

 

Katy toured her critically-acclaimed live show, 'I Was A Teenage Christian'.  

 

She performed 45 dates at venues across the UK.

 

2016 News:

 

August 2016

 

Katy premiered her live show 'I Was A Teenage Christian' at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.  It was critically acclaimed and enjoyed a sell-out run across the month.  It later transferred to the Soho Theatre, where it also sold out across the week.

 

'Laugh out loud funny' - The Skinny

'The church's loss is comedy's gain' - Evening Standard

 

And, as if that isn't enough, you can pledge to crowdfund the sequel to her novel 'Brenda Monk is Funny', which is called 'Brenda Monk is Famous' right here.  

 

https://unbound.co.uk/books/brenda-monk-is-famous

My book 'Brenda Monk is Funny' is available to buy http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brenda-Monk-Funny-Katy-Brand/dp/1783520345
My favourite character from my sketch, Caroline, having a bad day and in need of a 'little treat'...

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Hi there, thanks for visiting.  I am an award-winning comedian, writer and actor, known for Katy Brand's Big Ass Show, which ran on British TV for three series.  I have appeared in films, TV shows, radio programmes and live on stage.  I have also written for other people's shows and for magazines and newspapers.

 

My novel, Brenda Monk is Funny, is available from Unbound, Amazon and both good and bad bookshops.

 

My play, 3Women, is availble to buy from Samuel French Ltd.

 

Lots going on, so please do check back for regular updates.

 

So...maybe see you around...?

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