John Kearns | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Kearns performing at the 2025Edinburgh Festival Fringe | |
| Born | (1987-04-10)10 April 1987 (age 38) |
| Alma mater | University of East Anglia (BA) |
| Comedy career | |
| Medium | Stand-up comedy |
| Website | johnkearnscomedy |
John Kearns (born 10 April 1987) is anEnglish comedian and actor.
Kearns was awarded the Best Newcomer Award at theEdinburgh Comedy Awards in 2013, followed by the Foster's Edinburgh comedy award for Best Show in 2014, making him the first and only comedian to have won both awards in consecutive years. The wins are also notable for the fact both shows appeared onPBH's Free Fringe, making his 2013 win the first ever for a free show. In 2014, Kearns was nominated for three Chortle Awards, and in 2014 and 2015 he was nominated for the Melbourne Barry Award.
Kearns was born inSt Thomas' Hospital. Having grown up inTooting,London, Kearns was educated at theLondon Oratory School and theUniversity of East Anglia.[1] At university, he lived with fellow comedianPat Cahill and radio DJGreg James. In 2006, while at the university, he performed atTom Moran'sLaugh Out Loud comedy nights with fellow student comedians Cahill,Jon Brittain andJoz Norris.[2] Kearns, Cahill, and Norris returned to the university as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations in September 2013.
With Cahill, Kearns performed in the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe showDinner Party (produced by Fringe stalwartHarry Deansway) and again at the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe as part of the Pleasance Reserve, taking the lead role of Peter in theWeirdos Comedy Club reproduction ofHook in December 2012.
From 2010 until 2013, Kearns worked as a tour guide at theHouses of Parliament.[3][4] He also previously worked at theNatural History Museum and theScience Museum.[5]
Taking its name from a list that film directorStanley Kubrick kept of titles in search of a script, the show was apparently written while on a solitary visit toBerlin, with the trip itself providing a narrative backbone.[6] This, his first solo hour-long show, was directed by his friend, playwrightJon Brittain, and made its debut atLeicester Comedy Festival in February 2013, receiving positive notices. The show was performed again at theMachynlleth Comedy Festival in May to a sold-out crowd. Kearns then took the show to the Edinburgh Fringe in August 2013. Performing as part of PBH's Free Fringe,[7] the show was very well received, culminating in a five-star review from Chortle's Steve Bennett and a nomination as Best Newcomer in theFosters Comedy Awards, which he won on 24 August 2013.[8][9][10]
Kearns' follow-up, appearing at theLeicester Comedy Festival asNo More Mr. Niche Guy, later becomingShtick, acknowledged the impact of his previous show's success on himself and his career. Directed again by Brittain and returning to the same venue that had hosted his 2013Edinburgh Festival Fringe run,The Voodoo Rooms, the show saw positive reactions from audiences and press, as well as anotherFoster's Comedy Awards win for Best Show. This win made Kearns the first and only act to ever win Best Newcomer and Best Show in consecutive years.[11]
In 2015, Kearns starred inBBC Three'sTop Coppers alongsideSteen Raskopoulos.[12]
Kearns has performed on multiple episodes of panel shows8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown andRichard Osman's House of Games, and he was also a contestant on the fourteenth series ofTaskmaster. Kearns is currently the assistant host ofComedy Central panel showGuessable?, which has run for four series.
Kearns lives in London with his partner and son.[13]
