Simon Amstell is a Stand Up comedian, television presenter, screenwriter, director and actor, best known as a host of the television shows Popworld and Never Mind the Buzzcocks, co-writer and star of the sitcom Grandma’s House, and writer and director of the films Carnage and Benjamin.
He has performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009. In 2008, Amstell completed his first UK tour. He appeared at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal in July 2009. His entire run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2009 at the Bongo Club sold out. He took part in his second national tour in the autumn of 2009.
Amstell performed Do Nothing in 2009 at the Royal Court Theatre, raising money for their young writers programme.
In May 2010, Amstell recorded Do Nothing in Dublin’s Vicar Street venue for a November DVD release. In December 2011 and April 2012, it was shown on BBC3 and the BBC iPlayer.
In April 2012, Amstell performed at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
From May to June 2012, Amstell began his ‘Numb Tour’ in the UK and Ireland.
From 10 July to 9 August 2012, Amstell performed ‘Numb’ in New York City at Theatre 80 in the East Village.
On New Year’s Eve 2012, a one-off stand-up special performance of Simon Amstell’s stand-up show, ‘Numb’, which he toured to sell-out audiences in 2012, was recorded for the BBC at TV Centre.
In 2014, Amstell announced a new tour of UK and North America, titled ‘TO BE FREE’
In 2017, Amstell announced his third stand-up UK tour, titled ‘What Is This?’. It began in London on 22 September 2017.
On 19 March 2017, Amstell’s mockumentary Carnage premiered on BBC iPlayer. It is set in the year 2067, when the UK is vegan, and older generations are suffering the guilt of their omnivorous past.
In 2018, Amstell wrote and directed the feature film Benjamin, which premiered on 19 October 2018 at the BFI London Film Festival.
In 2019, Amstell announced the release of an hour-long Netflix stand-up special, ‘Set Free’, which premiered on 20 August.
In 2021-22, Amstell toured a new show, ‘Spirit Hole’.
In 2022, it was announced that Amstell has written and will direct a new feature film, Maria.
‘The undisputed king of the stand up confessional’ Evening Standard
‘Simon Amstell has a gift for taking a social norm and gently mocking it until it seems utterly ridiculous’ New York Times
‘No one zeros in on human comedy …. quite like Simon Amstell. He’s palpably having a great time. As indeed are his audience’ Guardian
