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Aisling Bea

Aisling Bea is an Irish comedian, actress, and writer known for her stand-up work and television comedy roles.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Aisling Bea is an Irish comedian, actress, and writer known for her stand-up work and television comedy roles. She created, wrote, and starred in the Channel 4 comedy series *This Way Up*, and has appeared on British panel shows including *QI* and *8 Out of 10 Cats*.

Early life and education

Aisling Bea was born in Kildare, Ireland, in 1984. Sources report that she studied at Trinity College Dublin and later trained at LAMDA.

Stand-up comedy

Bea began gaining wider attention as a stand-up comedian after winning the Gilded Balloon So You Think You're Funny? competition in 2012. Several sources describe her as only the second woman, or first woman in 20 years, to win the prize.

Television and writing

Bea is best known for creating, writing, and starring in the Channel 4 comedy series *This Way Up*, which brought her a BAFTA Breakthrough Talent award in 2020. She has also appeared in other comedy and drama productions, including panel shows and guest roles.

Awards and recognition

Her major honours include the 2012 So You Think You're Funny? award, the 2014 British Comedy Award for Best Female TV Comedian, and the 2020 BAFTA Breakthrough Talent award.

Key facts

  • She won the So You Think You're Funny award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2012.
  • She created, wrote, and starred in *This Way Up*.
  • She won the BAFTA Breakthrough Talent award in 2020 for *This Way Up*.
  • She won the British Comedy Award for Best Female TV Comedian in 2014.
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Canadian context

She is known to Canadian audiences through internationally distributed British and Irish comedy television, including panel shows and streaming-era comedy series.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Aisling Bea?
Aisling Bea is an Irish comedian, actress, and writer known for stand-up comedy and television work, especially *This Way Up*.
What is Aisling Bea best known for?
She is best known for creating, writing, and starring in *This Way Up* and for her stand-up and panel-show appearances.
When was Aisling Bea born?
She was born on 16 March 1984.
What awards has Aisling Bea won?
Her awards include the 2012 So You Think You're Funny? prize, the 2014 British Comedy Award for Best Female TV Comedian, and a 2020 BAFTA Breakthrough Talent award.
Where is Aisling Bea from?
She is from Kildare, Ireland.
What shows has Aisling Bea appeared on?
She has appeared on shows such as *QI*, *8 Out of 10 Cats*, *Taskmaster*, and *This Way Up*.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aisling_Bea
    Supports: Birthplace, career overview, *This Way Up*, stand-up award, panel-show appearances, *Taskmaster*
  2. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3201406/
    Supports: Birth date, nationality, awards, LAMDA training, So You Think You're Funny? win, *This Way Up* BAFTA Breakthrough Talent
  3. British Comedy Guide — https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/aisling_bea/
    Supports: Professional description as Irish actress, stand-up comedian, executive producer, and writer
  4. The Independent — https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/edinburgh-festival/aisling-bea-interview-the-prizewinning-comedian-on-growing-up-on-a-stud-farm-juggling-three-careers-and-making-the-leap-into-standup-10452549.html
    Supports: 2012 award, early stand-up career, birth place, acting/writing/comedy profile
  5. The Guardian — https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/sep/18/aisling-bea-interview-the-fall-jamie-dornan
    Supports: Trinity College Dublin, LAMDA, career overview
  6. The Movie Database — https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1423098-aisling-bea
    Supports: Alternative name form, pronunciation, nationality, screenwriting role