David O’Doherty is an award-winning comedian, author and musician.

David is currently touring his newest show Tiny Piano Man in Ireland, after another successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It was his 21st solo show at the festival. Having been nominated for best newcomer in 2000, for his show The Story of the Boy Who Saved Comedy, David went on to win the main Edinburgh Comedy Award in 2008 for Let’s Comedy. David has returned to the festival every year since, receiving widespread recognition and cementing his reputation as one of the most consistently funny performers at the Fringe. David has also performed stand-up around the world at festivals in Melbourne, Montreal, New York, Prague, Adelaide, Iceland and Wellington.

A TV regular, David made his stand-up debut on BBC2’s Live At The Apollo in 2017.
David’s other television appearances include 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Would I Lie To You?, Celebrity Mastermind, Richard Osman’s House of Games, The Great Celebrity Bake Off and The Alternative Comedy Experience. He has hosted Never Mind The Buzzcocks and made appearances on shows such as QI, Dave’s One Night Stand and Have I Got News For You. During lockdown, David appeared in Reasons To Be Cheerful With Matt Lucas. He also hosted his own series on Channel 4, Along For The Ride With David O’Doherty interviewing well-known faces on cycle trips.

David is also a successful author and has written a series of critically acclaimed and award-winning children’s books: Ronan Long Gets It Wrong; the “wonderfully daft” 100 Facts About Pandas and 100 Facts About Sharks (written in conjunction with Mike Ahern and Claudia O’Doherty); and the Danger Is Everywhere series.

Awards

• Nominee: Barry Award, Melbourne Comedy Festival 2007, 2016
• Winner: if. comedy Award 2008
• Nominee: If.Comedy Award 2006
• Nominee: Perrier Best Newcomer 2000
• Winner: So You Think You’re Funny 1999
• Runner-Up: BBC New Comedy Awards 1999

Television

• Rhod Gilbert’s Growing Pains (Guest, Comedy Central, 2024)
• Travel Man: 48 Hours in… (Guest, Channel 4, 2024)
• The Great Celebrity Bake Off (Guest Baker, Channel 4, 2024)
• 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (Dictionary Corner, Channel 4, 2013-2023)
• Celebrity Mastermind (Guest, BBC, 2022)
• Richard Osman’s House of Games Night (Series Band Leader, BBC1, 2021)
• Along For The Ride With David O’Doherty (Creator & Host, Channel 4, 2021)
• Question Team (Guest, Dave, 2021)
• Reasons To Be Cheerful With Matt Lucas (Guest, Channel 4, 2020)
• Dave Gorman’s Terms and Conditions Apply (Guest, Dave, 2019)
• Comedians Giving Lectures (Guest, Dave, 2019)
• Hypothetical (Guest, Dave, 2019)
• Richard Osman’s House Of Games (Contestant, BBC2, 2018)
• Jon Richardson: Ultimate Worrier (Guest, Dave, 2018)
• Live At The Apollo (Performer, BBC2, 2017 & 2020)
• The Nightly Show (Guest, ITV, 2017)
• Harry Hill’s Alien Fun Capsule (Guest, ITV1, 2017)
• Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled (Guest, Dave, 2014)
• The Alternative Comedy Experience (Guest & Performer, Comedy Central, 2013 & 2014)
• 8 Out of 10 Cats (Guest, Channel 4, 2010-2014)
• Would I Lie To You? (Guest, BBC1, 2013)
• Dara O’Briain’s School Of Hard Sums (Guest, Dave, 2011 & 2013)
• QI (Guest, BBC2, 2012)
• Comedy Central Presents Special (Performer, Comedy Central, 2012)
• Have I Got News For You (Guest, BBC1, 2011)
• Room 101 (Guest, BBC2, 2011)
• Never Mind the Buzzcocks (Guest & Guest Host, BBC 2, 2008-2010 & 2012)
• Dave’s One Night Stand (Performer, Dave, 2010)
• Edinburgh Comedy Fest Live (Performer BBC 3, 2010 & 2012)
• Comedy Live Presents (Performer, Channel 4, 2008)
• The Modest Adventures of David O’Doherty (Writer & Performer, RTE Two, 2007)

Radio & Podcasts

• What Did You Do Yesterday? (Co-Host, 2024)
• Fresh from The Fringe (BBC Radio 4, Host, 2023)
• The Elis James and John Robins Show (Radio Guest, Radio 5 Live, 2023)
• Loose Ends (Radio Guest, BBC Radio 4, 2023)
• The Worst Idea Of All Time (Guest, 2023)
• Sporting Misadventures with Chris Hoy (Guest, 2023)
• The Bugle (Guest, 2020-2022)
• Trusty Hogs (Guest, 2022)
• Cyclist Magazine Podcast (Guest, 2022)
• Matthew Crosby and Ed Gamble on Radio X (Guest, 2021)
• Off Menu (Guest, 2020)
• Wheel of Misfortune (Guest, 2020)
• Cuddle Club with Lou Sanders (Guest, 2020)
• The Blindboy Podcast (Guest, 2019)
• RHLSTP with Richard Herring (Guest, 2019)
• Tea With Alice (Guest, 2019)
• The Unbelievable Truth (Radio Guest, BBC Radio 4 2014-2017 & 2019)
• The Comedian’s Comedian Podcast (Guest, 2014)
• The Horne Section (Radio Guest, BBC Radio 4, 2012)
• Two Episodes of Mash (Performer, BBC Radio 2, 2011-2012)
• An Idiots Guide (Performer, BBC Radio 4, 2011)

Films

• A Film with Me in It (2008)

CDs

• Live in his Own Car During A Pandemic (2020)
• You Only Live (2015)
• Let’s David O’Doherty (2009)
• Giggle Me Timbers (Or Jokes Ahoy!) (2006)

Books

• The Summer I Robbed A Bank (Penguin Books, 2021)
• Danger Really Is Everywhere: SCHOOL OF DANGER (Puffin Books, 2016)
• Danger Is Still Everywhere (Puffin Books 2015)
• Danger is Everywhere (Puffin Books 2014)
• 100 Facts About Sharks (Random House 2011)
• 100 Facts About Pandas (Random House, 2009)
• Ronan Long Gets it Wrong (Mammoth 2001)

Writing

• Saddled (Play Co-Written with Bryan Quinn)
• The Bees of Manulla (Radio Series Co-Written with Mark O’Doherty)
• I Can’t Sleep (Children’s Show Co-Written with Maeve Higgins and Performed By Both at Fringe 2008)

Live

• Ready, Steady, David O’Doherty (Edinburgh Festival & National Tour, 2024)
• David O’Doherty: Tiny Piano Man (Edinburgh Festival & Ireland Tour, 2023)
• David O’Doherty: woah is me (Edinburgh Festival & National Tour, 2022)
• David O’Doherty: Ultrasound (Edinburgh Festival, 2019)
• David O’Doherty: You Have to Laugh (Edinburgh Festival & National Tour, 2018)
• David O’Doherty: Big Time (Edinburgh Festival & National Tour, 2016 & 2017)
• David O’Doherty: We Are All in the Gutter, But Some Of Us Are Looking at David O’Doherty (Edinburgh Festival & National Tour, 2015)
• David O’Doherty: Has Checked Everything (Edinburgh Festival & National Tour, 2014)
• David O’Doherty: David O’Doherty Will Try To Fix Everything (Edinburgh Festival & National Tour, 2013)
• David O’Doherty: Seize the David O’Doherty (Edinburgh Festival & National tour, 2012)
• David O’Doherty: is Looking Up (Edinburgh Festival, 2011)
• David O’Doherty: Somewhere Over The David O’Doherty (Edinburgh Festival, 2010)
• David O’Doherty: David O’Doh-party (Edinburgh Festival & National tour, 2009)
• David O’Doherty: Let’s Comedy (Edinburgh Festival, 2008)
• David O’Doherty: Is My Name (Edinburgh, Dublin, Melbourne and New Zealand Festivals, 2006)
• David O’Doherty: Creates Something New Under the Sun (Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Edinburgh Festival, 2003)
• David O’Doherty: Small Things (Edinburgh Festival, 2002)
• David O’Doherty’s The Story of the Boy Who Saved Comedy (Dublin & Edinburgh Festival, 2000)

Press

When a stand-up gig goes this well, you do get a sense of how religions are started.
The Guardian

It works for one reason – he’s extremely funny.
Herald Scotland

He has a warm, lovable personality and draws the audience in with his quick-fire delivery.
British Theatre Guide

O’Doherty won the Edinburgh Comedy Award in 2008, and it’s amazing how his act has simply never, ever stopped being funny.
Fest Mag

A masterful set.
Chortle

This country’s best unassuming comedian…O’Doherty managed to reaffirm a belief in live comedy.
Irish Times

He’s funny, wretched and clever enough to spawn an army of imitators.
The Age, Melbourne

His gags are tidy, carefully crafted affairs.  His observations are spot on yet inventive.
The List

Has the air of being amiable, carefree and shambolic, which disguises some subtly clever writing.
Quietly marvellous songs…Delightful, expertly told anecdotes, rich in descriptive prose.
Chortle

Mighty clever, mighty funny slice of silly-musical comedy…segues deftly from straight delivery to theatrical set-pieces to musical numbers, among which there is not a single dud.
Outstanding material.
Guiltless musical and comedic pleasure.
The List

Lovely routines…Charm in abundance.
The Guardian

Entertainingly bonkers ditties…As his legions of loyal fans will attest, this thirtysomething Dubliner remains one of the most enjoyably off-the-wall acts on the Fringe.
Metro

The DOD, as he occasionally refers to himself, seems to get better year on year…He had added expertise without losing any of his beginner’s charm.
Smart, well-judged stuff.
Sweet, simplistic, faux-naif stuff that defies you not to giggle.
The Scotsman

Utterly superb.
The finest Irish comedian.
Irish Independent

An engaging, qualified success.
A crowd consensus that held he was the cat’s nip.
The Gazette, Montreal

On 2009 Edinburgh show David O’Doh-Party

Hilarious…the cult of David O’Doherty is firmly established. ★★★★
Metro

A warm and satisfying night in the hands of an expert communicator. ★★★★
List 

He’s one of those people who are so good they make comedy look easy…an hour in his company slips away in no time. ★★★★
Scotsman

O’Doherty’s act is easy to be in love with.
Guardian

Excellent.
Independent on Sunday

On 2008 If. Comedy Award winning show, Let’s Comedy

O’Doherty’s observational nose and comedic instincts have never been keener…Truly hilarious…David O’Doherty is an outright gift.
A tiny keyboard and giant talent. ★★★★
The List

Comedy magic…The audience was struggling to sit upright.
The Daily Telegraph

When a stand up gig goes this well, you do get a sense of how religions are started.
Guardian

In O’Doherty’s instance, believe the hype.  This is furiously funny faffing from a comedian at the top of his game. ★★★★
Chortle 

He’s a scintillating comic force…Excellent observational gags…Wonderfully eccentric. ★★★★
The Scotsman

Truly delightful – a glistening stream of consciousness that turns mundanity to enchantment wherever it flows. ★★★★★
Metro 

On 2008 children’s show I Can’t Sleep

It’s all but impossible to recommend I Can’t Sleep highly enough…The show avoids patronising anyone among its potential audience…(DO’D) is a personality we can all relate to with gleeful ease.
I Can’t Sleep is fantastical, thought-provoking and anarchic in quick succession. ★★★★
The Scotsman 

Both performers have a lovely, gentle rapport with the audience and the daft banter and slapstick is frequently laugh-out-loud funny. ★★★★
The List 

Genius kids’ comic theatre…The joy of the production lies in the sheer naturalism of both performers…A real crowd-pleaser, for young and old.
The Stage