Nabil Abdulrashid

Nabil Abdulrashid is an award-winning comedian and writer.

Nabil’s TV career is flourishing, with appearances on shows including: Live at the Apollo (BBC Two), Celebrity Masterchef (BBC One), Have I Got News for You (BBC Two), 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (C4), House of Games (BBC Two) and The Big Narstie Show (C4). A practising Muslim, Nabil was also a ‘pilgrim’ on BBC Two’s faith-based show Pilgrimage.

Nabil is an acclaimed stand up who has performed comedy all over the UK, and across the world and is recognised for his “sardonic intelligence and sharp eye for the absurdities of racial discourse” (The Guardian). In his last tour show, entitled N.A.B.I.L (Nobody Actually Believed I’d Last), he shared hilarious stories about his experiences of the school system in Nigeria, his return to England, how he spent a short time in prison and started performing comedy upon his release.  The show was declared “moving and captivating as well as split-your-sides funny” (Evening Standard) and Nabil praised for his “genuine humanity… an easy comic to like even before he holds you rapt with his various misadventures” (Chortle).

In August 2023, Nabil will make his debut appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with his new show The Purple Pill before he heads on a UK wide tour across Autumn 2023 and into early 2024.

Finalist: Britain’s Got Talent 2020
Finalist: Comedy Knights Comedian Of The Year 2015
Finalist: Laughing Horse New Act 2014
Finalist: New Act Of The Year 2013
Winner: Joe.co.uk TV Comedian of the Year 2020
Winner: Which Religion Is Funniest? 2010

Credits

Television

• Big Zuu’s Big Eats (Guest, Dave, 2023)
• Sorry, I Didn’t Know (ITV, Guest, 2023)
• Have I Got News For You (Guest, BBC1, 2022, 2023)
• Pointless Celebrities (Contestant, BBC 1, 2023)
• Pilgrimage: The Road through Portugal (Presenter, BBC2, 2023)
• The Big Narstie Show (Guest, C4, 2022)
• BBC New Comedy Awards (Judge, BBC3, 2022)
• The A to Z of Horror Movies (Sky Cinema, 2022)
• 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (Guest Player, C4, 2022)
• This is MY House (Guest, BBC1, 2022)
• Saturday Kitchen (Guest, BBC1, 2022)
• Mel Giedroyc: Unforgiveable (Guest, Dave, 2022)
• The Stand Up Sketch Show (Guest, ITV2, 2022)
• Live At The Apollo (Guest, BBC2, 2021)
• Unapologetic (Guest, Channel 4, 2021)
• Richard Osman’s House Of Games (Guest, BBC2, 2021)
• Rhod Gilbert’s Growing Pains (Guest, Comedy Central, 2021)
• Steph’s Packed Lunch (Guest, Channel 4, 2021)
• Celebrity Masterchef (Guest, BBC1, 2021)
• Funny Festival Live (Guest, BBC2, 2021)
• Britain’s Got Talent (Finalist, ITV, 2020)

Radio & Podcasts

• Please Tell Me A Story (Sony Music Podcasts, 2023)
• ADHD Aha! (Understood Org, 2023)
• Times Radio Drive with Ayesha Hazarika (Times Radio, 2022, 2023)
• The Gargle Podcast (2022, 2023)
• Wheel of Misfortune (BBC Sounds, 2022)
• You’re Dead To Me (BBC Radio 4, 2022)
• The Lady Lashurr Show (2022)
• Hugo Rifkind’s Times Radio Show (2022)
• The Likely Dads Podcast (2022)
• Daliso Chaponda: Citizen of Nowhere (Guest, BBC Radio 4, 2021)
• The Happy Hour (BBC R5Live, 2021)
• The Froth Podcast (2021)
• I Am Not Your Bilal (Host, 2020 – 2021)

Digital

• Jokes Only A… Can Tell (Channel 4 digital, 2022, 2023)
• Double Down News (2022, 2023)
• Reddit Ask Me Anything (Reddit, 2023)

Press

Abdulrashid is emerging as one of comedy’s most honest chroniclers of life’s complexities and contradictions
★★★★ The Guardian (on The Purple Pill)

A potent, mischievously entertaining voice
★★★★ The Scotsman (on The Purple Pill)

A strong hour…a likeable raconteur with a unique perspective
★★★★ The List (on The Purple Pill)

Pinch-me clever and painstakingly bold…never predictable, often hysterical – and overall a joy
★★★★ Time Out (on The Purple Pill)

He successfully interrupts our echo chambers… The Purple Pill is also wrapped in jokes, Abdulrashid is never far away from a punchline, and the laughter…spreads around the room with contagious joy
★★★★ Fest (on The Purple Pill)

Urgent, uncompromising and refreshingly radical fare, smartly woven into a gag-packed set… a fresh comic voice and unapologetically funny
The Telegraph

His set – edgy, thoughtful, beholden to no one – raised the roof
The Guardian (10 Best Comedy Shows of 2020)

He’s the star by a wide margin… animated by a sardonic intelligence and sharp eye for the absurdities of racial discourse
The Guardian

Defiant and fearless
The Metro 

Hilarious
The Radio Times

Absolutely brilliant, a breath of fresh air
Alesha Dixon

Too funny. A really refreshing comic voice
David Walliams 

An exciting and interesting comic
Mark Thomas