The Comedian List / Comedians / Jimmy Carr
Stand-up · TV host · authorJimmy Carr
British and Irish stand-up known for rapid-fire deadpan one-liners and dark humour, and host of The Big Fat Quiz of the Year.
- Born
- 15 September 1972, Isleworth, London
- Known for
- Deadpan one-liners, dark humour
- TV
- The Big Fat Quiz of the Year, 8 Out of 10 Cats, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown
- Netflix
- Funny Business, His Dark Material, Natural Born Killer
- Books
- The Naked Jape, Before & Laughter, On Jokes
Who is Jimmy Carr?
Jimmy Carr is a British and Irish comedian, presenter and writer, born in Isleworth, London, in 1972. He studied social and political science at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, and worked in marketing at Shell before switching to comedy in the late 1990s.
He became a fixture of British TV as host of the Channel 4 panel shows The Big Fat Quiz of the Year, 8 Out of 10 Cats and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, and tours internationally as a stand-up. In 2015, Funny Business made him the first British comedian with a Netflix stand-up special; His Dark Material and Natural Born Killer followed.
His books include the memoir and self-help book Before & Laughter (2021) and On Jokes: The Hidden Mechanics of Funny, written with Amanda Baker and Abi Grant, which he talks through on The Joe Rogan Experience #2571.
On the podcasts
Full episodes where Jimmy is a guest or comes up, newest first.
Jimmy Carr FAQ
What is Jimmy Carr’s new book?
On Jokes: The Hidden Mechanics of Funny, written with Amanda Baker and Abi Grant. He describes it on JRE #2571 as a taxonomy of joke types plus how to build routines and perform.
Where is Jimmy Carr from?
He was born in Isleworth, London, to Irish parents, and holds British and Irish citizenship.
What TV shows does Jimmy Carr host?
The Big Fat Quiz of the Year, 8 Out of 10 Cats (2005–2021) and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.
If you like Jimmy
More comics on the list who share stages and mics with Jimmy.
Joe Rogan
Tony Hinchcliffe
Doug Stanhope
Greg GiraldoPhotos: Joe Rogan: Photo: The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons · Tony Hinchcliffe: Photo: The Comedy Store, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Doug Stanhope: Photo: Atlantabravz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Greg Giraldo: Photo: GregMan3, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Facts checked Oct 26, 2026 (source: Wikipedia, jimmycarr.com and The Joe Rogan Experience #2571).
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Profiles and lists are not paid placements. Read our full disclosure.