Chris Addison
Who Chris Addison is
Chris Addison is a stand-up comedian, writer, actor and director who won Manchester's City Life Comedian of the Year in 1995, was nominated for the Perrier Best Newcomer award with his first solo Edinburgh show and was shortlisted for the Perrier Award itself with Civilization (2004) and Atomicity (2005). He won the Chortle Award for best compere in 2003, turned Civilization into a BBC Radio 4 series, co-wrote and co-starred in Radio 4's political satire The Department, and was a regular panellist on Mock the Week.
As an actor he played Oliver Reeder in all four series of The Thick of It and Toby Wright in In the Loop; behind the camera he directed and produced HBO's Veep, winning an Emmy as an executive producer and a DGA Award as a director, co-created and directed Breeders with Martin Freeman and Simon Blackwell, and made his feature debut with The Hustle (2019).
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At a glance
- Albums
- The Ape That Got Lucky
- Podcasts and radio
- Chris Addison's Civilization and The Department
- Books
- Cautionary Tales for Grown-Ups and It Wasn't Me: Why Everybody Is to Blame and You're Not
- On screen
- The Thick of It, In the Loop, Mock the Week and 9 more
Is Chris Addison on tour?
No upcoming dates on record No upcoming dates are on record right now. That doesn't mean Chris Addison has stopped touring; follow Chris Addison to hear when the next ones are booked.
Last checked 11 October 2026.
Is Chris Addison coming to my town?
No dates are on record right now (checked 11 October 2026), so no town is confirmed yet. Follow Chris Addison and your town to hear when one is booked.
Want Chris Addison in your town?
Name your town and how many of you would come: the towns fans ask for show here, with how many asked.
Lineups belong to the rooms and the comedians, and can change; each listing has the last word. Their nights on the Comedy Calendar →
Specials, shows and podcasts
Albums
- The Ape That Got Lucky CD, 2006
On screen
- The Thick of It Oliver Reeder, BBC
- In the Loop Toby Wright, film
- Mock the Week regular panellist, BBC Two
- Veep director and executive producer, HBO
- Breeders co-creator and director, Sky/FX
- Trying Again star and co-creator, Sky Living
- The Hustle director, MGM, 2019
- Doctor Who series 8, BBC One
- Have I Got News For You BBC One
- Would I Lie To You? BBC One
- The Graham Norton Show BBC One
- 8 Out of 10 Cats Channel 4
Podcasts and radio
- Chris Addison's Civilization writer and host, BBC Radio 4
- The Department co-writer and co-star, BBC Radio 4, 2004–2006
Books and writing
- Cautionary Tales for Grown-Ups book, 2006
- It Wasn't Me: Why Everybody Is to Blame and You're Not book, 2008
Comedians like Chris Addison
Each linked to them by something on the record — a stage they both came through, a bill, a show, a style or a home town.
- Alun Cochrane also in Trying Again
- Andi Osho also in Breeders
- Desiree Burch also in 8 Out of 10 Cats
- Ellie Taylor also in 8 Out of 10 Cats
- Geoff Norcott also in 8 Out of 10 Cats
- Jon Richardson also in 8 Out of 10 Cats
- Russell Howard also in 8 Out of 10 Cats
- Shappi Khorsandi also in 8 Out of 10 Cats
Career timeline
- 2004The Department (co-writer and co-star, BBC Radio 4, 2004–2006) Podcast or book
- 2006The Ape That Got Lucky (CD, 2006) Album
- 2006Cautionary Tales for Grown-Ups (book, 2006) Book
- 2008It Wasn't Me: Why Everybody Is to Blame and You're Not (book, 2008) Book
- 2019The Hustle (director, MGM, 2019) On screen
Questions and answers
Where is Chris Addison performing next?
No date is on D.O.C.'s Comedy Calendar right now.
What podcasts and radio shows have they been on?
Chris Addison's Civilization and The Department.
Have they written a book?
Yes: Cautionary Tales for Grown-Ups and It Wasn't Me: Why Everybody Is to Blame and You're Not.
What TV shows and films are they in?
The Thick of It (Oliver Reeder, BBC), In the Loop (Toby Wright, film), Mock the Week (regular panellist, BBC Two), Veep (director and executive producer, HBO), Breeders (co-creator and director, Sky/FX) and Trying Again (star and co-creator, Sky Living), among 12 credits.
Who are some comedians like them?
Alun Cochrane (also in Trying Again), Andi Osho (also in Breeders), Desiree Burch (also in 8 Out of 10 Cats), Ellie Taylor (also in 8 Out of 10 Cats) and Geoff Norcott (also in 8 Out of 10 Cats).
Are you Chris Addison?
This page can be your website, free. Send your bio in your own words, your links, your clips, who books you, a line said about you and your weekly show, and they go on this page beside the dates D.O.C. already keeps. Fans follow you here and get your news in the D.O.C. letter.
Your short address, for your bio: disciplesofcomedy.com/chris-addison
The full SUCDb record
The full record — the career in order, the specials and credits, and the sources for each — is on SUCDb, with a button to add them to your D.O.C., your twelve.
Sources
- Avalon · avalonuk.com ↗ An acclaimed stand-up comedian, writer, actor and director; twice nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award (formerly the Perrier); Oliver Reeder in all four series of The Thick of It; Toby Wright in In the Loop; Veep: Emmy-winning executive producer, DGA Award-winning director; co-creator and director of Breeders;…
- Chortle · chortle.co.uk ↗ City Life Comedian of the Year (1995); a Perrier Best Newcomer nomination; shortlisted for the Perrier Award with Civilization (2004) and Atomicity (2005); the Chortle Award for best compere (2003); Civilization on Radio 4; The Department (Radio 4, 2004 to 2006); Edinburgh Fringe shows from 2000 to 2010; the books…
Updated 11 October 2026 · the record checked 11 October 2026