Shappi Khorsandi
Also known as Shaparak Khorsandi
Who Shappi Khorsandi is
Shappi Khorsandi, who now performs as Shaparak Khorsandi, is a stand-up comedian, author and speaker, born in Tehran and raised in London, who started in comedy around 1997 and was a finalist for the BBC New Comedy Award in 2000. Her sell-out Edinburgh Fringe show Asylum Speaker (2006) made her name, and her Fringe hours since run from Carry On Shappi (2007) and The Distracted Activist (2009) to Mistress and Misfit (2017), Skittish Warrior... Confessions of a Club Comic (2019), ShapChat! (2023) and Scatterbrain (2025).
On television she has played Live at the Apollo and Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow and appeared on Mock the Week, Have I Got News for You, QI and I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, and on BBC Radio 4 she has been heard on Just a Minute, The Now Show and The News Quiz. She has written the childhood memoir A Beginner's Guide to Acting English, the novel Nina Is Not OK and Scatter Brain, and holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Winchester for her contribution to the arts.
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At a glance
- From
- Tehran
- Podcasts and radio
- Just a Minute, The Now Show and The News Quiz
- Books
- A Beginner's Guide to Acting English, Nina Is Not OK and Scatter Brain
- On screen
- Live at the Apollo, Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, Mock the Week and 5 more
- Official site
- shappi.co.uk ↗
Is Shappi Khorsandi on tour?
No upcoming dates on record No upcoming dates are on record right now. That doesn't mean Shappi Khorsandi has stopped touring; their tour page is the place to look for new dates: shappi.co.uk ↗.
Last checked 11 October 2026.
Is Shappi Khorsandi coming to my town?
No dates are on record right now (checked 11 October 2026), so no town is confirmed yet. Follow Shappi Khorsandi and your town to hear when one is booked.
Want Shappi Khorsandi 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
On screen
- Live at the Apollo
- Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow
- Mock the Week
- Have I Got News for You
- QI
- 8 Out of 10 Cats
- I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
- Shappi Talk
Podcasts and radio
- Just a Minute BBC Radio 4
- The Now Show BBC Radio 4
- The News Quiz BBC Radio 4
Books and writing
- A Beginner's Guide to Acting English memoir, 2009
- Nina Is Not OK novel
- Scatter Brain book, 2023
Comedians like Shappi Khorsandi
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 on Just a Minute
- Zoe Lyons also on Just a Minute
- Ivo Graham also on Just a Minute
- Phill Jupitus also on Just a Minute
- Josie Long also on Just a Minute
- Lucy Porter also on Just a Minute
- Geoff Norcott also in 8 Out of 10 Cats
- Simon Evans also in Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow
Career timeline
- 2009A Beginner's Guide to Acting English (memoir, 2009) Book
- 2023Scatter Brain (book, 2023) Book
Questions and answers
Where is Shappi Khorsandi performing next?
No date is on D.O.C.'s Comedy Calendar right now; their own site has their dates: shappi.co.uk ↗.
What podcasts and radio shows have they been on?
Just a Minute, The Now Show and The News Quiz.
Have they written a book?
Yes: A Beginner's Guide to Acting English, Nina Is Not OK and Scatter Brain.
What TV shows and films are they in?
Live at the Apollo, Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, Mock the Week, Have I Got News for You, QI and 8 Out of 10 Cats, among 8 credits.
Where is Shappi Khorsandi from?
Born in Tehran and raised in London.
What is their official website?
Who are some comedians like them?
Alun Cochrane (also on Just a Minute), Zoe Lyons (also on Just a Minute), Ivo Graham (also on Just a Minute), Phill Jupitus (also on Just a Minute) and Josie Long (also on Just a Minute).
Are you Shappi Khorsandi?
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/shappi-khorsandi
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
- Official site (About) ↗ A comedian, author, speaker and advocate for human rights; her sell-out Edinburgh show Asylum Speaker; an honorary doctorate from the University of Winchester; A Beginner's Guide To Acting English and Nina Is Not OK; Live at the Apollo, Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, I'm a Celebrity, Mock The Week, 8 Out Of 10…
- Chortle — Shaparak Khorsandi ↗ Born in Tehran and raised in London; started comedy around 1997; nominated for best breakthrough act at the Chortle Awards in 2007; Edinburgh Fringe shows from 2000 to Scatterbrain (2025), among them Asylum Speaker (2006), Carry On Shappi (2007), The Distracted Activist (2009), Mistress and Misfit (2017) and…
- Chortle — BBC New Comedy Award winners and finalists ↗ 2000: winner Jason John Whitehead; finalists including Shappi Khorsandi (as of 11 October 2026)
Updated 11 October 2026 · the record checked 11 October 2026