Ava Vidal
Ava Beverley Vidal (/ˈeɪvə vɪˈdɑːl/; born 1976 in Lambeth, London)[1] is an English comedian. She has taken part in E4's Kings of Comedy.[2] Her career in comedy began on the BBC's Urban Sketch Show.[3]
Ava Vidal | |
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Birth name | Ava Beverley Vidal |
Born | 1976 (age 46–47) Lambeth, London, England |
Medium |
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Nationality | British |
Genres | |
Children | 3 |
Website | www |
Life and career
In 1996,[4] Vidal began working as a prison officer at HM Prison Pentonville in Barnsbury, North London.[5] She was inspired to go into the field by her mother, who worked at HM Prison Holloway.[4] Vidal decided to quit the prison profession in 2001 to go to university and study law. Around this time, she also began writing comedy material.[4]
Vidal appeared in 28 Acts in 28 Minutes and The Comic Side of 7 Days in 2005. She has also been involved in other BBC shows including The Last Laugh, The Sack Race and The Crouches. Vidal was a housemate in Kings of Comedy on E4, and Channel 4 made a documentary about her called From the Top, a half-hour show explaining her journey in comedy so far and how she became a comedian.
Vidal was on the line-up of Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow in Swansea that aired on 27 June 2009,[6] BBC Radio 4's The News Quiz in February and October 2010, and appeared four times on BBC Two's Mock the Week between 2011 and 2013.[7] In July 2012, she appeared on Is Football Racist? on BBC Three.[8]
On BBC Three's Free Speech, she suggested armed drug dealers should be helped rather than sent to prison.[9]
In 2016, along with numerous other celebrities, Vidal toured the UK to support Jeremy Corbyn's bid to become Prime Minister.[10][11] Vidal presents her own YouTube podcast named Black Woman's Hour.[12]
Personal life
Vidal has three children, two daughters and a son. Her eldest daughter, Shaquelle, died in April 2018.[13]
References
- "Learning - From the Top". Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- Plunkett, John (8 October 2004). "Kings of Comedy fail to see the funny side". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- "Explore". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 16 March 2005. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
- Benjamin, Alison (18 August 2004). "Ava Vidal". Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2019 – via www.theguardian.com.
- "Prison 'no holiday camp' says ex-officer". BBC News. Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- "One Programmes - Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, Series 1, Swansea". BBC. Archived from the original on 12 November 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
- "BBC Two - Mock the Week, Series 12, Episode 4". BBC. Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
- Vidal, Ava (13 July 2012). "Ava Vidal: It is time for the Civil Rights Movement to hit the football pitch". The Independent. Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- "Peter Hitchens on Free Speech (24/04/2014)". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
- "#JC4PM". jc4pmtour. 28 July 2015. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
- Wilkinson, Michael (1 February 2016). "Celebrities to tour Britain in 'Jeremy Corbyn For Prime Minister' musical show". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
- "Black Womans Hour Youtube Channel (23/10/2021)". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 23 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
- Marshall, Francesca (17 October 2018). "Mock The Week panelist fights High Court battle with ex over right to spread ashes of her daughter". Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2019 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.