Leo Kearse

Leo Kearse (born Hamilton-Kearse, 17 July 1976) is a comedian and broadcaster from Scotland. His comedy routines have earned him the Scottish Comedian of the Year award and UK Pun Champion. A self-professed right-wing comedian, Kearse is known for his robust defence of free speech in his acts and on GB News where he regularly appears.

Background

Kearse grew up in Penpont in Dumfriesshire and attended Wallace Hall school.[1] After graduating from Stirling University, Kearse worked as a criminal intelligence analyst then as a consultant in national security and government.[2]

Comedy

Kearse is known for being a right-wing comedian.[3] He covers 'anti-woke' issues, such as cancel culture and perceived left-wing bias at the BBC.[4][5]

He was a New Comedian Of 2011 finalist at the Leicester Square Theatre [6] and a finalist of the Laughing Horse New Act Of The Year Final 2012. [7] He then won the Chelmsford Comedian of the Year in 2012.[8]

Kearse was crowned the UK Pun Champion in 2015 after he beat off competition from fellow comedians Rob Thomas and reigning champion Darren Walsh.[9] Leo won the contest with such jokes as "I was in hospital last week. I asked the nurse if I could do my own stitches. She said 'suture self' and "Growing up on a farm, my dad was always telling me to use the indoor toilet. But I preferred to go against the grain".[10][11]

After being awarded runner-up in 2016, he won the Scottish Comedian of the Year award in 2017.[12][13][14]

His breakthrough show Right Wing Comedian was cancelled by the Court Hotel venue at the Perth Fringe World in Australia in 2019 after his material was accused of being transphobic.[15][16]

Selected comedy shows
Title Year Notes
Leo And Stephen Go Down On You 2012 With Stephen Bailey
Am I Right? 2013
The Mangina Funalogs 2014
I Can Make You Tory 2017
Right-Wing Comedian 2018
Transgressive 2019
Cancel Culture 2021

Politics

Kearse has criticised the Scottish National Party, Scottish independence and the Scottish Hate Crime Act.[17][18][19]

The latter issue led him to become a Reclaim Party candidate in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election. Kearse stated that "With wokeness and extreme nationalism seemingly the only acceptable discourses allowed in Scotland these days, I feel now is the right time to stand up and be counted." He stood in Glasgow Pollok held by Humza Yousaf where he received 114 votes (0.3%). He also stood on the Glasgow regional list where he received 174 votes (0.1%)[20][21]

Media

Kearse is a GB News presenter appearing on the Headliners programme and as a commentator. He has also appeared as a guest on Good Morning Britain where he defended the principle of free speech.[22]

He is a co-host of the 3 Speech podcast with fellow comedians Darius Davies and Nico Yearwood.[23]

Kearse has written opinion pieces for The New Zealand Herald, The Independent and The Sun newspapers.[24][25][26]

References
  1. "From right-on to right-wing: why comedy is turning conservative". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  2. "10 comedians on the careers they gave up for stand-up". inews.co.uk. 2017-07-31. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  3. "From Titania McGrath to a Brexit party standup: is rightwing comedy on the rise?". the Guardian. 2019-08-26. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  4. "Is stand-up comedy too woke and ruining the fun for audiences?". inews.co.uk. 2019-08-06. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  5. Anderson, Claire (2021-01-11). "'BBC won't exist in five years!' Broadcaster sent dire warning as public move online". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  6. "New Comedian of 2011 final". Chortle. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  7. "Laughing Horse New Act of the Year final 2012". Chortle. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  8. "Chelmsford searches for its comedian of the year". Dunmow Broadcast. 13 May 2014.
  9. "Leo Kearse". Leo Kearse. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  10. "2015 Pun Champs". Independent. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  11. "You won't be disappunted (sorry) by the joke that won this year's UK Pun Championship". The Independent. 2015-02-13. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  12. "Leo Kearse wins Scottish Comedian of the Year 2017 - The Skinny". www.theskinny.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  13. "Scottish Comedian Of The Year 2017 final". Chortle. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  14. "Scottish Comedian of the Year 2016". Beyondthejoke. Retrieved 2023-09-04.
  15. "The Court accidentally books comedian who makes jokes about trans people". OUTInPerth | LGBTQIA+ News and Culture. 2018-11-16. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  16. Bennett, Steve. "'I don't understand how it could be interpreted as transphobic' : News 2018 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  17. Pritchard-Jones, Exclusive by Oliver (2021-03-01). "SNP creating 'small-minded' young Scots with 'evil Tories' and anti-English 'propaganda'". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  18. "Scotland's Hate Crime Bill and its threat to comedy - BCG Pro". British Comedy Guide. 2020-07-31. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  19. Pritchard-Jones, Oliver (2021-03-13). "Scotland's controversial Hate Crime Bill WILL backfire and silence 'woke' advocates". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  20. "Constituencies A-Z: Glasgow Pollok". BBC News. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  21. McLaughlin, Martyn (28 March 2021). "Right wing comedian to stand for Laurence Fox's party at Holyrood election". Scotsman. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  22. McLoughlin, Bill (28 January 2022). "Kate Garraway forced to shut down GMB debate after comedian says women in burkas 'do look like letterboxes'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  23. "3 Speech Podcast". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  24. "Nine reasons I'm voting Tory even though I'm Scottish". inews.co.uk. 2017-05-30. Retrieved 2021-03-12.
  25. "The BBC should support diversity of opinion and hire right-wing comics like me". The Sun. 2020-09-08. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  26. Kearse, Leo (11 March 2019). "Lounge Check: The Virgin lounge at Perth airport". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
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