The Pin (comedy act)

The double act met at the University of Cambridge, where they joined the Cambridge Footlights. Whilst members, they co-wrote and performed the sketch show ‘Good Clean Men’ with Joey Batey, Joe Bannister, Mark Fiddaman and Simon Haines,[3][4] and they co-wrote and performed in two international tour shows: 2010's 'Good For You,'[5] directed by Liam Williams and Daran Johnson, and 2011's 'Pretty Little Panic'[6] directed by Keith Akushie and James Moran.

'The Pin' was originally the title of a show written and performed by Ashenden, Owen, and original member Mark Fiddaman in their final year at Cambridge in 2011.[7] After graduating, the three moved to London and started developing shows at the Invisible Dot comedy club[8][9][10] to take to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[11] The Pin became a duo when Fiddaman left to pursue graduate studies at the University of Oxford.[12]

Their shows at Edinburgh have garnered great critical acclaim from the likes of The Guardian,[13][14] The Sunday Times,[15][16] The Daily Telegraph,[17][18][19] and more.[20][21][22][23][24][25]

In 2015 the pair's debut BBC Radio 4 series aired, called "The Pin", with four 15-minute episodes. It is characterised by self-referential humour and breaking the fourth wall, with each sketch followed by brief commentary. It was followed by a second series in 2016, and a third series in 2017, this time in the 6.30 pm slot, with half-hour long episodes. A fourth series was broadcast in 2019.

In 2021, they guest starred in an episode of BBC comedy Ghosts.[26]

Alex Owen and producer Sam Bryant at the BBC radio awards

The Pin was the 2013 winner of London Sketchfest's prize for 'Best Act,'[27][28] and the first series of their Radio 4 show won them the award for 'Best Comedy' at the 2016 BBC radio awards.[29]

There were nominated for the South Bank Sky Arts Award 'Breakthrough Act' 2021.[30]