Phil Ellis
English stand-up comedian
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Phillip Michael Ellis (born 16 October 1981) is an English stand-up comedian, actor, and writer.[1][2][3] His TV appearances include Drunk History (2016), The Russell Howard Hour (2017), The Tez O'Clock Show (2019), Roast Battle (2019), and Redknapp's Big Night Out (2021).[4]
Phil Ellis | |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 October 1981 Preston, England |
| Occupation | Stand-up comedian |
| Years active | 2000s–present |
| Known for | Taskmaster (2025) |
| Notable work | Phil Ellis Is Trying |
In 2023, Ellis's Edinburgh Festival Fringe show Phil Ellis's Excellent Comedy Show won the Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality and was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award.[5][6] He competed in the 20th series of Taskmaster in 2025.[7]
Early life
Ellis was born in Preston, Lancashire.[8] He grew up in the Fulwood and Plungington areas of Preston.[9] He attended Archbishop Temple School in Preston, and then Runshaw College in Leyland.[10]
His interest in comedy began as a child when he would ask his mother for comedy VHS tapes, which she would buy from the Asda where she worked, including Bottom, The Young Ones, The League of Gentlemen, and Red Dwarf.[11] Ellis cites Rik Mayall, Bob Mortimer, Sean Lock, Lee Mack, Steve Pemberton, and Reece Shearsmith among his influences.[11][12]
Ellis later attended University of Staffordshire, graduating in 2002,[13] and was awarded a third in media and production. Afterwards, he moved to Sandbach in Cheshire, and worked at an airbag factory for a number of years and at Domino’s as a pizza delivery driver.[11][12][13]
Career
Stand-up
Ellis "started writing down all the silly, funny and absurd thoughts I had", which led to him trying out stand up. His first gig was at the Comedy Balloon in Manchester.[13] Deciding to pursue a career in comedy, Ellis spent most of his twenties "moving from one house share to another" in order to fund his gigs.[13]
In autumn 2025, Ellis announced his show Bath Mat will tour from 9 December 2025 through 26 April 2026, including a 5-night run at Soho Theatre in London.[14]
Edinburgh Fringe
Ellis has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe every year since 2013.[4] He won the Edinburgh Comedy Award Panel prize in 2014 for Funz and Gamez, a children's game show featuring adult jokes.[15] In his shows, he is known for making up lies about his personal life; a major premise of his 2013 show Phil Ellis: Unplanned Orphan is that his parents told him at 30 he was adopted, and in a later show he claimed to have two children.[16] In 2023, his show Phil Ellis's Excellent Comedy Show won the "Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality" and was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award.[5]
Ellis's 2025 show Soppy Stern won the "Malcolm Hardee Award for Act That Should Make a Million Quid" and was a joint-winner for Best Show for the ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards; speaking about winning the award, Ellis said: "Winning one Malcolm Hardee award was a dream, but winning two is overwhelming. It means a lot to have so much support from people".[17][18] Ellis also brought back Funz and Gamez for a two-week run entitled Funz and Gamez Rebootz, which won Best Fringe Kids Show at The List Festival Awards.[19]
Television
In 2016, Ellis appeared as a seaman on series 2 episode 6 of Drunk History, during Joe Lycett's re-telling of the Battle of Trafalgar.[20] In 2017, he performed stand up on an episode of Russell Howard's Good News. In 2019, Ellis appeared in Roast Battle, competing against Johnny Vegas, who ultimately won the episode.[21] Also in 2019, he appeared as himself on Jack & Phil's Power Hour. Ellis featured on an episode of Sunday Brunch in 2025.
In July 2025, Ellis was announced as a contestant of the 20th series of Taskmaster along side Ania Magliano, Maisie Adam, Reece Shearsmith and Sanjeev Bhaskar.[22] He initially tied for first place with Magliano and Adam, but lost a tiebreaker challenge to Adam and ultimately came second.
Radio and podcast
Ellis wrote and starred in three series of his own BBC Radio 4 show, Phil Ellis is Trying, which ran for twelve episodes from 2018 to 2020.[23] He starred as "a man trying - and failing - to make a success of his life".[24] Written by Ellis alongside Fraser Steele, additional cast included Johnny Vegas, Lolly Adefope, Amy Gledhill, Katia Kvinge, Terry Mynott, and Mark Lamarr.[24][25]
In October 2025, Ellis launched his podcast Early Worms with comedian Anna Thomas.[26]
Reception
Ellis's shows at the Edinburgh Fringe have received many positive reviews: he was described by The Guardian as "a helter-skelter hour of fun", by Broadway Baby as "one of the finest and funniest comedians in the UK today", and by The Skinny as a "conductor of chaos".[27][28][29]
Personal life
Ellis briefly moved back into his parents house in Preston in his early thirties, but eventually moved back out again and rented a flat with five other people in Finsbury Park.[13]
In 2026, Ellis had a hair transplant.[30]
Awards and nominations
Ellis has been nominated for, and won, several awards including:[31][32][33]
- 2014: Winner – Edinburgh Comedy Awards Panel Prize (Funz and Gamez)[34][35]
- 2019: Nominee - BBC Audio Awards (Phil Ellis is Trying)[36]
- 2023: Nominee – Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Show[37]
- 2023: Winner – The Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality[38]
- 2025: Winner - The List’s Best Fringe Kids Show (Funz and Gamez)[39]
- 2025: Winner - The ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Show (note: award shared with Mark Forward)[40]
- 2025: Winner – The Malcolm Hardee Award Act That Should Make a Million Quid[41]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Eaten By Lions | Ice Cream Man | [42] |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Phil's III | Writer | [20] |
| 2012 | The Tape Face Tapes | Various | BBC Comedy Feeds, pilot[43] |
| 2015 | Funz and Gamez | Writer, host, and associate producer | BBC Comedy Feeds, pilot[20] |
| 2016 | Drunk History | Second English Seaman[44] | One episode[20] |
| 2017 | The Russell Howard Hour | Himself | One episode[45] |
| Born Silly | Writer | [20] | |
| 2018 | Life Lessons | Phil | One episode[20] |
| 2019 | The Tez O'Clock Show | Ensemble | Two episodes [4] |
| Jack & Phil's Power Hour | Himself | One-off comedy special | |
| Roast Battle | Himself | One episode | |
| 2020 | There She Goes | Captain Banana Crackers | One episode[20] |
| 2021 | Redknapp's Big Night Out | Hooligan | One episode[46] |
| 2025 | Tell Me When You're Bored from Rob Copland | Ensemble | [47] |
| Sunday Brunch | Himself | ||
| Taskmaster | Himself | Contestant; series 20[7][22] |
Radio
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–2020 | Phil Ellis Is Trying | Phil | 3 series, BBC Radio 4 |
| 2021 | Backchat | Hans | BBC Radio 4 |
| 2023 | Where To, Mate? | Phil | BBC Radio 4 |
| 2024–2025 | Icklewick FM | Mayor Stanley Power | BBC Radio 4 |
| 2025 | Humanwatch | Roving Reporter | BBC Radio 4 |
| 2025 | Loose Ends | Himself | BBC Radio 4 |
Edinburgh Fringe shows
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Phil Ellis: Why I Bathe In Ajax | [48][49] |
| 2011 | Comx | [48][50] |
| 2013 | Phil Ellis: Unplanned Orphan | [48][51] |
| 2014 | Funz and Gamez | [48][52] |
| 2015 | Funz and Gamez Tooz | [48][53] |
| 2016 | Phil Ellis Is Alone Together (But Mostly Alone) | [48][54] |
| 2017 | Phil Ellis Has Been On Ice | [48][55] |
| Funz and Gamez: Flogging A Dead Horze | [4] | |
| 2018 | Phil Ellis Is Ready For The Big Time | [48][56] |
| 2019 | Phil Ellis: An Revoir | [48][57] |
| 2022 | Phil Ellis: Hedgehog | [48][58] |
| 2023 | Phil Ellis's Excellent Comedy Show | [48][59] |
| 2024 | Funz and Gamez - Returnz | [4] |
| Phil Ellis: Come On And Take The Rest Of Me | [48][60] | |
| 2025 | Funz and Gamez rebootz | [4] |
| Phil Ellis: Soppy Stern | [48][61] |