Shazia Mirza is a British comedian, actress, and writer. She is best known for her stand-up comedy, and her articles in British newspapers The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph.[2][3][4]

Shazia Mirza
Mirza in 2010
BornBirmingham, West Midlands, England
MediumComedian, actor, columnist
Alma materRose Bruford College
Years active2000[1]–present
GenresObservational comedy
Subject(s)Social commentary, family
Websitewww.shaziamirza.org Edit this at Wikidata

Early life and education

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Mirza was born in Birmingham, England, the eldest daughter of Punjabi Pakistani parents who moved to Birmingham, England in the 1950s.[5][6][7]

Mirza read Biochemistry at the University of Manchester and then achieved a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at Goldsmiths, University of London.[8] Before beginning her career in comedy, Mirza was a science teacher at Langdon Park School, where she taught Dylan Mills, now known as the grime pioneer Dizzee Rascal.[9][10][11] She later attended Rose Bruford College, where she studied acting part time while working as a supply teacher,[9] taking the final year of the course full time.[12]

Career

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Stand-up

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Her comedy is said to push barriers and as a comedian, she is often referred to as 'brave'. [2][3][4][13]

Writing

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Mirza was a columnist for The Guardian between 2008 and 2010.[14] In the past she has written columns for The New Statesman[15] and Dawn[16] newspaper.

Television and radio

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She was a regular panelist on the Channel 5 topical discussion series The Wright Stuff,[17] as well as appearing on other TV shows[18]

In April 2007, she presented a documentary on BBC Three called F*** Off, I'm a Hairy Woman.[19]

Mirza has also appeared in reality game shows Celebrity The Island with Bear Grylls on Channel 4 (2017), and in 2018, the Channel 5 show Celebs in Solitary.[20] In 2024 she appeared in SAS: Who Dares Wins.

Recognition

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She was recognized as one of the BBC's 100 women of 2013.[21]

References

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  1. ^ "Rose Bruford College Appoints its first President – Rose Bruford College". Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Edinburgh 2015: Shazia Mirza, A Work in Progress, The Stand, review: 'brave and urgent'". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Shazia Mirza, comedy review: nothing if not brave". London Evening Standard. 25 September 2015. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Laughs in the face of terror | Tribune". www.tribunemagazine.org. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  5. ^ Mckeown, Jack (27 May 2016). "Shazia Mirza: The Kardashians Made Me Do It". The Courier. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  6. ^ Shazia Mirza (12 April 2010). "Halal comedy? You might as well ask for halal bacon". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 2 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  7. ^ Mirza, Shazia (3 August 2008). "What I know about men". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 2 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  8. ^ Iziren, Interview by Adeline (1 February 2003). "What happened next?". the Guardian. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  9. ^ a b Time Out London: Shazia Mirza: interview Archived 19 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine 17 June 2008
  10. ^ Shazia Mirza: Diary of a disappointing daughter Archived 2 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine Shazia Mirza's weekend column 22 May 2010
  11. ^ Interview: Shazia Mirza Archived 27 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine 23 June 2010
  12. ^ Bedell, Geraldine (20 April 2003). "Veiled Humour". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  13. ^ "REVIEW: Shazia Mirza – The Kardashians Made Me Do It at Exeter Corn Exchange". Exeter Express and Echo. 3 May 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "Profile: Shazia Mirza". London: The Guardian UK. 23 July 2008. Archived from the original on 16 April 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  15. ^ "Shazia Mirza on the culture of hate: "Once we blamed Yoko Ono. Now we blame refugees"". 16 September 2016.
  16. ^ "News stories for Shazia Mirza - DAWN.COM". www.dawn.com.
  17. ^ Wright, Matthew; Johnson, Eric; Duffy, Kirsty (11 September 2000), The Wright Stuff, archived from the original on 19 January 2017, retrieved 8 December 2016
  18. ^ "Shazia Mirza". IMDb.
  19. ^ "BBC Three - Body Image, Series 2, F*** off I'm a Hairy Woman".
  20. ^ "My5". www.channel5.com.
  21. ^ "100 Women: Who took part?". BBC News. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
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