Matt Forde

Matt Forde

Matt Forde is a British comedian and radio presenter who begins performing stand-up in Nottingham in 1998, aged 16, at Just The Tonic. He works in live comedy, topical panel formats and radio, and his career develops alongside an interest in politics.

Comedy career

Forde performs intermittently in the Midlands in the early part of his career and reaches the later rounds of several new act competitions. In 2001 he is a semi-finalist in the BBC New Comedy Award, and in 2002 he reaches the semi-finals of So You Think You’re Funny?, the Daily Telegraph New Act competition and the Wilkinson Sword Cutting Edge competition.

He later hosts Matt Forde’s On Heat, a daily topical panel show at the Edinburgh Festival in 2007 and 2008, with Jon Richardson and Mark Olver. The show draws strong notices during both runs, and Johnny Vegas makes his only appearance at the 2007 festival on the show.

Politics and radio

Forde’s interest in politics interrupts his stage work for several years while he works for MPs and for the Labour Party. He also spends a period commentating on sports programmes on Mansfield FM, which helps lead him into radio.

His radio work includes a guest spot on BBC 6 Music’s Russell Howard & Jon Richardson Show, which develops into a regular role. He becomes a weekly feature on the Jon Richardson Show on BBC 6 Music, and also appears on The Richard Bacon Show on BBC Radio 5 Live, as well as on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio Nottingham. He is also described as a regular weekly host on the Jon Richardson show on BBC 6 Music.

Style and reception

His stand-up is associated with improvisation and impressions, and his comedy receives favourable descriptions in press notices. Reviews and festival reactions identify him as a comic with strong live and radio performance skills.