Liam Williams (comedian)

Williams grew up in Leeds and read English at Homerton College at the University of Cambridge, where he was a member of Footlights.{{cite web|url=http://www.ideastap.com/IdeasMag/the-knowledge/liam-williams-writing-comedy-sheeps-invisible-dot|title=Liam Williams on writing comedy|author=Nell Frizzell|date=28 October 2013|website=IdeasTap}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/aug/04/liam-williams-edinburgh-festival-2014|title=Liam Williams: 'I've had nervous breakdowns on stage' |author=Brian Logan|date=4 August 2014|website=The Guardian}} In 2009 he participated in the Cambridge heat of the Chortle Student Comedy Award.{{YouTube|wdh2C3qAhsw|Liam Williams – Chortle Student Comedy Award}} He supports Manchester United.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50859010 |title=FA Cup third-round predictions - Lawro v Ladhood star Liam Williams |website=BBC Sport |date=5 January 2020 |access-date=31 January 2021}}

In 2010 Williams was the runner-up in the So You Think You're Funny competition at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

In 2013 Williams appeared as the guest stand-up on Russell Howard's Good News.{{YouTube|6CqsfNxsabE|Liam Williams on Russell Howard's Good News}} Later that year he performed a solo show for the first time at the Edinburgh Fringe; he was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards. Williams also participated in a show with his fellow members of the comedy sketch group Sheeps, Daran Johnson and Alastair Roberts.{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/ed-cripps/liam-williams-the-philip-_b_4611303.html|title=Liam Williams: The Philip Larkin of British Comedy|author=Ed Cripps|date=17 January 2014|website=The Huffington Post UK}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/reviews/edinburgh-2013-liam-williams-a-comedian-of-existential-introspection-8774186.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/reviews/edinburgh-2013-liam-williams-a-comedian-of-existential-introspection-8774186.html |archive-date=14 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Edinburgh 2013: Liam Williams – A comedian of existential introspection|author=Julian Hall|date=19 August 2013|website=The Independent}}

In 2014 Williams performed a new show at Edinburgh, Capitalism. It was nominated for Best Show at the Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards.{{cite web|url=http://londonist.com/2014/10/liam-williams-die-capitalist-scum|title=Liam Williams: Die, Capitalist Scum|author=Rachel Holdsworth|date=9 October 2014|website=Londonist}} He also recorded a series of short clips for the Channel 4 online series Comedy Blaps, based on a previous routine.{{YouTube|YXo-h-CHHyc|Liam Williams: Things – Comedy Blaps – Channel 4}} After each Edinburgh festival, Williams performed his most recent show at the Soho Theatre and The Invisible Dot in London.{{YouTube|d-WH5Hpr5fU|ID 197: Liam Williams}}{{YouTube|2nzvCgvq3yM|ID 463: Liam Williams: Bonfire Night – Interview With Mark Watson}} He has also performed at the club with Sheeps.

Williams's 2015 Edinburgh show was called Bonfire Night. In 2015 Williams also wrote and presented a semi-autobiographical radio show titled Ladhood. The series was broadcast on BBC Radio 4.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06pnhks|title=BBC Radio 4 - Liam Williams: Ladhood, Series 1|website=BBC}} He participated in the People Time Comedy Feed skit for BBC Three alongside Sheeps, Jamie Demetriou, Natasia Demetriou, Claudia O'Doherty and Ellie White.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02rndpc|title=BBC Three - Comedy Feeds, Series 4, People Time|website=BBC}} Continuing with the cast (minus O'Doherty), he co-created the web series 2016: Year Friends. As an actor Williams appeared in the BBC Three comedies Uncle and Together and on Comedy Central UK's Drunk History. The second series of Williams's radio show Ladhood was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2017.

In January 2016, Williams co-directed with Matt Bulmer a one-off performance of Shakespeare's The Twelfth Night featuring a cast of comedians including Kieran Hodgson, Tim Key and The Pin, with proceeds going to Refugee Action.{{Cite web|url=http://twelfth-night-the-play.squarespace.com/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205050120/https://twelfth-night-the-play.squarespace.com/|url-status=dead|title=Twelfth Night – The Play|archivedate=5 February 2016}} The play was staged again, with an altered cast, in July 2016 at the Latitude Festival and during London Wonderground at the South Bank in London.{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/circuit_training/liam_williams_interview/ | title=Circuit Training 97: Liam Williams, limping round Latitude | date=5 July 2016 | author=Si Hawkins | website=British Comedy Guide}}

At the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe festival, Williams presented his debut play, Travesty, following previews in London.{{cite web|url=http://www.theskinny.co.uk/festivals/edinburgh-fringe/theatre/liam-williams-on-his-debut-play-travesty| title=Liam Williams on his debut play Travesty| author=Craig Angus | date=2 August 2016 | website=The Skinny}} December 2016 and January 2017 saw the presentation of the panto Ricky Whittington & His Cat, co-written by Williams and Daran Johnson and starring Charlotte Ritchie alongside previous comedy collaborators.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newdiorama.com/whats-on/ricky-whittington-his-cat|title=New Diorama|website=www.newdiorama.com}}

In 2017, a web mockumentary series called Pls Like was released by BBC Three, written by and starring Williams as a struggling comedian who wins a contest to become the next superstar megavlogger, but must first undertake a series of challenges to win the attached £10,000 prize. Along the way, several successful YouTubers give him help and advice.{{Cite news|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-03-25/pls-like-why-you-have-to-watch-bbc3s-fantastic-youtube-mockumentary|title=Pls Like: Why you have to watch BBC3's fantastic YouTube mockumentary|work=Radio Times|date=25 March 2017}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/feb/10/pls-like-a-brutal-new-mockumentary-satirising-youtube-stars|title=Pls Like: a brutal new mockumentary satirising YouTube stars|author=Stuart Heritage|date=10 February 2017|work=The Guardian|issn=0261-3077}} The show was renewed for a second series in June 2018 and it was broadcast in September 2018; a third series was shown in January 2021.

Later in 2017, Williams and Josie Long co-wrote and co-starred in the BBC Radio 4 comedy Perimeter, part of the ’Dangerous Visions’ season on the station.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08w0zn8|title=BBC Radio 4 - Dangerous Visions, Perimeter|website=BBC}} Williams also appeared on the final episode of series 2 of Live from the BBC, performing a 30-minute set. The Netflix version of the series features his full one-hour set, made available on the streaming service in July 2018. In 2018 he also guest starred in the comedies Friday Night Dinner and Stath Lets Flats.

In February 2019 Williams appeared as a hacktivist in the first episode of This Time with Alan Partridge.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/tv/alan-partridge-fans-react-as-norfolks-finest-returns-in-new-series-this-time-2454160/amp|title=Alan Partridge fans react as Norfolk's finest returns in new series 'This Time'|website=www.nme.com|date=2 June 2004 }} He also played main character Nathan in the BBC series Back to Life starring Daisy Haggard.{{Cite web|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2018/11/15/41698/liam_williams_joins_new_bbc_three_comedy|title=Liam Williams joins new BBC Three comedy : News 2018 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide|date=2018-11-15|website=www.chortle.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2019-08-08}}

Williams wrote and starred in a TV adaptation of his radio series Ladhood, whose first series was released on BBC iPlayer on 24 November 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/whats-on/inbetweeners-style-comedy-set-garforth-now-streaming-bbc-iplayer-1358798?amp|title=Inbetweeners-style comedy set in Garforth is now streaming on BBC iPlayer|work=Yorkshire Evening Post|access-date=4 July 2020}} In February 2020, it was announced that Ladhood had been renewed for a second series of six episodes, which was released in August 2021.{{Cite news|url=https://www.tvwise.co.uk/2020/02/bbc-three-renews-ladhood-for-second-season/|title=BBC Three Renews 'Ladhood' For Second Season|work=TVWise|access-date=5 July 2020}} The third and final series was released in September 2022.{{Cite news|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2022/07/22/51215/ladhood_to_end_after_third_series?rss|title=Ladhood to end after third series|work=Chortle|access-date=25 September 2022}}

Williams released his debut novel, Homes and Experiences, in 2020, available on hardback and audiobook.

{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/may/29/liam-williams-i-like-saying-poem-to-rhyme-with-home|title=Liam Williams: 'I like saying poem to rhyme with home'|date=29 May 2020|work=The Guardian}}

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Category:1988 births

Category:Date of birth missing (living people)

Category:Living people

Category:English male comedians

Category:English stand-up comedians

Category:English male actors

Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge

Category:People from Garforth

Category:People educated at Garforth Academy

Category:Comedians from West Yorkshire

Category:Male actors from West Yorkshire

Category:Actors from the City of Leeds