Pierre Novellie
{{Short description|South African Manx comedian}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox comedian
| name = Pierre Novellie
| image = pierrenovellie.jpg
| caption = Pierre Novellie backstage at the Garrick Theatre, 2019
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1991|01|31|df=y}}
| birth_place = Johannesburg, South Africa
| medium = Stand-up, television, radio
| alma_mater = Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
| website = {{URL|http://www.pierrenovellie.com/}}
}}
Pierre Novellie (born 31 January 1991) is a South African-born comedian and writer.
Career
Novellie has written for and performed on The Mash Report,{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/scotland/regional/Pierre-Novellie-199632|title=Pierre Novellie in Scotland at Pleasance Courtyard (Pleasance That 2017|website=BroadwayWorld.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/pierre_novellie/|title=Pierre Novellie - British Comedy Guide|website=British Comedy Guide}} Chris Ramsey's Stand Up Central,{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUiR97qo6sU|title=Changing Your Accent To Suit Situations | Pierre Novellie | Chris Ramsey's Stand Up Central|date=26 October 2017 |via=www.youtube.com}} and The Now Show.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000bgps|title=BBC Radio 4 - The Now Show, Series 55, Episode 5|website=BBC}} He was also a guest on BBC Radio 4's The Rest is History hosted by Frank Skinner.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b075mnxs|title=BBC Radio 4 - The Rest is History, Series 2, Episode 1|website=BBC}} Other highlights include appearing on the Joke Thieves pilot for BBC Two opposite Marcus Brigstocke, BBC Three's Edinburgh Comedy Fest Live{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b012klt2/episodes/player|title=BBC Radio 4 Extra - The Comedy Club Interviews - Available now|website=BBC}} and All4/4OD Comedy Blaps series Taxi Gags and Outsiders.
Novellie's writing credits also include the Spitting Image revival, Mock The Week, Newzoids, Adam Buxton's Shed of Christmas, and The Island. He has supported Frank Skinner, Hal Cruttenden and Gary Delaney on tour.
Novellie appeared alongside fellow comedian and Cambridge graduate Phil Wang on an episode of Dave's World's Most Dangerous Roads, broadcast in 2023.
Novellie was diagnosed with autism in 2022.{{Cite news |last=Aroesti |first=Rachel |date=2024-03-15 |title='Maybe everybody feels socially awkward': the standups turning being autistic into a comedy superpower |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/mar/16/autism-comedy-superpower-fern-brady-pierre-novellie-joe-wells-charlie-george |access-date=2024-03-23 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} In 2024 he released a book titled Why Can't I Just Enjoy Things?: A Comedian's Guide to Autism.
Novellie currently co-hosts the podcasts Glue Factory alongside Milo Edwards, Olga Koch and Riley Quinn, and BudPod alongside Glenn Moore. {{Cite web|url=https://play.acast.com/s/budpod|title=BudPod with Phil Wang & Pierre Novellie on acast|website=acast}} He previously hosted a regular podcast called My Favourite Podcast.{{Cite web|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/my-favourite-podcast/id1184473314|title=My Favourite Podcast on Apple Podcasts|website=Apple Podcasts}}{{Cite web|url=https://soundcloud.com/user-111480845|title=My Favourite Podcast|website=SoundCloud}} He appeared on episode 408 of Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast.
Awards
Novellie won the Amused Moose Laugh Off in 2013 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.{{Cite web|url=https://www.amusedmoose.com/amused-moose-comedy-awards/amused-moose-laugh-off-2013/|title=AmusedMoose | Comedy Awards | Stand-up Comedy Soho Kings Cross Awards Courses|website=www.amusedmoose.com}} In 2014 he was nominated for industry website Chortle's Best Newcomer award and in 2016 was nominated for Best Club Comic at the Chortle Awards.
Personal life
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Novellie grew up on the Isle of Man and attended Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, studying Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic. At Cambridge he was a member and then vice president of the Cambridge Footlights.{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedycv.co.uk/pierrenovellie/index.html|title=comedy cv - the UK's largest collection of comedians biogs and photos|website=www.comedycv.co.uk}}
He first began to consider he might be on the autistic spectrum after a mild heckle during a standup performance in 2020. An audience member said that "You sound like me", clarifying that "I have Asperger's - I think you have Asperger's." After taking online autism tests he was formally diagnosed in 2022.
References
{{Reflist}}
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Category:People from Johannesburg
Category:Alumni of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Category:South African emigrants to the United Kingdom
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