Biography
Sophie Willan is a British stand up comedian, actress and writer. Willan was born in Bolton in 1987 to a heroin addicted mother. Her early life was difficult and she spent time in care. She later worked as an escort, and sex work is chronicled in her show one-woman stand up show, Branded. She became the recipient of the first ever Caroline Aherne Bursary award from the BBC for 2017-'18 and has won several awards for her stand up, including Edinburgh's Best Newcomer in 2017. She narrates Channel 4 reality gameshow The Circle and is a regular in BBC1 sitcom Still Open All Hours, as well as appearing in festive comedy Click and Collect alongside Stephen Merchant and Asim Chaudhry. In 2021, BBC2 broadcast the first series of her BAFTA-winning semi-autobiographical sitcom Alma's Not Normal to critical and commercial acclaim. A second and seemingly final series was aired in 2024.
Filmography
Cast Credits
Ludwig
Character: Holly Pinder
TV • 2024
The Traitors: Uncloaked
Character: Self
TV • 2024
Late Night Lycett
Character: Self - Guest
TV • 2023
The Weakest Link
Character: Self
TV • 2021
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Character: Self - Guest Team Captain
TV • 2021
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Character: Self - Team Captain
TV • 2021
Time
Character: Maeve Riley
TV • 2021
This Is My House
Character: Narrator
TV • 2021
The Celebrity Circle for Stand Up to Cancer
Character: Self - Narrator
TV • 2021
Victoria Wood: The Secret List
Character: Self
TV • 2020
Alma's Not Normal
Character: Alma
TV • 2020
Click & Collect
Character: Jessie
MOVIE • 2018
The Circle
Character: Self - Narrator
TV • 2018
The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer
Character: Self - Guest
TV • 2018
The Russell Howard Hour
Character: Self
TV • 2017
Richard Osman's House of Games
Character: Self - Panellist
TV • 2017
Taskmaster
Character: Self
TV • 2015
Still Open All Hours
Character: Ruby
TV • 2014
Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled
Character: Self
TV • 2014
The Last Leg
Character: Self
TV • 2013
Crew