Nina Conti

Nina Conti is a British comedian and ventriloquist renowned for her innovative and hilarious performances. A British Comedy Award winner, she has gained widespread acclaim for her appearances on Live at the Apollo, Russell Howard's Good News, and Sunday Night at the Palladium, as well as for her BAFTA-nominated documentary film Her Master’s Voice, created without moving her lips. Nina began her career as an actress with the Royal Shakespeare Company before the late theatre director Ken Campbell inspired her to embrace ventriloquism. Her debut solo show, Complete and Utter Conti, earned her the prestigious Barry Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2008, and her follow-up show, Talk to the Hand, enjoyed sell-out runs in Edinburgh, London, Melbourne, Sydney, and New York. A prolific filmmaker, Nina’s directorial debut, Her Master’s Voice, followed her journey with Ken Campbell’s ventriloquist dummies to Venthaven, Kentucky—a resting place for puppets—and won the Most Entertaining Documentary at the 2013 Grierson Awards, alongside a BAFTA nomination. She went on to direct the BBC4 documentary Make Me Happy, which explored alternative therapies and was nominated for two British Comedy Awards. In 2023, Nina premiered her first narrative feature film, Sunlight, at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. A darkly comedic road trip story set in New Mexico, the film was co-written with Shenoah Allen and executive-produced by Christopher Guest. Nina has continued to innovate in comedy, most recently with her fully improvised The Dating Show, which has toured globally following its success at the Edinburgh Fringe, London’s Soho Theatre, and New York’s Soho Playhouse. Her groundbreaking use of ventriloquism extends to her celebrated television appearances, including QI, The John Bishop Show, and HBO’s Family Tree alongside Chris O’Dowd. She has also starred in BBC Radio 4’s Clare in the Community and Sneekiepeeks. From perfecting her craft with her beloved puppet Monkey to her bold explorations of comedy and filmmaking, Nina’s talent and originality continue to captivate audiences worldwide.