Kate Smurthwaite

Kate Smurthwaite is a stand-up comedian and political activist.

She performs all over the UK and around the world at major clubs including The Comedy Store, Comedy Cafe, The Stand, Covent Garden Comedy Club, Soho Comedy Club and Crack Comedy Club. She also writes and tours an annual solo show of highbrow left wing comedy under the name The News At Kate which has been a feature of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival since 2009. In 2013 she won a Three Week’s Editor’s Choice Award.

Kate is often a guest on news and debate shows and is well known for her forthright opinions and campaigning work. Appearances include BBC 1’s The Big Questions, BBC Breakfast, BBC News 24, Channel 4 News, Channel 5 News, ITV News, ITV This Morning, Sky News, BBC Radio 2 Jeremy Vine Show, BBC 5live, BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, BBC Radio 4 The Moral Maze. In 2012 Radio 4’s Four Thought series included a 15-minute program written and performed entirely by Kate about sexist humour and sexism in comedy.

She also writes for publications from Cosmopolitan to both the Guardian and the Independent and is the Vice Chair and Media Spokesperson for campaign group Abortion Rights UK.

Kate is a writer for the BBC Three political comedy show The Revolution Will Be Televised.