Morgana Robinson

Morgana Robinson
BornShepparton, Victoria, Australia[1]
NationalityBritish
Years active2007–present
Relative(s)Brody Dalle (half-sister)

Morgana Robinson is an Australian-born British comedian, impressionist, writer and actress. She has appeared in her comedy sketch programme The Morgana Show, Morgana Robinson's The Agency, House of Fools and Very Important People.

Early life

Robinson was born in Shepparton, Victoria to parents working as a nurse and a paramedic. Her family moved to the United Kingdom when she was three. She was primarily raised by her mother and spent much of her childhood sofa surfing.[2] She attended Benenden School in Kent. Her father was adopted, and her schooling at Benenden was paid for by her father's biological parents after he reconnected with them during her childhood.[3] She studied sculpture at City and Guilds in London, earning a 2:2.[1]

On her father's side, Robinson has four elder half-siblings, one of whom is Brody Dalle (born Bree Joanna Alice Robinson) of the punk rock band the Distillers and alternative rock band Spinnerette. They first met as adults, backstage at one of Dalle's 2004 concerts at the Brixton Academy.[4][5]

Television career

Robinson got her start in television at age 25, after showing a homemade showreel to comedy agent John Noel while working as a waitress.[6]

Robinson's television debut came in 2007, as she played an eastern European internet bride in BBC One's comedy The Green Green Grass.[7] She then starred in the TV pilot Eight Steps to Enlightenment and a Nervous Breakdown, an improvised mockumentary, playing Rachel, a self-obsessed glamour model, trying to rid herself of cellulite. In 2009, she appeared as Anna in the BBC One comedy My Family in the episode "It's Training Men".

In 2009, she appeared in a running sketch segment, Gilbert's Special Report, in The TNT Show as Gilbert, a teenage boy who interviews celebrities, alongside his disabled crew members.

In 2010, Channel 4 commissioned a five-part comedy sketch show, The Morgana Show. Channel 4's head of comedy, Shane Allen, said: "Discovering, supporting and nurturing new talent is at the heart of Channel 4 comedy’s remit, and in Morgana we really feel we’ve found a fresh performer with a huge amount of potential."[8] Her characters included giant-glasses wearing Gilbert, making TV shows from his bedroom, and her impressions of Fearne Cotton and mockumentary of Natalie Cassidy "Sonia off Eastenders".

In 2012, Robinson starred in the Channel 4 sketch show Very Important People also starring Terry Mynott. In the show, she impersonates a variety of performers, including Frankie Boyle, Danny Dyer, Amy Childs and Adele.

In 2014 to 2015, she appeared as sexy nymphomaniac cafe-owner Julie in Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer's two-series surreal BBC Two television comedy sitcom House of Fools in which her appearances include an obsessive attraction to Vic Reeves.

In 2016, she appeared as Pippa Middleton in The Windsors, a comedy parody of the British royal family in which she uses her sexiness to try to ensnare her sister's brother-in-law Prince Harry.

In 2018, she appeared with Richard Ayoade in Travel Man, visiting Milan.

In 2021, Robinson played Hilary Bowden in series 2, episode 4 of Intelligence.[9] The same year, she participated in the 12th series of Channel 4 comedy game show Taskmaster, which she won. She returned to the series in 2024 as part of the third "Champion of Champions" special episode.

In March 2022, Robinson appeared as Maxine in Gold comedy Newark, Newark. Also in 2022, she co-starred with Dylan Moran in the BBC Two sitcom Stuck.[10]

Personal life

She was previously engaged.[11]

Awards

At the 2012 British Comedy Awards, she won in the Best Comedy Breakthrough Artist category.[12]

In 2018, she won the BAFTA Award in the Best Short Form Programme category for Morgana Robinson's Summer.[13]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2008 Eight Steps to Enlightenment and a Nervous Breakdown Rachel Short film
2012 The Actress Princess Alopecia Short film
2015 Set the Thames on Fire London Town Tannoy
2020 The Witches Mrs. Jenkins
2021 A Bird Flew In Lucy
2023 The Martini Shot Dr. Ehm
2024 Robin and the Hoods Cathy

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2007 The Green Green Grass Katia Series 3, episode 7: "Lust in Translation"
2009 My Family Anna Series 9, episode 7: "It's Training Men"
The TNT Show Gilbert Appeared in a running sketch segment "Gilbert's Special Report". The character was later used in Robinson's own sketch show
2010 Comedy Lab Unknown Series 11, episode 7: "MovieMash"
The Morgana Show Various Star, writer and creator, 5 episodes
2011 The Hunt for Tony Blair Carole Caplin A one-off episode of The Comic Strip Presents...
2012 Very Important People Various Star, writer and creator, 6 episodes
Them from That Thing [14] Various Two-part sketch show with Kayvan Novak, Sally Phillips and Blake Harrison produced for Channel 4's Comedy Fortnight
2013 Toast of London [15] Jemima Gina Sitcom with Matt Berry. Series 1, episode 1: "Addictive Personality"
2014 Warren United Charlotte 'Charlie' Kingsley Voice role. Series 1, 6 episodes
Chanel M Various BBC iPlayer content part of the Original Comedy Shorts series[16]
Big School Fenella Forbes Series 2, episode 1
Drifters Rebecca Series 2, episode 6: "Meg's New Job"
Psychobitches Anna Nicole Smith / Venus / Bo Peep /
Mary Magdalene / Daphne du Maurier		 Series 2, 4 episodes
Toast of London [15] Lorna Wynde Series 2, episode 6: "Fool in Love"
2014–2015 House of Fools Julie BBC Two comedy series written by Bob Mortimer and Vic Reeves. Two series, 13 episodes
2015 Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe [17] Zeb / Russell Brand Series 3, 4 episodes
SunTrap Janice / Susan Series 1, episode 3: "The Big Sleep"
Toast of London [18] Emma Series 3, episode 2: "Beauty Calls"
Distinquished Ladies Minky Television film
Crackanory Herself - Storyteller Series 3, episode 5, Story 1: "The Truth About Suz"
2015–2016 Walliams & Friend [19] Various / Carla Series 1, 5 episodes
2016 Drunk History: UK Mary Godwin Series 2, episode 4: "Richard III / Mary Shelley's Frankenstein"
Morgana Robinson's The Agency [20] Various BBC Two mockumentary series, 7 episodes
2016–2017 Hey Duggee Buggee / Katerina the Flamingo / Peggee / Nurse Voice roles. Series 2, 7 episodes
2016–2020, 2023 The Windsors Pippa Middleton Main role, 19 episodes
2017 Inside No. 9 Carrie Series 3, episode 6: "Private View"
2018 Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators Sally Balthasar Series 1, episode 6: "Exit, Pursued by a Bear"
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Natalie Cassidy - Dictionary Corner Guest Series 16, episode 1
2019 Series 18, episode 2
Island of Dreams Adele Television film
2020 Reasons to Be Cheerful with Matt Lucas Natalie Cassidy Series 1, episode 3
Comedians: Home Alone Cheryl Series 1, episode 3
Truth Seekers Janey Feathers Series 1, episode 3: "The Girl with All the Ghosts"
2020–2021 Intelligence Hilary Bowden Series 1, episode 4 and Series 2, episode 4
2021 Taskmaster Herself - Contestant
How We Forgot to Save the Planet [21] Various Mockumentary, part of Channel 4's programming highlighting environmental concerns in the build-up to the COP26 conference on climate change
2022 Toast of Tinseltown Wildcat Lil Series 1, episode 5: "Death Valley"
Newark, Newark Maxine Lead role, Gold original comedy. Series 1, 3 episodes
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Annabel - Dictionary Corner Guest Series 23, episode 4
Stuck [22] Carla Lead role, BBC original comedy. Series 1, 5 episodes
The Larkins Pinkie Jerebohm Recurring role. Series 2, 6 episodes
2023 Everyone Else Burns [23] Melissa Series 1, 6 episodes

References

  1. ^ a b Alice Jones. "Morgana Robinson interview: 'I've been picked on all my life'" The Independent. 23 November 2014 Accessed 26 March 2017
  2. ^ MacKenzie, Steven (21 March 2022). "Morgana Robinson: 'I'm the giant bogey that everyone sticks to'". Big Issue. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  3. ^ Lytton, Charlotte (23 February 2016). "Morgana Robinson: 'If you're not a white man in this industry, it's going to be tough for you'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  4. ^ "Boots Electric (Jessie Hughes' Eagles of Death Metal) – Boots Electric Theme – Track of the Day – QTheMusic.com". 10 July 2011. Archived from the original on 10 July 2011.
  5. ^ Rhik Samadder (4 May 2014). "Comedian Morgana Robinson and singer Brody Dalle on their close sister relationship". The Guardian.
  6. ^ Lytton, Charlotte (23 February 2016). "Morgana Robinson: 'If you're not a white man in this industry, it's going to be tough for you'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  7. ^ "The Green Green Grass Series 3, Episode 7 – Lust in Translation". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  8. ^ Solutions, Powder Blue Internet Business. "'Unknown' lands her own C4 comedy series : News 2010 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". Retrieved 10 March 2017. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  9. ^ "Intelligence". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  10. ^ "Dylan Moran's Stuck gets debut date". British Comedy Guide. 31 August 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  11. ^ MacKenzie, Steven (21 March 2022). "Morgana Robinson: 'I'm the giant bogey that everyone sticks to'". Big Issue. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  12. ^ "British Comedy Awards – The Winners – Channel 4 – Info – Press". Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  13. ^ "Morgana Robinson's Summer – Winners' Acceptance Speech, Short Form Programme, Virgin TV British Academy Television Awards in 2018". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. 13 May 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  14. ^ "C4 Comedy Presents: Them from That Thing – All 4". Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  15. ^ a b "Toast of London – All 4". Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  16. ^ Guide, British Comedy (15 May 2014). "BBC iPlayer Original Comedy Shorts – British Comedy Guide". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  17. ^ "Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe – BBC Two". Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  18. ^ "Beauty Calls". IMDb. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  19. ^ "Walliams & Friend". IMDb. 24 December 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  20. ^ Rees, Jasper (10 October 2016). "Morgana Robinson's The Agency is an affectionate but spiky lampooning of celebrity – BBC Two, review". The Telegraph. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  21. ^ "How We Forgot to Save the Planet". Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  22. ^ "Stuck – BBC Two". Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  23. ^ "Channel 4 Commissions New Apocalyptic Comedy 'Everyone Else Burns', Starring Simon Bird". channel4.com/press. Retrieved 12 May 2022.