Started my comedy life at the Buzz Club in Manchester in 1999, when a couple of acys didn't turn up one night, the promoter, Agraman, let me have a go! I was 17 and it was mental but I then entered the City Life Comedian of the Year and won the bloody thing, after only about 6 gigs. I then won the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Award in 2000 and got the semi finals of BBC New Stand Up awards, and the finals of Channel 4's 'So you think you're funny awards.
Then I took some time off to study acting and scriptwriting at Salford University (everybodies 2nd UCAS choice). I then started properly again, in 2003, gigging my arse off all over the country, before joining my lovely agent Lisa Thomas at Karushi in that there London, in 2004.
In 2005 i went to Edinburgh with a show called 'Urban Legend'. It went well, sold out and got nominated for the Perrier Award, which was deservedly won by Laura Solon.
I have been milking this success ever since with various TV spots including Edinburgh and Beyond and the World Stands Up on Paramount Comedy Channel as well as several apparances on Channel 4's 8 out of 10 Cats.
I've also had a pilot episode of a show called Modern Worries do well on E4 over the summer which I wrote with my best mate Steve Edge. Hopefully that will be made into a series in the new year!
I still do a lot of stand up as you can see from my gig list, but I stick to the clubs, cities and audiences I like now which is a lovely situation to be in. I also do the occasionaly theatre show of my own at places like the Soho theatre and the Lowry.
Website
jasonmanford.com
Members
TV Shows
'Best of Manchester Comedy' BBC2, 'Gideons Daughter' Channel 4, 8 out of 10 Cats' Channel 4, 'Richard and Judy' Channel 4, 'Modern Worries' E4, 'Ideal' BBC3, 'Cutting It' BBC1, 'Shameless' Channel 4
Albums
Jason Manford's Interests
General
Comedy, Cinema, Theatre, Football - Man City!
Music
I just like a bit of everything, I like Indie, Rock, Swing, Funk, Soul, R&B, Reggae, don't really like Dance music, unless I'm in a club maybe but couldn't listen to it on a CD in the car anyway! Love old stuff Johnny Cash bit of Neil Diamond, Bob Marley, Al Green, James Brown, Willie Nelson, Cat Stevens, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sam Cooke, BeeGees, Ray Charles, Tom Jones, Beatles, Bowie. Loads of stuff that reminds me of staying with my Grandparents every weekend, Nat King Cole, Rat Pack, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald! Love a bit of cheese from Sir Lionel of Richie! And I always wish I was from the fifties, (can you imagine the first time people saw Elvis! After years of Doo Wop and shit, suddenly Jailhouse Rock and those hips! That must have changed your life!).
Big fan of Stone Roses and Oasis, Jeff Buckley,Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, Ian Brown by himself is a legend (F.E.A.R anyone?) Inspirals, Pogues, Sawdoctors, Cherry Ghost, The Zutons, do a lot of the festivals so seen loads of bands live which changes your view of them, Magic Numbers, Tom Baxter, The Feeling, Ben Folds and Jack Johnson (the soft side of Indie I'd say!). Paul Weller, love that new Amy Winehouse album, class! Primal Scream, R.E.M, Coral, Scissor Sisters, The View, Automatic, loving little man tate, not keen on Keane! or Jamie T (bloody Mockneys!), Like Snow Patrol when I'm in that depressing mood, can't listen to Coldplay anymore, Love Stephen Fretwell, U2 are alright, but i bit overrated, same with Stereophonics. Tenacious D Rock! Like a bit of Lily Allen, and must say that after a month of my girlfriend playing that new Patience song by Take that, i've started singing it in the shower! Tina Dico, Regina Specktor, Tracey Chapman self titled album was the first album I bought, coz I thought I'd help her change the world man! I didn't! Van Morrison, Bill Withers and Guns and roses!
That's enough, like I said bit of everything!
Jason
love Colin Hay and Men at Work!
Movies
Back to the Future! Godfather, The Goonies, Trains Planes and Automobiles, Hook!!
Television
Sopranos, 4400, Town called Eureka, Dragns Den, 24, Lost, CSI, NCIS, Criminal Minds, Medium, Spooks, Life on Mars. Heroes, House, Shark, Dirt, Dexter, Columbo.
Books
Anything by James Patterson, Tess Gerritson, Zadie Smith "White Teeth", Carlos Ruiz Zafon "Shadow of the Wind", Alexander McCall Smith "No1 Ladies Detectives Agency", Michael Cordy "Lucifer Code/Messiah Code".
Heroes
Lots of comedians, Dave Allen, Tommy Cooper, Les Dawson, Bill Hicks, Laurel and Hardy, Buster Keaton. Musically, Bob Marley, Elvis, The Beatles Tom Jones! Johnny Cash, Willy Nelson.
About me: I'm a Comedian, Actor, Writer and DJ (97.7 XFM Manchester) I live in Manchester. I gig all over the country and even abroad sometimes. I've done a bit of TV work, I'm the new captain on '8 Out Of 10 Cats', I do the voice overs on the paramount comedy channel and I've done ther bits and bobs, 'World Stands Up', 'Gideons Daughter', 'Would I Lie to You' and 'Shameless'.
I'm currently writing a sitcom for BBC with my bessie mate Steve Edge (of Pheonix Nights and Mike Bassett fame!).
If you drop by take a look at my website too www.jasonmanford.com and see if I'm doing a gig near you soon.
Cheers,
Jason
Who I'd like to meet: Elvis, Jesus and Tommy Cooper. Also I' like to meet Speak, the greatest rapper of his or anyones generation.
Hi Jason!! Arsenal and Chelsea in the same week!!! It is getting too much to bear - Oh no it isn't!! What a save by Shay! Hope you are well, liked the new stuff on Live At The Apollo this week (and the old stuff too!) Regards Martin
We have put a new song up for you, it’s only a rough demo which hasn’t really been mixed well and hasn’t been produced but it will give you a taster of what may come next in our next recording sessions which we are trying to set before Christmas.
Enjoy! It’s called 'Stop'. Please tell us what you think.
Go to youtube, search "abbomusic" all our stuff (so far) is there and its free for your ears. It's all been made with blood sweat and tears, by us, and has cost less than a grand to make. Enjoy, and let us know what you think. Take good care. Much love, abbo
Are you aware that the first people Adolph Hitler put in the gas chamber were the disabled and 'the mentally deficient'. Are you comfortable with this fact in light of your proposals at tory party conference today. Are you comfortable that your late, deceased son would in adult life have been affected by these proposals. Are you comfortable launching an election campaign with a thinly disguised attack on those least able to defend themselves. Do you seriously think these proposals will save the state much money, or is it just not acceptable to scapegoat jews, blacks or gays anymore.
Hi Jason, Thank you for the add... Good luck with the rest of the tour honey, and the DVD sales! It was a pleasure to work with you again - (no doubt there will be other times in the future)...with much love and best wishes to you, and your lovely family..... from Deb xx
Hey there! Thank you so much for the add. I hope you enjoy listening to my music on my MySpace page.
If you'd like to be kept up to date with details of my album which is due to be released soon then please subscribe to my blog.
But if you REALLY can't wait then please know that my song - Love You - is available from iTunes and Amazon as part of the One In Three album with all proceeds going to the Manx Anti Cancer Association.
I'm on FaceBook too if you want to come and say 'hi' there....I'd like that! ;ox
This Thursday 30/07 we welcome you to join us and celebrate the release
of our new album, Panic. Free copies of the album will be available on
the night plus music from BOBBIE PERU, STRAY LIGHT and MONSTER ISLAND
with FNF DJs all night.
It is getting too much to bear - Oh no it isn't!! What a save by Shay! 
