Russell Kane (born Russell David Anthony Grineau; 19 August 1975)^[2][3] is an English writer, comedian, and actor. He has four times been nominated at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, winning the Best Comedy Show award in 2010. Although known mainly for stand-up comedy, for television, he has presented Big Brother's Big Mouth (2007), I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here - Now (2009-2011), Freak Like Me (2010), Geordie Shore: The Reunion and Britain Unzipped (2012), Live at the Electric (2013), Stupid Man, Smart Phone (2016), and hosted the BBC Radio 4 series Evil Genius in 2018.

Kane was born to David and Julie Grineau in Enfield, North London and brought up in Essex, where he still lives.^[2][4] He studied English at Middlesex University and graduated with a degree in Media Writing.^[5]

Kane's father had worked as an extra, and he himself took on a couple of youthful acting roles in the early 90s, under the name Russell Grineaux.^[6][7]

Turning to comedy, in 2004, Kane won the Laughing Horse New Act of the Year,^[1][8] and in the same year he was runner-up to Nick Sun in So You Think You're Funny.^[9] In 2005, he joined Ray Peacock, Russell Howard and Reginald D. Hunter on the national Paramount Edinburgh and Beyond tour.^[10] He was a roving reporter alongside Annie Mac, for the live music event Guerrilla Gig, which aired on BBC Three in March 2006.^[11] In July 2006, he wrote and presented travelogues for the newly launched Five US.^[12]

In August 2006, Kane performed his debut comedy show The Theory of Pretension at the Edinburgh Fringe, where he was nominated for a best newcomer Edinburgh Comedy Award.^[13] He presented Big Brother's Big Mouth^[8] on E4 and Channel 4 in June 2007.^[14]

In 2008, Kane was the host of BBC Radio 2's Out to Lunch from series 4 onwards.^[14][15] He presented a Sunday afternoon show on the relaunched Q Radio digital radio station.^[1] Later the same year, he took his stand-up show Gaping Flaws to Glasgow and the Edinburgh Festival, earning 2008 Best Comedy Show Nominee at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards.^[16] He also wrote an hour-long play, The Lamentable Tragedie of Yates's Wine Lodge based on his own creation of Fakespeare.^[17] On 20 November 2008, Kane performed at the Hammersmith Apollo for the BBC's Live at the Apollo.^[16][18]

In 2009, Kane returned to Edinburgh with a stand-up show entitled Human Dressage, which was nominated for 2009 Best Comedy Show Edinburgh Comedy Award for the second time.^[19][20] Kane appeared on the presenting team of the 2009 ITV2 spin-off show I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here – Now, which he co-hosted with Laura Whitmore and Joe Swash.^[21] Two contestants that year were Gino D'Acampo and Katie Price.^[21] He returned to Australia for the show in 2010 and 2011.^[8]

In April 2010, while appearing on the Australian TV show Good News Week, Kane made a joke centred on autistic children, prompting an apology from the network and criticism from the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities.^[22] Later that year, Kane appeared live in Cardiff, along with his impressionist and comedienne wife Sadie Hasler, who preceded his act.^[23] Kane was narrator and presenter Freak Like Me on BBC Three during the winter of 2010.^[24]

In August 2011, he appeared for the first time on the BBC Radio Four comedy panel game Just a Minute, which he won.^[25] In November 2011, he won a Children in Need edition of Celebrity Mastermind, with the specialist subject "The Life and Novels of Evelyn Waugh".^[26] On 5 July 2011 and 27 March 2012, he presented Geordie Shore: The Reunion for MTV.^[27]

His debut novel, The Humorist, was published by Simon & Schuster in April 2012.^[28] In 2012, he co-presented Britain Unzipped with Greg James on BBC Three, which was renamed Unzipped for series 2.^[29] He was the presenter of the BBC Three show Live at the Electric, which ran for three series, and co-hosted the 2013 chat show Staying In with Greg James.^[29]

In 2016, Kane presented the BBC Three travel series Stupid Man, Smart Phone.^[30]

In January 2018, Kane participated in And They're Off! in aid of Sport Relief.^[8]

In March 2018, Kane started hosting the BBC Radio 4 series Evil Genius. This programme is an exploration of famous people in contemporary history.^[31]

• 2004 Laughing Horse New Act of the Year^[8]
• 2004 So You Think You're Funny: 2nd Place^[8]
• 2006 Edinburgh Comedy Awards: Best Newcomer nominee^[32]
• 2008 Edinburgh Comedy Awards: Best Comedy Show nominee^[33]
• 2009 Edinburgh Comedy Awards: Best Comedy Show nominee^[33]
• 2010 Edinburgh Comedy Awards: Best Comedy Show^[33]
• 2011 Barry Award^[34]

Kane married fellow comedian Sadie Hasler in 2010. They met while studying at Middlesex University.^[35] They divorced nine months later.^[36] He married hair and makeup artist and model, Lindsey Cole in 2014.^[37][38] They had met when Cole had attended one of his shows and later connected through social media.^[39] They have one daughter.^[38] Kane mentions he is often mistaken for Nick Grimshaw.^[40][41]

In 2015 it was revealed that Kane had been lying about his age, claiming to be five years younger than his true vintage.^{[42][43][44][45]}

Kane has been an ambassador for The Prince's Trust, a charity.^[46]

• The Humorist, 2012 (novel)^[47]
• Son of a Silverback, 2019 (memoir)^[48][49]

• Smokescreens & Castles Live (7 November 2011)
• Live (30 November 2015)