About Hal
Hal Cruttenden is one of the top stand up comedians working in the UK today, as well as being a highly accomplished writer and actor.
He has made several appearances on ‘Live at the Apollo’ (BBC1 and 2), ‘Have I Got News For You’(BBC1) and ‘The Royal Variety Performance’ (ITV) as well as his regular appearances on shows such as ‘Mock the Week’ (BBC2), ‘The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice’ (BBC2 and Channel 4) and ‘The Apprentice: You’re Fired’ (BBC2). He’s written and starred in his own sitcom, ‘Hal’ on Radio 4 (co-written with Dominic Holland, and has released three full length shows on DVD and online –‘Tough Luvvie’(Universal), ‘Straight Outta Cruttenden’ and ‘Chubster’ (NextUpComedy.com). He has toured the country extensively and, in the last two years, has also taken shows to the Melbourne Comedy Festival and the New Zealand Comedy Festival.
His other TV appearances include ‘The John Bishop Show’ (BBC1), ‘The Channel Four Comedy Gala’ (Channel 4), ‘The One Show’ (BBC1), ’Would I Lie To You’ (BBC1), ‘Kevin Bridges: Live at the Referendum’ (BBC1), ‘Sunday Night at the Palladium’ (ITV),‘Pointless Celebrities’ (BBC1), ‘Richard Osman’s House of Games’ (BBC2), ‘Guessable’ (Comedy Central), ’Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow’ (BBC1), ‘Celebrity Mastermind’ (BBC1), ’Let’s Dance For Comic Relief’ (BBC1), ‘The National Lottery Draw’ (BBC1), ’Comedy Rocks’ (ITV), ‘Celebrity Chase (ITV), ‘Celebrity Tipping Point’ (ITV), ’The Nightly Show’ (ITV), ‘John Bishop’s Only Joking (Sky One), ‘The Rob Brydon Show’ (BBC2), ‘Celebrity Squares’ (ITV), ‘The Jeremy Vine Show’ and ‘The Wright Stuff’ (Channel 5), ‘The Omid Djalili Show’ (BBC1), ‘The 11 O’Clock Show’ (Channel 4), ‘A Right Royal Quiz’ (ITV), ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’ (Channel 5),‘Edinburgh Comedy Fest Live’ (BBC3), ‘The Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala’ (Channel 10 Australia), ‘Comedy Central at the Comedy Store’ (Comedy Central), ‘Just For Laughs Gala’ (CBC Canada), ’Funny as Hell’ (BBC America), ‘George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight’ (CBC Canada), ‘The World Stands Up’(Paramount Comedy Channel UK, The Comedy Channel Australia, Comedy Central and BBC America), ‘New Zealand International Comedy Festival Gala’, ‘7 Days’ and ‘The Project’ (all TV3 NZ).
Hal has completed five nationwide tours in the last few years: ‘Chubster’ (2018/19), ’Straight Outta Cruttenden’(2015/16), ’Tough Luvvie’ (2013/14), ‘The Tiny Rage Tour’(2011) and ‘Lively (2010). He is also a three time Chortle Award nominee and was nominated for the Perrier Newcomer Award back at the Edinburgh Festival in 2002. He plans to tour again from the Autumn of 2021.
As well as writing and acting in his sitcom ‘Hal’, other radio appearances include being a team captain on ‘Britain versus the World’ and spots on ‘Loose Ends’, ‘Act Your Age’, ‘Chat Show Roulette’ and ‘Four at the Store’ (all on Radio 4).
Having originally trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama, Hal’s acting career includes roles on TV and film in ‘Shackleton’; ‘Eastenders’; ‘Kavanagh QC’; ‘Out of the Blue’; ‘Touching Evil’ and ‘Bramwell’. He also appeared in the movie ‘Mrs Dalloway‘. Theatre work includes ‘Brexit’ and ‘Making News’ at the Edinburgh Festival and ‘Orwell A Celebration’ at Trafalgar Studios, London and the Edinburgh Festival.
Hal’s recently started presenting a comedy rugby podcast with Dan Skinner called ‘Rugby Jubbly’.
As well as his performances at Melbourne and the New Zealand Comedy Festival, Hal has appeared at Montreal’s Just For Laughs’ Festival three times and travelled all across Canada on their Just For Laughs Comedy tours. He has performed on two Just For Laughs Galas hosted by Joan Rivers (2008) and Howie Mandel (2012). Other international appearances include Kilkenny Cat Laughs Festival in Ireland and tours to India, Bermuda, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Norway, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Indonesia, China, Hong Kong and Singapore. For the British Armed Forces he has played gigs in the Falkland Islands, Cyprus and Germany.
Hal’s DVD ‘Chubster’ is available at NextUPComedy.com
Hal’s DVD ‘Straight Outta Cruttenden’ is available at Amazon Prime and NextUPComedy.com
‘Tough Luvvie’ is available at www.amazon.co.uk
Comedy CD entitled ‘Angry…but not sure why’ is also available at www.amazon.co.uk
