From Motherland, to Cunk on Earth, Diane Morgan has been a staple on our screens for over a decade.
From sitcoms, to mockumentaries, it seems she can do it all, but how has her new sitcom Ann Droid added to her legacy?
When thinking of comedy legends who come from the UK, we typically think of the likes of Bob Mortimer, Dawn French, Peter Kay and Alan Carr.
Film News Blitz writer Jude Chismans asks if Morgan has officially cemented herself on the ‘Mount Rushmore’ of British comedians, especially after the success of her newest sitcom, Ann Droid.
Diane Morgan’s comedy background
The Bolton-born comedian, actress and writer got her first break with fellow Bolton-based comedian Peter Kay with a small role in his well-renowned sitcom, Phoenix Nights, before she became a dental assistant, potato peeler, Avon sales rep and a telemarketer.
She has later gone on to star in a multitude of shows, performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, appeared on a range of panel comedy shows like Would I Lie to You? and Mock the Week, and more recently was a contestant in the second season of Last One Laughing UK.
If people don’t recognise her from those ventures, she also starred as Liz in the hugely popular BBC sitcom Motherland, alongside Anna Maxwell Martin, Paul Ready, Tanya Moody and Lucy Punch.
Motherland ran for three seasons from 2016-2022, and Morgan received a Royal Television Society award nomination for her role of Liz in 2020.
Cunk on…..
What Morgan is undoubtedly best known for is her character, Philomena Cunk.
Cunk is a deadpan, witty and hilarious interviewer on all things history, culture, religion and the news – and she has undoubtedly catapulted Morgan’s recognition in comedy and has even earned her a Primetime Emmy nomination for writing.
The character originated on Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe in 2013 but has now gone beyond that, and Cunk has now created many a mockumentary.
Cunk on Britain, Cunk on Earth, Cunk on Life and Cunk on Christmas have all been met with rave reviews.
The unique interviewing style and her hilarious back and forth with professionals in their respective fields were such a fresh concept that people were instantly drawn to it.
Cunk has not only reached the typical BBC comedy viewers, but it has also exploded across social media and has gained the mockumentary audience a whole new audience.
And now, ‘Ann Droid’
The newest venture for Morgan is her BBC One sitcom, Ann Droid.
The series that Morgan created, wrote and starred in that released earlier this month, has been met with high praise from viewers and critics alike.
The story follows a widow Sue, played by Sue Johnston, and her robot companion Linda, played by Morgan, as they navigate grief and the increased reliance that society in the near future will have on AI and robots, a storyline that seems to be as poignant as ever.
It has a plot that focuses on grief, loss and technology but finds a way to be hilarious, human and a perfect amount of strange.
Morgan’s best work is when she is portraying an oddball, from her original character Mandy, from another BBC show also called Mandy, Cunk or now the android Linda.
She has shown she knows her brand of comedy and excels in it.
Comedy legend status
What makes a comedy legend?
Of course it’s incredibly subjective. There’s no real authority on who decides it, but it seems that Morgan has more than staked her claim amongst her fellow comedians.
International recognition for her original work, multiple shows that she has both written and starred in, and a large fanbase that spans across generations and platforms – her achievements, especially in her own unique brand of comedy, are undeniable.
I think it’s safe to say that Morgan has taken the British comedy world by storm and has firmly made her mark, becoming not only a household name but a comedic force to be reckoned with, and if that doesn’t make a comedy legend, what does?
READ MORE FROM JUDE CHISMAN – TV opinion: Does every show really need a recap podcast?
