Deborah Frances-White

Deborah Frances-White is a London-based comedian, author, and screenwriter known for her influential work in comedy, particularly through her podcast “The Guilty Feminist.” After co-founding The Spontaneity Shop in 1996 with Tom Salinsky, Deborah Frances-White served as one of three directors for the improv theatre company, developing diverse improvisation formats including ‘DreamDate,’ an improvised romantic comedy that secured a pilot production for ITV. Transitioning into stand-up comedy, she debuted her solo show ‘How to Get Almost Anyone to Want to Sleep With You’ at The Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2007, subsequently presenting it at The Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2008 where she also hosted the festival’s Roadshow. Frances-White continued to develop her stand-up repertoire with ‘Cult Following’ in 2012, exploring personal narratives, followed by ‘Half a Can of Worms’ in 2013. In 2014, she contributed two episodes to the television series ‘Young Dracula.’ She then created ‘Friend of a Friend of Dorothy’ in 2015, addressing themes of feminism, sexism, and homophobia.

As an author, her written works include ‘The Improv Handbook,’ co-written with Tom Salinsky, and ‘Off the Mic,’ co-written with Marsha Shandur, both published by Bloomsbury. She also authored ‘The Guilty Feminist’ book in 2018, a spin-off from her successful podcast published by Virago. She has appeared on television as a guest on programs such as ‘Mock the Week’ and ‘Politics Live.’ In 2019, Frances-White’s debut feature film, the comedy thriller ‘Say My Name,’ premiered. Her influential podcast continued to gain accolades, winning Gold at the British Podcast Awards in 2020 and the Lifestyle and Culture award from PodBible in 2021.

Looking ahead, her book ‘Six Conversations We’re Scared To Have’ is set for release in April 2025, further cementing her reputation as a leading voice in comedy and cultural commentary.