Des Bishop

Desmond Bishop was born on November 12, 1975, in London, England, and was raised in New York before moving to Ireland at the age of 14. He attended St. Francis Preparatory School in Fresh Meadows, Queens, and later continued his education in Ireland at St Peter’s College, Wexford, and Blackrock College, Dublin. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and history from University College Cork. Bishop began his career in comedy in the late 1990s, honing his skills at the International Comedy Cellar. His early work established him as an emerging talent in the Irish comedy scene.

Bishop gained broader recognition in 2002 with a role in the film “In America.” His television career expanded significantly with “The Des Bishop Work Experience” (2004) on RTÉ Two, where he explored minimum wage jobs across Ireland. He continued to engage with social themes in “Joy in the Hood” (2006), a show where he mentored individuals in stand-up comedy in disadvantaged urban areas. Fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Bishop also developed a presence in China, adopting the stage name Bi Hansheng and appearing on Chinese dating shows. This venture into international comedy showcases his adaptability and linguistic abilities.

His career includes several stand-up DVDs, with titles such as “Des Bishop – Live at Vicar Street” (2003), “Des Bishop – Fitting In” (2006), and “Des Bishop – Of All People” (2024). Bishop also authored the book “My Dad Was Nearly James Bond” (2011). In 2017, he participated in the first series of “Dancing with the Stars” in Ireland, finishing in eighth place. He famously undertook the challenge of learning the Irish language to perform a stand-up act, chronicled in his TV show “In the Name of the Fada” (2008), achieving fluency. He is married to comedian Hannah Berner, whom he wed in 2022.