So says Chris Hallam

Let’s face facts: there has never been a better time for British women in comedy than today.

Miranda Hart bestrides the comedy world like a colossus. Although initially criticised for their old-fashioned, conventional nature, the first three series of her sitcom were a huge success, providing excellent supporting roles for Sarah Hadland, Sally Phillips and Patricia Hodge, too. Her book Is It Just Me? Has proven a massive bestseller and she is soon planning her first stand-up tour.

The realm of the panel show, it is true, features few permanent female hosts – the notable exception being Radio 4’s News Quiz presented by Sandi Toksvig. However, there is a broad range of formidable funny, clever women around ranging from Victoria Coren, Jo Brand, Sue Perkins, Shazia Mirza, Shappi Khorsandi,  Jo Caulfield, Lauren Laverne and many others.

The world of comedy is hardly short on British female acting talent either. Olivia Colman may have left Peep Show and Twenty Twelve in favour of more serious roles in films like Tyrannosaur and Hyde Park in Hudson. But she continues to do comedy in Rev and on the big screen in this month’s release, I Give It A Year.

Tamsin Greig too, after Green Wing and Black Books continues to excel in Friday Night Dinner and Episodes. Sarah Millican, meanwhile, is already well known for her stand-up and for her self-titled Television Programme. Sarah  Alexander. Watson and Oliver. Dawn French. Caitlin Moran. Rebecca Front. Julia Davis. Katherine Parkinson. Ruth Jones. Isy Suttie. The list of British female comedic talent in Britain today is not endless, but it is certainly long.

I am not claiming full gender equality has been achieved. Perhaps it never will be. There are still more male comics than females on the circuit. And as I say, most TV panel shows are still usually hosted and dominated by men.

What is indisputable is that there are undoubtedly a large number of very funny British women around today. Take a look again at the names listed above. Chances are you won’t like everyone on it. But you’ll undoubtedly like some of them, probably most of them. And if this is the case, how can the old cliché about women being less funny than men hold any resonance at call?

And if you don’t like any of the names above, well…perhaps this isn’t the time to be questioning whether you find women funny. It may actually be time to start wondering whether you have any sense of humour at all.

Published: 5 Feb 2013