New book to celebrate the great women of comedy

By historian Gemma Ross

Comedy historian Gemma Ross has written a book about the great women of the genre.

Herlarious is described as ‘a broad, accessible and celebratory history of women’s comedy – from pioneering filmmakers and music-hall artistes to writers, performers and television powerhouses’.

Ross previously wrote The Carry On Girls, about the women in that film franchise, with her husband Robert, a prolific author of books about bygone comedy. Together they also host the podcast The Comey Historian.

She told Chortle: ‘It is a common misconception that comedy has always been a man’s game, yet women have been making audiences laugh for centuries.

‘The idea for this book crystallised at a dinner where the conversation turned to the greatest comedian of all time. Every name suggested was a man. When I said Victoria Wood, the response was, "Oh yes, she’s definitely up there." I remember thinking: what does "up there" mean? Why wasn’t she, or indeed any other woman, mentioned from the outset?

‘Following my research for The Carry On Girls, I wanted to look more deeply at the extraordinary part women have played throughout comedy’s history. Herlarious celebrates their achievements while examining the barriers female comedians have faced – and continue to face today.

‘At a time when women’s voices are increasingly being heard but their history remains comparatively overlooked, this book feels both necessary and long overdue. Above all, it is a joyful celebration of the women who have made—and continue to make—a living from being funny.’

The book will be published in February, priced £25 in hardback. It is available from Amazon or from uk.bookshop.org, below, which supports independent bookstores.

Published: 24 Aug 2026