© Remarkable TV Who's on Richard Osman's House Of Games this week, November 22?
Comedians Nina Conti, Nick Helm and Athena Kugblenu
Comedians dominate this week’s House Of Games line-up with Nina Conti, Nick Helm and Athena Kugblenu taking on radio presenter Toby Tarrant.
Who is Athena Kugblenu ?
Athena Kugblenu was a BBC New Comedian of the Year finalist in 2015, and she made her Edinburgh Fringe debut in 2017.
Last year, she was the recipient of the Felix Dexter Bursary, which gave her six months experience working in BBC comedy.
She has appeared on Mock The Week and had her own Radio 4 series Athena’s Cancel Culture as well as appearing on other shows including The Museum of Curiosity and Loose Ends. As a writer, she has contributed articles for The Guardian, Time Out and Stylist Magazine.
Born in London, she is half Indo-Guyanese and half Ghanaian, and has a twin brother.
Who is Nina Conti?
The daughter of actors Tom Conti and Kara Wilson, Nina Conti initially followed in their footsteps and became part of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
However, she found it was not for her, and with the encouragement of her mentor Ken Campbell took up ventriloquism on the London comedy circuit, with her puppet sidekick, Monkey.
In 2002, she won the BBC New Comedy Award – though it took her five more years to make her debut with her first solo full-length show, Complete and Utter Conti. The following years she won the Barry Award for this show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, tying with Kristen Schaal.
Acting roles include Black Books, Holby City, Christopher Guest's 2006 film, For Your Consideration and 2013 mockumentary series Family Tree.
She is currently on tour with The Dating Show, which Chortle reviewed last week.
Who is Nick Helm?
As a stand-up Nick Helm is known for his brash style, overcompensating for hidden insecurities, while to a wider audience he is known for the BBC Three sitcom, in which he plated lead character Andy in the BBC Three sitcom Uncle, which ran from 2014 to 2017. He also had his own show on the channel, Nick Helm's Heavy Entertainment, in 2015.
After several years coming to the Edinburgh Fringe with friends, Helm broke through with his 2010 solo show Keep Hold of the Gold, and its 2011 follow-up Dare to Dream, which was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award. He was nominated again in 2013. In 2015 he won the Chortle Award for best music and variety act.
As well as countless panel show appearances, Helm had recurring roles in the 2017 Channel 4 sitcom Loaded, about an internet start-up, and Sky’s series The Reluctant Landlord, created by and starring Romesh Ranganathan.
His B-movie, drive-in horror anthology tribute, I Think You Stink, is playing at the Soho Theatre this week, and he will be also part of the line-up at Cray Cray Cabaret at the London Comedy Store on December 8.
• Richard Osman’s House of Games is on BBC Two at 6pm every weeknight this week.
Published: 22 Nov 2021
