# Ed Gamble
**Ed Gamble** (born in [Hammersmith](https://www.edgepedia.org/hammersmith) in 1986) is an English comedian, writer, and actor known as co-host of the Off Menu podcast with [James Acaster](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-acaster), champion of the ninth series of Taskmaster, and host of Taskmaster the Podcast and [The Traitors](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-traitors): Uncloaked.[1](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/27/on-my-radar-ed-gamble-cultural-highlights) • [2](https://edgamble.co.uk/about) • [3](https://avalonuk.com/clients/ed-gamble/) He studied philosophy at Durham University and began his career in stand-up there.[1](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/27/on-my-radar-ed-gamble-cultural-highlights)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | Hammersmith, 1986[1](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/27/on-my-radar-ed-gamble-cultural-highlights) |
| Education | Philosophy, Durham University; began with the Durham Revue; 2007 Chortle Student Comedy Awards finalist[1](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/27/on-my-radar-ed-gamble-cultural-highlights) • [4](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/ed_gamble/) |
| Taskmaster | Series nine champion (2019); second Champions of Champions episode, 2022; host of Taskmaster the Podcast since 2020[3](https://avalonuk.com/clients/ed-gamble/) • [1](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/27/on-my-radar-ed-gamble-cultural-highlights) |
| Off Menu | Co-host with James Acaster since 2018; over 100 million downloads in 195 countries[1](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/27/on-my-radar-ed-gamble-cultural-highlights) • [3](https://avalonuk.com/clients/ed-gamble/) |
| Mock the Week | Over 30 episodes between 2015 and 2021, one of the show's most frequent regulars[3](https://avalonuk.com/clients/ed-gamble/) |
| Radio | Sunday mornings on Radio X alongside Matthew Crosby[2](https://edgamble.co.uk/about) |
| Current tour | Hot Diggity Dog, extended into 2025 and 2026 with dates in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and America[3](https://avalonuk.com/clients/ed-gamble/) |
## Early life and education
Gamble was born in Hammersmith in 1986.[1](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/27/on-my-radar-ed-gamble-cultural-highlights) He became interested in comedy at twelve or thirteen, after his mother took him to see [Steve Coogan](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-coogan) live when he was thirteen, and he described himself at that age as absolutely obsessed with it.[5](https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/features/ed-gamble-interview/)
He studied philosophy at [Durham University](https://www.edgepedia.org/durham-university) and started his career doing stand-up there.[1](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/27/on-my-radar-ed-gamble-cultural-highlights) He began performing with the Durham Revue, joining the university sketch group the week after auditioning, and was a finalist at the 2007 Chortle Student Comedy Awards, nominated under the stage name Selsdon Krupp.[4](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/ed_gamble/) • [5](https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/features/ed-gamble-interview/)
## Career beginnings: Peacock and Gamble
Before his solo career, Gamble performed in the double act Peacock and Gamble with Ian Boldsworth, who performed as Ray Peacock, and the two co-hosted The Peacock and Gamble Podcast.[4](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/ed_gamble/) The podcast was nominated for the Chortle Internet Award in 2011.[4](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/ed_gamble/) In 2014 Gamble won the Chortle Award for Best Compere and was nominated for Best Club Comic the same year.[4](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/ed_gamble/) His early television work included the faux-reality show Almost Royal, which aired in 2015.[4](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/ed_gamble/)
## Stand-up career
Gamble's solo shows include the twice-extended 2019 show Blizzard, the 2019 [Amazon Prime](https://www.edgepedia.org/amazon-prime) special Blood Sugar, and Electric, which was extended after selling out venues; Electric began its tour on 3 September 2022.[3](https://avalonuk.com/clients/ed-gamble/) • [1](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/27/on-my-radar-ed-gamble-cultural-highlights) Blood Sugar is available worldwide on Amazon Prime.[2](https://edgamble.co.uk/about)
His current show, Hot Diggity Dog, ran across the UK into November with an autumn extension and is built in four chunks: stories about his neighborhood WhatsApp group, his honeymoon, his cat, and an A&E visit. He described the loose theme as preferring to be at home with his wife.[5](https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/features/ed-gamble-interview/) After the 2024 tour, the show was extended into 2025 and 2026 with dates across Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and America.[3](https://avalonuk.com/clients/ed-gamble/)
**Style.** Gamble describes his stand-up as anecdotal rather than message-driven, aiming for roughly 75 minutes of flowing material, and he has said he does not do comedy for someone to take away a big life lesson. He views television work primarily as a tool to drive live audiences.[5](https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/features/ed-gamble-interview/) He has twice appeared on Live at the Apollo and performed at The Royal Variety Performance on ITV.[3](https://avalonuk.com/clients/ed-gamble/)
## Television and radio
**Taskmaster.** Gamble was crowned the series nine champion of Taskmaster in 2019 and appeared on the second Champions of Champions episode in 2022.[3](https://avalonuk.com/clients/ed-gamble/) • [4](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/ed_gamble/) The following year he set up Taskmaster the Podcast, which he hosts.[1](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/27/on-my-radar-ed-gamble-cultural-highlights) • [2](https://edgamble.co.uk/about)
**Panel shows and other television.** He appeared in over 30 episodes of [Mock the Week](https://www.edgepedia.org/mock-the-week) between 2015 and 2021, making him one of the show's most frequent regulars.[3](https://avalonuk.com/clients/ed-gamble/) His other credits include Live At the Apollo, The Russell Howard Hour, QI, Would I Lie To You, Great British Menu, Almost Royal and Man Down.[2](https://edgamble.co.uk/about) He was a judge on four series of [BBC Two](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-two)'s Great British Menu and one of six rotating guest-hosts of [Pointless](https://www.edgepedia.org/pointless).[3](https://avalonuk.com/clients/ed-gamble/) He is one of the creators of the 2022 comedy panel show The Island.[1](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/27/on-my-radar-ed-gamble-cultural-highlights)
**Radio.** He hosts Sunday mornings on Radio X alongside Matthew Crosby.[2](https://edgamble.co.uk/about)
## Off Menu podcast
Since 2018 Gamble has co-presented Off Menu with James Acaster.[1](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/27/on-my-radar-ed-gamble-cultural-highlights) The podcast consistently tops iTunes and UK Comedy Podcast charts, with over 100 million downloads in 195 different countries, and its guests have included [Robert De Niro](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-de-niro), Jeff Goldblum, Nicola Coughlan, Jada Pinkett Smith, and [Kumail Nanjiani](https://www.edgepedia.org/kumail-nanjiani).[3](https://avalonuk.com/clients/ed-gamble/)
The show has an extensive award record: it won the podcast category at the JOE Comedy Awards 2019 and the PodBible Poll comedy category in 2019, 2020, and 2022 (runner-up in 2021), was nominated for Best Comedy at the British Podcast Awards 2020 and for that ceremony's Spotlight Award in 2023, and was a TRIC Awards 2025 podcast nominee.[4](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/ed_gamble/)
## What has changed since 2023
He hosts The Traitors: Uncloaked, the companion podcast to The Traitors, which was nominated for the Spotlight Award at the British Podcast Awards 2024.[2](https://edgamble.co.uk/about) • [4](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/ed_gamble/) Hot Diggity Dog, which toured in 2024, was extended into 2025 and 2026 with international dates across Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and America.[3](https://avalonuk.com/clients/ed-gamble/) Off Menu continued its chart and awards run, with a TRIC Awards 2025 podcast nomination.[4](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/ed_gamble/) He has also written his first book, *Glutton: The Multi-Course Life of a Very Greedy Boy*, and an upcoming panel show, Unacceptable, is listed on his official site.[2](https://edgamble.co.uk/about)
## Personal life
Gamble is married; in discussing his Hot Diggity Dog material he referred to preferring to be at home with his wife, and the honeymoon is one of the show's four story blocks.[5](https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/features/ed-gamble-interview/)
## References
1. [On my radar: Ed Gamble's cultural highlights, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/aug/27/on-my-radar-ed-gamble-cultural-highlights)
2. [About: Ed Gamble (official site)](https://edgamble.co.uk/about)
3. [Ed Gamble, Avalon (talent agency profile)](https://avalonuk.com/clients/ed-gamble/)
4. [Ed Gamble, British Comedy Guide](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/ed_gamble/)
5. [Hot dogs and hilarity: Ed Gamble interview, British Comedy Guide](https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/features/ed-gamble-interview/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Theater and dance › Stand-up comedy and comedians › British and Irish comedians*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license