Harriet Kemsley looks back: ‘My parents say I was a very well-behaved child. Sadly this has been in steady decline over the years’
The comedian on overcoming her shyness, doing standup in secret and being a chaos magnet
TL;DR
- Harriet Kemsley, born in Canterbury in 1987, is a comedian and podcaster who started standup in 2011.
- She grew up on a farm, became a vegetarian at eight, and was diagnosed with dyspraxia, which contributed to many comedic incidents.
- Kemsley struggled with shyness and introversion, which impacted her early ambitions in acting and drama school applications.
- She pursued standup comedy, initially keeping it secret from her employer, and found it to be her lifelong passion.
- Kemsley uses comedy to work through difficult experiences, including sexual assault, and therapy has been crucial to her healing process.
- Becoming a mother to her daughter Mabel has made her feel more capable and has provided a new perspective on managing her career and personal life.
- Despite life's challenges, Kemsley feels grateful for her career, which allows her to frame experiences and connect with people, often through absurd personal anecdotes.