Laura Solon came from nowhere to become only the second solo women to win the Perrier award in 2005, following in the footsteps of Jenny Eclair a decade earlier.

She was born in London, raised near Aylesbury, and attended Worcester College, Oxford, where she began writing and performing comedy as part of the Oxford Revue. She initially tried stand up, but found her niche in character comedy.

Solon scooped comedy's biggest prize at the age of 26, thanks to her one-woman show Kopfraper's Syndrome: One Man and His Incredible Mind. The Edinburgh success led to an immediate commission from Radio 4, which broadcast her debut show Talking And Not Talking from January 2007.

She has also written for several TV shows, including BBC3 sketch show Man Stroke Woman