Bristol-born Russell Howard started comedy as a teenager, making the finals of Channel 4's So You Think Your Funny? competition in 1999 in only his fifth ever gig. Two year later, he was also a finalist in the BBC New Comedy Awards.

He made his Edinburgh debut in 2002, sharing an hour-long show with fellow stand-up Matt Blaize, and returned the following year as part of the long-running Comedy Zone showcase line-up. His first solo show was in 2004, and he has returned to the Fringe every year since. In 2006, his show Wandering was nominated for the if.comedy award – and he won the Chortle award for best compere.

In 2006, he joined BBC Two's topical panel game Mock the Week as a regilar panelist. He has also made appearances on Would I Lie To You?, Live At The Apollo, Law of the Playground and Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

On radio, Howard has co-hosted Radio 2's comedy show Out to Lunch with Rob Deering and appeared on the Banter and Political Animal for Radio 4. From November 2006 to July 2008, heco-hosted a Sunday morning on BBC 6 Music with Jon Richardson as his sidekick.