Comedian to become head of the British Humanist Association

Shappi Khorsandi is to become president of the British Humanist Association.

The comedian, who has been humanist all her adult life, succeeds physicist Jim Al-Khalili in January. She will become the organisation’s 12th president, and the fourth woman to take the role, which she will hold for three years.

She said: ‘It’s a great honour. As someone who was raised in a non-religious family, I don’t just believe that human virtues such as love, compassion, generosity, and understanding can exist outside the realm of religion… I know it for a fact.

‘This approach has been hugely fulfilling in my own life, and it’s the ethos behind everything the BHA does.

‘I would like every young person growing up with the mainstream liberal non-religious values of today to know that their worldview isn’t second-best or incoherent and that there is a name for it – humanism. I’ve been as excited as everyone else to see the progress made in recent weeks to have the humanist perspective included in the school curriculum alongside religious beliefs and I can’t wait to see how that develops in my three years.

‘This humanist perspective is a profound and inspiring one – and it’s not just a modern perspective. Through the centuries and all around the world, people have looked to reason and to science in place of superstition and sought to make the most out of the one life they have. It’s crucial that this voice is heard. The BHA is consistent in its calls for more tolerant, rational, and above all fairer society, and I hope that I can add to its influence as a positive movement for social change.’

Born to non-religious parents in Iran, Shappi and her family fled to Britain in her youth after her father, poet Hadi Khorsandi, was targeted for assassination by Ayatollah Khomeini’s regime after writing a satirical piece about the Islamic Revolution.

BHA chief executive Andrew Copson said: ‘Our president must be able not just to communicate humanism clearly but to connect on an emotional level with those many people in Britain who have humanist beliefs but don’t know the word exists to describe them. As such a warm and accomplished broadcaster, not to mention an intimate commentator on the human experience in her stand-up and elsewhere, Shappi certainly has that ability in spades.’

Previous presidents have included jazz musician George Melly, agony aunt Claire Rayner, and comedian Linda Smith.

Published: 14 Dec 2015