Sue Perkins

Sue Perkins

Date of birth: 22-11-1969
In the autumn of 1988, Sue Perkins, a student at New College, Cambridge University, got onto a stage for her first ever stand up routine. She was interrupted by a girl called Mel Giedroyc, marking the the start of a double act that would last 17 years.

Sue became president of the Cambridge Footlights in 1990, taking over from Henry Naylor, and in 1993 was shortlisted (with Mel) for the Daily Express Best Newcomer Award at the Edinburgh Festival.

After a few years writing for French & Saunders they hosted a lunchtime show on Channel 4 called Light Lunch, and an teatime version, Late Lunch, as well as breakfast show RI:SE

On her own, Perkins appeared in Celebrity Big Brother in 2002 on Have I Got News For You, Room 101, Celebrity Weakest Link, Question Time and Newsnight on TV; and The News Quiz and Just A Minute on Radio 4. She also chaired the Radio 4 panel game 99p Challenge.

In 2005, she premiered her first one woman show at the Edinburgh Fringe, which then toured the county.

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Mel & Sue reunite for their first presenting job in seven years

New podcast on Audible from today

Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins have reunited for a new podcast – the first time the duo have presented a series together in seven years. 

In Mel & Sue Should Know By Now, the comedians take turns to explain something that they still don’t know but, as adults, really should. ‘Things that would be too embarrassing to ask anyone to explain – except a best friend,’ according to the show’s description.

The show is available via Audible, which says: ‘ As they struggle to fill in each other’s self-confessed blind spots, they share hilarious anecdotes and surprising revelations about their lives, history and friendship.’

Giedroyc and Perkins met at a comedy gig in 1988 while both students at the University of Cambridge and went on to present Light Lunch  and The Great British Bake Off.

Giedroyc said of the podcast recordings: ‘Thirty-seven years of friendship and the old girl can still make me literally wheeze my lungs up with laughter. I have not had so much fun in ages.;

Perkins added: ‘I was crying with hysteria and eating crisps throughout. To be honest, I’m still not over the  guinea pig story…’

Mel & Sue left Bake Off in 2017 when it moved from the BBC to Channel 4 and the following year hosted a new version of The Generation Game for BBC One. In 2020, they starred together as contract killers in the Sky comedy series Hitmen. which ran for two seasons.

Last week, it was reported that Mel Giedroyc’s U&Dave series  Unforgivable would not be returning for a fifth series.

Mel & Sue Should Know By Now dropped on Audible today.

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Published: 10 Mar 2025

Namedropping

The BBC has dropped Sue Perkins’ panel show Insert…
26/02/2020

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