Nikki Osborne

One of the quickest brains in Australian comedy, Nikki Osborne’s chops have seen her host TV shows from Just For Laughs – Uncut to Quizmania and appear on everything from Drunk History to I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, Celebrity Name Game, Celebrity Mastermind and Hughesy We Have a Problem. Her weekly national columns for News Corp are some of the most clicked of that syndicate’s publications.

When a character created by the trained actor, sketch comedy veteran, writer and stand-up comedian proved to be a viral hit worldwide, Nikki created, wrote, directed and starred in her TV own pilot. The hilarious Bush Barbie vs The World aired in Network Ten’s Pilot Week.

When mother-of-two Osborne’s son was diagnosed with autism, she instinctively turned to humour – taking up writing funny posts to put a positive spin on her reality. They proved so popular that she was hired to write for an autism-related website, to cheer up parents amidst the stress and fear that can come with a diagnosis.

Nikki’s debut solo comedy show Spectrum, intended to show the lighter side of parenting a child with autism, made national and international press and sparked a debate about whether some topics should be off-limit in comedy – a debate that has since become a mainstay in the media worldwide.

This impressive debut proved to be a warmly received sell-out, winning over skeptical audiences and launching Osborne firmly into the stand-up comedy spotlight. The industry respect Nikki has earned since that breakout show has led to her performing at the Sydney Opera House for three seasons of Just For Laughs’ Australian stand-up showcase for TV, and to host Just For Laughs’ Uncut showcase of the raunchiest late-night laughs from the biggest names at the world-renowned comedy festival in Montreal for Network Ten.