Madeleine Brettingham is a comedy writer for TV, radio, print and stand-up.

She is represented by Curtis Brown.

Her debut play, Dear Martin, premiered at the Arcola Theatre in 2025, earning an Offie Assessors’ Choice. Reviews called it “a surreal thought-provoking comedy” that “bristles with verbal and visual energy.” It’s now in TV development.

Theatre

On screen and radio, Madeleine’s credits are a who’s who of British comedy: Frankie Boyle’s New World Order, Would I Lie To You?, Have I Got News For You, That Mitchell and Webb Look, Horrible Histories, and more. She’s written solo, in rooms, as lead writer, and developed original pilots for the BBC, Sky, and major streamers.

Broadcast

Recently, she’s become one to watch on the stand-up circuit — a winner or finalist at Hastings, Bath and West End New Acts of the Year and a semi-finalist at this year’s upcoming So You Think You’re Funny contest. Promoters have called her “feisty” and “fearless.” You can find selected gigs here, book her here, and see her solo work-in-progress at the Leicester, Machnylleth, Brighton, Camden and Edinburgh comedy festivals.

Performance

Her writing’s also appeared in The Times Literary Supplement, The Fence, and on Twitter, where viral posts have been picked up by The Sun, The Times, and The Washington Post. She’s been a BAFTA and Writers’ Guild judge, guest lectured at the National Film & Television School, and was a finalist for Best Comedy Writer at the Funny Women Awards.

Other

Essays and reviews

Fiction

The Adolescents, The Fence

Can’t go on. Go on, The Times Literary Supplement Podcast

Dirty Grandpa, Smersh Pod

May, 1981, I’m So Not Over It

Podcasts

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charlene.mcmanus@curtisbrown.co.uk +44 (0)20 7393 4260

Contact