OK, so last Tuesday I’m at my sister’s house watching After Life, again because I’m obsessed, and she said, “That woman there, the one who’s got the crazy hair, she’s very good, isn’t she?” I was like, ‘Yeah, she’s class,’ and I didn’t know who she was. Turns out it’s Jo Enright.
My sister goes off about how she’s seen the girl in a tonne of stuff but never knew her name. That also triggered my thoughts, and I started wondering about how many times I’ve seen this woman be freaking hilarious without knowing who she even is. Loads, turns out. Once you start looking for Jo Enright movies and TV shows, you find them absolutely everywhere.
Birmingham Born and Raised
Jo’s from Birmingham, born in 1968. Proper Brummie, she is. She began stand-up comedy in the early 90s when my nappies were still on. In 1998, she won Comedian of the Year at the Leicester Comedy Festival. That’s massive, that is. To top it off, she snagged the Chortle Award for Best Female Circuit Comic. These are far better than mere participation trophies: these are actual big deals in comedy.
She’s also little; 4 foot 11. But she has more stage presence than men twice her bulk. The funniest comedians in my dad’s eyes are the ones who look like they would not be funny and then just obliterate you.
Peter Kay Made Her Famous
Peter Kay spotted Jo way back when and put her in basically everything he did. Started with “That Peter Kay Thing“ in 2000, then “Phoenix Nights” in 2001, where she played Beverley. If you haven’t seen Phoenix Nights, stop reading this and go watch it right now. Seriously. It’s the funniest thing ever made in Britain.
Kay said about Jo: “Jo Enright is one of the most naturally gifted comic talents I’ve ever seen. I’d put her in the same league as Julie Walters.” That’s like Pelé saying you’re good at football. Coming from Peter Kay, that’s the ultimate seal of approval.
My uncle Dave met Peter Kay once at a motorway service and said he was lovely. Nothing to do with Jo, but thought I’d mention it.
Working with Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais got his hands on Jo for “Life’s Too Short.” She played Sue, the main female character opposite Warwick Davis. BBC and HBO, so proper international telly. She was brilliant in it; she could do the funny bits and the sad bits without missing a beat.
Gervais must have loved her because he brought her back for “After Life” last year. She plays Vera, and she’s honestly the best thing in it. There’s this bit where she’s in Tony’s grief group, and I was crying laughing while also feeling proper emotional. That takes skill.
The Job Lot Was Underrated
“The Job Lot” ran for three years on ITV, and Jo was Angela all the way through. Workplace comedy set in a job centre. Sounds boring, doesn’t it? But it was actually dead good. Jo’s character Angela, is trying to help all these people find jobs while her own life is a mess. She made it funny and heartbreaking at the same time.
Nobody talks about this show, but they should. Jo carried loads of those episodes single-handedly.
What She’s Been Up To Lately
Jo Enright movies and recent telly work include “Lady Bigfoot” on the BBC last year, where she played someone called Carl. Weird name for a woman, but Jo made it work. She was also in “Man Like Mobeen” with Guz Khan; it’s a proper different style of comedy, but she fitted right in.
“Porters” on Dave had her as Janice for two whole series. That channel’s got some right gems, and Jo’s always in the good ones. She’s also been doing radio stuff; “Where to Mate?” on Radio 4 got nominated for some big award this year. Radio comedy is dead and hard to do well, but Jo nails it.
The Adverts You Don’t Notice
Here’s something mad: Jo does loads of voiceover work for adverts. KFC, Anchor Butter, and cheese adverts. Next time you’re watching telly and some woman’s voice makes you smile during the ad break, it might be Jo. She’s probably been selling you chicken without you knowing.
My mum always says she recognises voices on adverts but can never place them. Drives her mental.
Why She’s So Good
Jo’s got this thing where you completely forget she’s acting. She becomes whoever she’s playing. Whether she’s doing stand-up or pretending to be someone else, you never catch her “performing”. She just is that person.
In “Trollied”, which was a Sky One comedy about working in a supermarket, she played Sharon. It could’ve been rubbish, but the cast made it work. Jo brought this realness to even the daft storylines.
The Stand-Up Career
People forget Jo’s primarily a stand-up comedian. She’s toured all over: Canada, the Middle East, Far East. Supported massive names like Rob Newman and Les Dennis on their tours. That’s not easy; doing warm-up for famous comedians means you’ve got to be properly good, or they wouldn’t risk it.
Her Edinburgh Festival shows over the years had brilliant names like “Not Tonight Josephine Enright” and “West Midlands Serious Comedy Squad”. Edinburgh’s brutal for comedians; hundreds of shows competing for attention. Jo kept going back year after year, which tells you everything.
She Deserves Better
Grace Dent called Jo “one of Britain’s best character actresses.” Jack Dee said she’s “a great comedienne.” These people don’t give compliments lightly. They know what good comedy looks like.
But Jo seems happy being the brilliant actress who makes everything better rather than chasing fame. Been doing this for thirty-odd years, never puts a foot wrong, never gets the credit she deserves.
My nan always says the best actors are the ones you don’t notice are acting. That’s Jo exactly.
What’s Coming Next
Jo keeps touring with her stand-up, keeps taking interesting parts on telly, keeps being ace at everything. She’s 57 now and better than ever. All that experience has made her even funnier.
If you’ve never actively looked for Jo Enright movies and shows, sort yourself out. Start with “After Life”, watch “Phoenix Nights”, and check out “Life’s Too Short”. You’ll spend the whole time going “bloody hell, how have I never noticed this woman before?”
My sister was right; she is dead good. Birmingham should put up a statue. We should all know her name by now.
She’s been making British comedy better for decades. About time we noticed.
