The SPARKies awards are back to celebrate the tech innovators in Bristol, Bath and the South West, and in a little over a month (17 February) we’ll get to find out who our well-deserving award winners are. To host the event we’ve looked to some home-spun talent for the hosting duties: hotshot TV, radio and stand-up performer John Robins will be holding the mic.
John is a prodigious stand-up and has found some time for The SPARKies during the national tour for his latest 5* reviewed show Speakeasy. It’s his 7th full show and has been described as his best so far, bearing in mind this is a man touted as “comedy’s best kept secret” by The Skinny and “one of the best comedians I have ever seen” by the Telegraph, it’s high praise. We’re delighted to get the chance to bring in an act at the top of his form to the SPARKies.
“As a Bristol boy myself it’s awesome to be able to celebrate the depth of talent in the South West”
He seems pretty excited about it himself “I’m delighted to host the 2016 SPARKie Awards! As a Bristol boy myself it’s awesome to be able to celebrate the depth of talent in the South West and prove that for success it’s no longer necessary to move to “that big London” as my school friends call it. Also, I haven’t been to The Bierkeller since 1998, it remains to be seen if I’ll be welcomed back now that I no longer have a mohican”
Bristol boy John is a telly regular with appearances on ‘Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central’ (Comedy Central) ‘8 Out Of 10 Cats Christmas Mash-Up‘ (Channel 4), ‘Russell Howard’s Good News‘ (BBC3), ‘Live At The Comedy Store‘ (Comedy Central) and ‘Alan Davies As Yet Untitled‘ (Dave) to name just a few, that’s as well as his impressive writing CV as a contributor to popular comedy and panel shows.
“I haven’t been to The Bierkeller since 1998, it remains to be seen if I’ll be welcomed back now that I no longer have a mohican”
He’s also got a Chortle Award nominated Saturday Breakfast Show with fellow comic Elis James on Radio X, which you can download as a podcast, is well celebrated and adds to his impressive radio portfolio with shows like ‘The News Quiz‘ (BBC Radio 4), ‘The Jon Richardson Show‘ (BBC6 Music), ‘Word of Mouth‘ (BBC Radio 4), ‘The Russell Howard Show‘ (BBC6 Music) and ‘The Now Show’ (Radio 4) among his credits.
You can catch the virtually bullet-proof John (sans-mohican) at the Bierkeller with us for the 4th annual SPARKies awards on February 17. Until then say hello to him on twitter @Nomadicrevery
- You may like: The SPARKies awards – the best in tech in the West
