Shazia Mirza

Shazia Mirza is an English stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. Mirza read Biochemistry at the University of Manchester and then did a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at Goldsmiths, University of London.

When I was a teacher I taught in very rough schools, I taught in Tower Hamlets. Kids used to sit there and go, this is boring, when are you going to stop talking?

They would literally climb out of the window while I was talking. I had Dizzee Rascal in my class ! Have you ever tried to teach someone who is rapping?

I found out that the only way to keep the children in my lessons was to tell jokes and make them laugh. Therefore when I went and did some comedy gigs at the start of my stand up career, it was a much easier job than being a teacher.

She also attended Rose Bruford College where she studied acting. On 24 September 2010 Mirza was awarded an Honorary Fellowship to Rose Bruford College; Sir Richard Eyre was made President of the college at the same ceremony.

I want to do something challenging and I want to take risks, but above all, I want people to be entertained... because the only way of talking about some issues sometimes is through humour.

Everything I write comes from truth. In Denmark, Germany, France and Holland people were bemused, but they ended up laughing because I say things that all people can relate to — my act is about not fitting in.

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