Ola Labib

About
Ola Labib

Ola is best known for her infectious charm, edgy comedy material and wry humour.

Ola Labib is one of the fastest rising and most distinctive names in British comedy. Known for her infectious charm, edgy material and wry humour, Ola brings an unmistakable voice to the stage, drawing on her experiences growing up as a Black, Sudanese Muslim woman between cultures, with stories shaped by her Islamic and traditional upbringing.

Ola’s journey into comedy is as unconventional as her material. Before becoming a full-time comedian, she spent more than seven years working as a clinical pharmacist in the NHS. Her experiences of family, faith, culture, work and identity have since become central to her comedy and writing, giving her a perspective that is both deeply personal and universally relatable.

In 2022, Ola was named by ITalkTelly as one of ‘The Top 22 TV Stars to Keep an Eye On’. Since then, she has continued to build an impressive list of television credits, appearing on World’s Most Dangerous Road (Dave), Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled (Dave), Comedy Central Live, The Emily Attack Show (ITV), Richard Osman’s House of Games (BBC), Sorry, I Didn’t Know (ITV) and Don’t Hate the Playaz (ITV).

Ola has also made history as the first Sudanese woman to perform stand-up at London’s O2 Arena, after supporting Mo Gilligan. Her live career continued to gather momentum with her debut show pOLArising, which completed a sold-out tour run in 2024.

In 2025, Ola expanded into scripted comedy with The Pharmacy, her semi-autobiographical Channel 4 Comedy Blap. Written by and starring Ola, the series draws directly from her experience as a pharmacist, following the eccentric staff of a local pharmacy as they navigate high rent, high stress, low pay and the chaos of trying to care for their community. The project marked a major milestone for Ola as both a writer and performer and gave audiences a fresh, hilarious perspective on life behind the pharmacy counter.

In 2026, Ola added author to her growing list of credits with the publication of her debut memoir, How Not to Lead a Double Life: Confessions of an Unapologetic Outcast. Published by Little Brown, the book explores her coming-of-age between cultures — growing up as the only Black, hijab-wearing girl in a seaside town with strict African Muslim parents, while navigating expectations around faith, family, career and relationships. The memoir offers the same combination of honesty, humour and cultural insight that has become the hallmark of Ola’s comedy, telling the story of finding her own voice while negotiating the expectations placed upon her. Alongside the book, Ola has taken her story on the road with live book events and continues to develop new comedy and scripted projects.

With her fearless storytelling, infectious personality and ability to turn deeply personal experiences into comedy, Ola represents a new generation of talent redefining British comedy.