Rich Hardisty

Rich Hardisty is a working class writer and performer who hails from Yorkshire. He has developed shows with Channel 4, VAL, Baby Cow and Eleven pictures. He has also starred in shows for BBC, C4 and NETFLIX.

Rich recently came back off a UK national tour with his debut show “SILLY BOY” about his journey with Bipolar disorder.

The show started life in his flat after a manic depressive episode…but went on to perform sell out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, Soho Theatre and Dynasty Typewriter L.A.

Rich’s main theme in all of his work is compassion. He gives talks and public speeches where he makes a case for applying the methods he used to help heal himself in treatment centres, to the way we should treat people we disagree with in the culture wars.

He has spoken at ID8 (8 minute ideas to change the world), having been invited byTEDX founder Chris Anderson. And in 2023 he was flown to Oslo and Tuscany to talk at the esteemed ALPINE FELLOWSHIP alongside thought leaders Yuval Noah Harari , Ayishat Akimbe and Esther Perel.

In 2014 Rich also co-founded a social media debate platform called TICCKLE, which facilitated important conversations between people with opposing points of view, and saw him invited for breakfast at 10 Downing Street and partner with national treasure Stephen Fry.

★★★★★
Emotive, endearing and utterly flawless
Reviews Hub

★★★★
Silly Boy is hard to beat, a tale that's by turns eye-opening, deeply affecting and candidly hilarious
Scotsman

★★★★
Hardisty is a modern day philosopher…a raw, emotive and incredibly funny storyteller
Entertainment now

A thrilling life story….brilliantly told
Richard Gadd

Much more than funny…but also very funny!
Simon Amstell