Comedy / Amy Annette
Self-confessed ‘fun aunt’ Amy Annette is back with hit second show ‘Busy Body’
Rising standup star Amy Annette is beginning 2026 with a tour of seven UK cities, including a four-night run at London’s Soho Theatre, and a night in Bristol on February 8.
After the success of her noughties diet culture-inspired debut, Thick Skin, in 2024, she had another hit on her hands with 2025’s Busy Body.
Earning a Best Show nomination at the Leicester Comedy Festival, it went on to be amongst the best reviewed shows at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Working in and around the standup world for years, Annette also runs the cult Sunday afternoon standup gig at Angel Comedy, Dog Park.
Bristol24/7 caught up with her to find out more about the development of her material, her relationship with an audience, and her creative interests both on and offstage.
When you were developing this second show, how did you settle on your chosen themes?
“Busy Body starts from the point of accepting my friend’s assessment of me as a ‘fun aunt’. An assessment that came after watching me interact with a man, who was older than me, by saying ‘Don’t you look handsome!’
“I think I have always had the Fun Aunt about me, and honestly, it’s the way to go! It’s not about having siblings with children, it’s a way of life! Live, Love, Laugh too loud at family functions.”
Blending your characteristically warm audience interaction with jokes, insight and a little singing, too – how much fun is this one to perform?
“So much fun. Thank you for this complimentary question! I wish all questions came with a compliment. ‘Ma’am, do you know how fast you were driving, with such great hair?’
“I hope it’s as fun to watch as it is to do – I’ve let the show range in the same way my brain does. From Marlene Dietrich, to Labubus and playing chess online, it’s all there.”
How important is it that your audience feels relaxed and content, whilst also laughing?
“I want everyone to feel like we’ve been having a very fun conversation, instead of a prepared monologue. In some ways, it’s my dream conversation – the topics I choose and very few interruptions. I think everyone feels relaxed.
“In Edinburgh a man got up to go to the loo; I never reference people leaving to pee (go and god bless) but he, unprompted, said ‘I’m going to the loo. But, you’re doing so well’. My dream audience member.”
In terms of authenticity, as well as the potential vulnerability of sharing insights on stage, where do you draw the line between privacy and revelation?
“This is a tricky one. Personally I am old enough to remember life before confession was the norm, but young enough to be the generation that put entire unfiltered albums of digital photos onto Facebook. I personally err on the side of mystery, but mostly because I am honestly quite vanilla.
“But if I did have an interesting peccadillo you better believe I’d talk about it. Something like: ‘My personal shame, Gnomes and me… the Amy Annette story‘.”
Away from comedy, what are your current preoccupations?
“I have my ongoing love affair with Poirot. I recently discovered that Hugh Fraser (Captain Hastings to David Suchet’s Poirot) has narrated a number of books so I’m ploughing through them.
“And I have stumbled on journaling via TikTok. I am now religiously following many American teenagers as they walk me through daily pages. Is this a sign of great mental health? Hard to say.”
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Amy Annette: Busy Body is at The Wardrobe Theatre on February 8 at 7pm. Tickets are available at www.thewardrobetheatre.com. Follow Amy @theamyannette.
All photos: Matt Stronge
Read next:
- Celebrating a decade of The Wardrobe Theatre in Old Market
- Amy Mason on creating material, balancing real world and digital spaces, and the biggest homecoming gig of her life
- Amy Annette brings her sellout standup show about noughties diet culture to Bristol
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