BBC One's popular cooking program Saturday Kitchen featured a particularly inspiring guest during its latest broadcast: comedian Laura Smyth, whose life story encompasses a dramatic career change, a major health battle, and rising stardom in the entertainment world.
From Classroom to Comedy Stage
Laura Smyth, a 44-year-old from East London, worked diligently as an English teacher until 2021, when she made the bold decision to pursue comedy full-time. Her transition proved remarkably swift and successful. Merely six months after her first comedy gig, she clinched the prestigious Funny Women Awards in 2019, signaling the arrival of a significant new talent.
Television Success and Notable Roles
Since her award win, Smyth's career has flourished across various platforms. She has made appearances on Jonathan Ross' Comedy Club and contributed writing to the BBC comedy series Bad Education. More recently, she gained wider recognition for her role as Glenda in Netflix's critically acclaimed hit series Baby Reindeer, showcasing her versatility as a performer.
Her stand-up credentials are equally impressive, having performed on the iconic Live at the Apollo stage. Her debut tour, Living My Best Life, achieved sell-out status across the country, with such overwhelming demand that additional dates were added to accommodate eager audiences.
A Life-Altering Diagnosis
In 2021, at the age of 40 and while raising three children, Laura Smyth received the devastating news of a stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis. This profound health crisis forced a fundamental shift in her perspective and priorities.
In a recent candid interview with The i Paper, Smyth revealed how her diagnosis compelled her to embrace self-love and care. "I realised that I really needed to love myself," she confessed. "Before, I was very stressed - very hard on myself - and I always had stuff to prove. Cancer taught me how to really take care of myself."
She elaborated on her mindset during treatment, stating, "I thought, if I'm fighting for my life, I want it to be a life worth fighting for. In the early days, things felt bleak. I started writing a gratitude list. It sounds cheesy, but it was like a rope that pulled me out of a dark well." This practice became a crucial coping mechanism during her recovery journey.
The Next Chapter: Born Aggy Tour
Now in remission and with renewed vigor, Laura Smyth is preparing to embark on her second major tour, titled Born Aggy, scheduled to commence in September. The tour's synopsis intriguingly questions, "What if all your dreams come true and you've still got the hump?"
The promotional material highlights her "meteoric rise in comedy," noting her sold-out debut tour, support slots for comedy giants like Jack Whitehall and Jason Manford, and multiple appearances on beloved panel shows including QI, Would I Lie To You, and 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. It also proudly mentions her triumph over cancer and her exploration of various alternative healing methods.
With characteristic humor, the description concludes, "She's even beaten cancer; she's done all the alternative healing s**t you could shake a stick at – and she still thinks everyone's a d**khead. It can't just be her, can it?" The tour promises to deliver the same blend of truth, warmth, and hilarity that defined her first show, as she continues to navigate life's complexities.
Saturday Kitchen continues its weekly broadcasts every Saturday at 10am on BBC One and is available for streaming on BBC iPlayer.
