Jessica Fostekew

Jessica Fostekew
Born (1983-07-05) 5 July 1983 (age 43)
Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England
EducationLondon School of Economics
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
Years active2008–present
Websitejessicafostekew.com

Jessica Alice Fostekew (born 5 July 1983) is an English actress and stand-up comedian.

Biography

Fostekew was born in Sheffield in 1983 and grew up in Langton Matravers, Dorset. She is of one-quarter Austrian ancestry. She earned an LL.B. from the London School of Economics.

Fostekew has written for Mock The Week, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and The News Quiz. She has co-hosted The Guilty Feminist podcast. In 2019, her show Hench was nominated for the Main Award at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards. Also, in 2019, she appeared on Live at the Apollo and on the BBC Radio 4 comedy talk show The Museum of Curiosity. She has appeared on QI in 2020 and 2021.

Fostekew is a contributing columnist in The Guardian, covering topics including parenting, body image, and marriage equality.

She launched a new show, Iconic Breath, in October 2025 covering stories about love, family, and middle age with, according to the Guardian, "impressive technique and efficiency". The show tours the UK through February 2026.

Fostekew is a keen weightlifter; whilst it has been claimed that she integrates this hobby into her act, she has clarified in a recent radio interview that this is not the case.

Filmography

Radio

YearTitleRoleNotes
2023Sturdy Girl ClubJessica FostekewBBC Radio 4
2024Sturdy Girl ClubJessica FostekewBBC Radio 4

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2006Hallo PandaZoo Worker & The General PublicShort (billed as Jessica Fortiskew)
2013Battlecock!Anya KrullmullerShort (billed as Jessica Fortekew)
TimeholesThe WomanShort
2019Official SecretsCourtroom Guard
GreedSally
2023ScrapperSian

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2017Three GirlsSoniaMini-series, Episode: "#1.2"
MotherlandClareEpisode: "The After Party"
2019CuckooAngelaEpisode: "Ivy Nanny"
Live at the ApolloHerself - Special GuestEpisode: "Darren Harriott, Jessica Fostekew, Stephen Bailey"
2020TrigonometryMum 1Mini-series, Episode: "Viel zu verliebt"
The Trouble with Maggie ColeBetty Jarvis2 episodes: "#1.2" and "#1.4"
Out of Her MindLaptop WomanEpisode: "I Don't"
House of GamesHerself - ContestantEpisodes: "#4.36" to "#4.40"
2020, 2021QIHerself - Panellist2 episodes: "Revolutions" and "Sensational"
2021HypotheticalHerself - GuestEpisode: "#3.7"
Grave New WorldCommercial Voice Over (voice)Mini-series, Episode: "Taxis, Conspiracies, Editors"
Comedians Giving LecturesHerself - Guest SpeakerEpisode: "#2.3"
2022HaloBorovoiEpisode: "Allegiance"
AvoidanceAmandaEpisode: "#1.1"
Sky Comedy ShortsMr. WhippyEpisode: "Real Friends" (also writer)
2023EastEndersDS GauntEpisode: "#1.6796"
Sorry, I Didn't KnowHerself - PanellistEpisode: "#4.5"
2024World's Most Dangerous RoadsHerself - GuestEpisode: "Colorado" (with Desiree Burch)
Pointless CelebritiesHerself - ContestantEpisode: "#16.16"
Travel Man: 48 Hours in...Herself - GuestEpisode: "Lanzarote"

References

  1. ↑ Healy, Rachael (13 January 2020). "Joy of pecs: Jessica Fostekew, the weightlifting comic shredding body fascism" – via The Guardian.
  2. ↑ "Q&A: Jessica Fostekew". 22 April 2015. Archived from the original on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  3. ↑ Fostekew, Jessica [@jessicafostekew] (5 July 2015). "ITS MY BIRTHDAY SO PLEASE COME TO MY PREVIEWS @museumofcomedy on 17th, 18th & 19th. 2for1 with this code: MOC2FOR1 http://t.co/iafwzpiw0i" (Tweet). Retrieved 5 September 2021 – via Twitter.
  4. 1 2 Best, Steve (21 September 2017). Joker Face: Over 450 Comedians Share Their Best One-liners. Unbound Publishing. ISBN 9781783523399 – via Google Books.
  5. ↑ Homan, Sidney; Rhinehart, Brian (22 February 2018). Comedy Acting for Theatre: The Art and Craft of Performing in Comedies. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781350012783 – via Google Books.
  6. ↑ "A Moment's Peace: Dancing Ledge, Dorset". jessicafostekew.com. 3 December 2014.
  7. ↑ "Hoovering: A Sea Breeze". jessicafostekew.com. 10 March 2015.
  8. ↑ "About Me".
  9. ↑ Frances-White, Deborah (31 December 2019). The Guilty Feminist: You Don't Have to Be Perfect to Overthrow the Patriarchy. Basic Books. ISBN 9781580059534 – via Google Books.
  10. ↑ "Stream Jessica Fostekew stand-up comedy". The Home of Stand-Up Comedy | NextUp Comedy. 1 March 2019.
  11. ↑ "I'm trying to be a better listener – but there's only so much six-year-old I can take | Jessica Fostekew". The Guardian. 22 March 2022.
  12. ↑ "II've got big, muscular legs – and I'm finally proud of them | Jessica Fostekew". The Guardian. 8 August 2022.
  13. ↑ "Maureen from Lewisham doesn't approve of queer parents like me. That's my vote lost | Jessica Fostekew". The Guardian. 24 April 2022.
  14. ↑ "Jessica Fostekew: Iconic Breath review – furious, frustrated yet cheerfully funny". The Guardian. 17 October 2025.
  15. ↑ "Gavin Richards: Jessica Fostekew". Cambridge 105 Radio. 24 February 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  16. 1 2 "Jessica Fostekew: Sturdy Girl Club". BBC Radio 4. BBC. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  17. 1 2 "Jessica Fostekew: Sturdy Girl Club - Radio 4 Stand-Up". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 29 July 2025.