Joel Morris

“Joel knows what he’s talking about. And he’s sickeningly funny. For years, he has supplied a steady stream of dynamite gags to TV shows people think of as ‘mine’, making me look cleverer and funnier than I am by proxy."

— Charlie Brooker

"Joel Morris gets to the heart of comedy."
-- Richard Curtis

Writer of "the funniest book ever written"
-- Josh Weinstein, Showrunner of The Simpsons

Writer of "one of the best guide books ever"
-- Guardian

Writer of The Ladybird Books For Grown-Ups series
SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERS, OVER 5 MILLION COPIES SOLD

JOEL MORRIS is a multi-award winning writer and podcaster, with over 20 years experience in the industry. He does a lot of comedy – an awful lot of comedy – but adores a good scary story, likes talking about how things work, enjoys thinking and delving, writing, playing, and making stuff. 

Joel is a longtime collaborator with Charlie Brooker. He was a key part of the award-winning CHARLIE BROOKER’S WIPE shows (BAFTA Award Best Comedy Entertainment 2016) and co-wrote A TOUCH OF CLOTH (Broadcast Award Best Scripted Comedy).

He co-created dimwit pundit PHILOMENA CUNK (played by Diane Morgan) for hit shows such as CUNK ON BRITAIN, CUNK ON EARTH and CUNK ON SHAKESPEARE for the BBC and Netflix. He also co-wrote the bestselling CUNK ON EVERYTHING and forthcoming WORLD ACCORDING TO CUNK books. Alongside Charlie, he was part of the development team for BLACK MIRROR, and wrote on the Netflix specials DEATH TO 2020 and DEATH TO 2021.

Joel wrote on both the hit Paddington films, PADDINGTON and PADDINGTON 2, helping them win their unprecedented 100% Rotten Tomatoes ratings. He also did script work for the acclaimed horror film CENSOR.

Joel is a Sunday Times Bestselling author, co-creating, writing and designing the phenomenally successful LADYBIRD BOOKS FOR GROWN-UPS, a series of much-loved mock-vintage guidebooks which sold more than 5 million copies. The Ladybirds regularly occupied an unprecedented eight of the top ten hardback positions on the Sunday Times bestsellers list, which was plainly ridiculous, and annoyed a lot of very sober academics who had written colossal books on the Romanovs and wanted their bestseller slots back.

Joel co-created and wrote THE FRAMLEY EXAMINER the cult spoof online local newspaper, (compiled by Penguin Books and Unbound), described separately (yet identically) by Bob Odenkirk, Robert Popper and Simpsons showrunner Josh Weinstein as ‘The funniest book ever written’, which isn't bad praise.

​He co-authored a pair of guides to Britain's more peculiar tourist attractions, BOLLOCKS TO ALTON TOWERS which became the number one best-selling travel book of the year, and were hailed as ‘the best guide books ever written’  by The Guardian. As a remarkably visible ghost, he co-wrote the GOGGLEBOX tie-in book, and two successful tie-in books for MRS BROWN’S BOYS, and has recently helped write a touching memoir of musical-comedy hero NEIL INNES.

Joel has written articles for Broadcast, Empire, The Spectator, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Observer, The Guardian, The Independent, Mojo, Esquire, Jack and The Idler, and has been a regular contributor for many years to potty-mouthed national treasure Viz Comic.

On TV and radio, Joel has written for just about everyone: David Mitchell and Robert Webb (in various shows), Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller, Tom Davis, Kevin Eldon, Miranda Hart, the Horrible Histories / Ghosts team, Alan Carr, Sue Perkins, Mel Giedroyc, Griff Rhys Jones, Ronnie Corbett, Jon Culshaw, Morgana Robinson, Nick Frost, Daisy Haggard, Omid Djalili, Paul O’Grady, Jon Holmes, Robin Ince, Andrew Collins, Jason Byrne, and Dan Skinner’s Angelos Epithemiou character. With Jason Hazeley, he created hit Radio 4 series AGENDUM – a modern current affairs satire anchored by Carrie Quinlan – and ANGSTROM, a parody of Nordic detective thrillers, starring Darkplace's Matt Holness.

Joel was a script editor for RECORDED FOR TRAINING PURPOSES, the BBC’s open-door sketch show for new writers, as well as for radio shows by Alice Lowe and Sara Pascoe. He also co-wrote the original radio series of THE FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS.

He produces hit podcast sitcom BRIAN & ROGER (‘The best British comedy happening right now.’ – Daily Telegraph), produced the video games podcast EXTRA LIFE for Auddy, and presented and produced the award-winning comedy deep-dive podcast RULE OF THREE (Best Arts And Culture Podcast 2020, British Podcast Awards) and currently fronts the pop culture series COMFORT BLANKET.

His book BE FUNNY OR DIE on the science and craft of comedy was published in 2024, drawing universal praise from industry professionals and students alike for its enthusiastic celebration of how comedy works, and why it matters.

Joel has spoken about comedy and writing at THE HAY FESTIVAL, LATITUDE, ALSO, WOMAD and is a regular at literary festivals. He has mentored students at the NATIONAL FILM & TELEVISION SCHOOL, tutored at ARVON, and spoken at conferences and events such as the CRAFT OF COMEDY conference, the STORY ACADEMY, the HOW TO ACADEMY, the IDLER ACADEMY, and the BIG COMEDY CONFERENCE.

He has worked as a consultant and copywriter for various advertising agencies, and spoken at industry events about the use of comedy in branding. He has also worked as a writer and storyliner for videogame clients such as UBISOFT and MICROSOFT.