Shoes

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Gender

Female

Birthday

1971-04-01

Place of Birth

Glasgow, Scotland

Karen Dunbar

Biography

Karen Dunbar (born 1 April 1971) is a Scottish comedian, actress and writer known for her bold humour and standout performances in Chewin’ the Fat and The Karen Dunbar Show. Born in Glasgow and raised in Ayr, she began her career in theatre and radio before gaining national fame with BBC Scotland in the late 1990s. Dunbar has also starred in major stage productions, including the National Theatre of Scotland’s Men Should Weep and The Guid Sisters. Openly gay and an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, she is praised for blending comedy with social commentary and continues to be a leading voice in Scottish entertainment.

Known for

M.I. High

M.I. High

A team of undercover teenage spies working for the fictional British secret intelligence agency MI9 who have to balance their school life with their jobs as secret agents.

Britain's Got More Talent

Britain's Got More Talent

Stephen Mulhern presents the sister show of Britain's Got Talent where he interviews the judges and the latest performers from the show.

Mary Queen of Scots

Mary Queen of Scots

In 1561, Mary Stuart, widow of the King of France, returns to Scotland, reclaims her rightful throne and menaces the future of Queen Elizabeth I as ruler of England, because she has a legitimate claim to the English throne. Betrayals, rebellions, conspiracies and their own life choices imperil both Queens. They experience the bitter cost of power, until their tragic fate is finally fulfilled.

Chewin' the Fat

Chewin' the Fat

Chewin' the Fat is a Scottish comedy sketch show, starring Ford Kiernan, Greg Hemphill and Karen Dunbar. Comedians Paul Riley and Mark Cox also appeared regularly on the show. Chewin' the Fat first started as a radio series on BBC Radio Scotland. The later television show, which ran for four series, was first broadcast on BBC One Scotland, but series three and four, as well as highlights from the first two series, were later broadcast to the rest of the United Kingdom. Although the last series ended in February 2002, 6 Hogmanay specials were broadcast and offered on DVD when purchasing the Scottish Sun between 2000 to 2005, one every year. Chewin' the Fat gave rise to the spin-off show Still Game, a sitcom focusing on the two old male characters Jack and Victor. The series was mostly filmed in and around Glasgow and occasionally West Dunbartonshire. The English idiom to chew the fat means to chat casually, but thoroughly, about subjects of mutual interest.

The Karen Dunbar Show

The Karen Dunbar Show

The Karen Dunbar Show was a television comedy sketch show that aired on BBC One Scotland, starring the popular Scottish comedian Karen Dunbar. It was produced by BBC Scotland.

Chewin’ the Fat: Hogmanay Special 2003

Chewin’ the Fat: Hogmanay Special 2003

The Chewin’ the Fat gang return for another Hogmanay special, bringing a fresh batch of sketches, familiar faces and gloriously daft Scottish humour to see in the New Year.

Best of Chewin' the Fat

Best of Chewin' the Fat

A selection of some of the best sketches from the Scottish comedy sketch show featuring a cast of recurring characters.

Chewin' the Fat: Hogmanay Special 2001

Chewin' the Fat: Hogmanay Special 2001

A festive helping of Chewin’ the Fat as the gang return for Hogmanay 2001, serving up another collection of outrageous characters, recurring favourites and distinctly Scottish sketch comedy to ring in the New Year.

Chewin’ the Fat: Hogmanay Special 2004

Chewin’ the Fat: Hogmanay Special 2004

The Chewin’ the Fat team return to see out 2004 with another Hogmanay helping of Scottish sketch comedy. Ford Kiernan, Greg Hemphill and the cast serve up a fresh collection of outrageous characters, familiar favourites and gloriously daft observations on Scottish life as the countdown to the New Year begins.

Chewin' the Fat: Hogmanay Special 2005

Chewin' the Fat: Hogmanay Special 2005

The final Hogmanay special of Chewin’ the Fat, bringing the much-loved Scottish sketch show to a close with one last helping of familiar faces, recurring characters and gloriously daft end-of-year comedy. Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill and the gang see out 2005 in typically irreverent fashion, marking the end of an era for one of Scotland’s most popular comedy series.

Chewin' the Fat: Hogmanay Special 2002

Chewin' the Fat: Hogmanay Special 2002

See how the Smokers plan for the Bells while wannabe star Ronald Villiers finally lands a walk-on part, causing mayhem down Shieldinch as a postman in River City. This Chewin' the Fat Hogmanay special is jam packed with all your favourites.

Happy Hollidays

Happy Hollidays

Sitcom set on a precarious caravan campsite which strives to represent the best of the great British holiday - less palm trees and pina coladas and more puggymachines and lukewarm pints. Owner Colin Holliday promotes himself as a standard bearer for the virtues of the old-fashioned British holiday but in reality his true interest lies in wringing as great a profit from his holidaymakers as possible. Days on the caravan site are spent doing what Colin sees as the essential tasks of the hospitality business - driving costs down and avoiding difficult customers. The staff on the park include alcoholic entertainer Joyce 'the voice' Mullen; trainee manager and ladies man Dean Bullock; and Debbi, the bar maid.

Chewin' the Fat: Hogmanay Special 2000

Chewin' the Fat: Hogmanay Special 2000

A Hogmanay helping of classic Scottish sketch comedy, as the Chewin’ the Fat gang see in the new millennium with a collection of festive characters, familiar faces and gloriously daft sketches.

Ooh the Banter!

Ooh the Banter!

Jack Docherty brings together a jam-packed cast of comedians, actors and famous faces for a riotous celebration of Scotland's most valuable export – its sense of humour. Scotland is a small nation with a big funny bone. It's known the world over for self-deprecation, quick-witted patter and deadpan asides. But what makes it so funny? To find out the answer, this programme delves deep into the BBC Scotland archives to find a century’s worth of classic characters, catchphrases and comedy clips.

Ooh the Banter!

Ooh the Banter!

Jack Docherty brings together a jam-packed cast of comedians, actors and famous faces for a riotous celebration of Scotland's most valuable export – its sense of humour. Scotland is a small nation with a big funny bone. It's known the world over for self-deprecation, quick-witted patter and deadpan asides. But what makes it so funny? To find out the answer, this programme delves deep into the BBC Scotland archives to find a century’s worth of classic characters, catchphrases and comedy clips.