Exclusive Interview with Rosie Jones “I have learnt to use my ‘barrier’ to my advantage, and I am now extremely grateful for my lovely, slow speech!” — Rosie Jones, Comedian, Actress & Writer
Rosie Jones is a comedian, actress and writer who’s become a familiar face on some of the UK’s most loved TV shows, from Casualty and The Last Leg to 8 Out of 10 Cats and even Question Time. She also fronted Channel 4’s coverage of the Paralympics. In this exclusive Q&A, Rosie answers questions from students across the Learning Shared community – offering real talk, plenty of laughs, and an inspiring message about being unapologetically yourself.
Rosie’s comedy career began unexpectedly. “I started performing comedy about five years ago when I went to watch my friend at a little comedy club,” she said. “At the end of the night the host asked if anyone wanted to give it a go, and I thought, ‘yeh, why not?’” Although she’d always dreamed of trying stand-up, that night gave her the courage to finally step up – and she hasn’t looked back. Of course, her journey hasn’t been without challenges.
Rosie has cerebral palsy, and one of the biggest barriers she’s faced is how her speech is received on stage. “All the comics I watched spoke at a million miles an hour, ” she explained. “I
can’t be a comedian, I would think, everyone would get to the punch line before I did!” But Rosie soon found that her slower speech could actually work in her favour. “I write jokes where the audience thinks they know the punch line… and then I surprise them.” Turning a perceived barrier into her signature strength has been a huge part of her success.
A standout moment in her career? Performing at Wembley Arena. “It was an absolute dream come true. It felt surreal to say the famous words, ‘HELLO WEMBLEY!’” she said. “As soon as I came off stage I wanted to go back on and do it all again.”
Rosie also shared her experience of being in Tokyo for the Paralympics back in 2021, describing it as the time of her life. A highlight was watching the 100-metre races on the first Saturday: “Sophie Hahn, who has cerebral palsy, won the women’s 100 metres and Thomas Young won the men’s—two GB golds in a row! This is what the Paralympics is all about—showing that disabled people can do anything!”
So what’s next? Rosie’s keeping busy: “I am writing my second book, I’ve got a few sitcoms in development, and, when I can, I sleep!!”
