Olivia Lee

Olivia Lee is a British comedian, actress, writer and proud mama.

She got her break on Channel 4’s hit comedy show Balls of Steel, with her own slot Prank TV with Miss Lee. Off the back of this, Olivia created her own comedy sketch called Olivia Lee’s Naughty Bits which led to her own series; Olivia Lee: Dirty, Sexy, Funny – a showcase for Olivia’s comic characters which launched on Comedy Central UK and carried on for a second series.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Olivia is a woman of many talents who is not afraid to admit to sticking her kids in front of screens when she’s had enough. She celebrates being an imperfect modern mother in her work and is currently writing a new series “about her chaotic family life” while looking after her newborn son AND embarking on a UK tour of her hilarious one-woman show  “Olivia Lee: Work in Progress” at The Pleasance Theatre. I don’t know about you, but we’ve already booked front row seats!

 

 

 

 

 

Olivia Lee – comedian, mum and superstar

 

 

 

 

 

Tell us about your latest project.

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve got some upcoming dates for my live show “Olivia Lee: Work in Progress” at the Pleasance Theatre in March 2022. It’s a one woman show that explores the themes of my ‘Mindful Mum‘ album, a homage to female rage. We hear loads about toxic masculinity, the idea that men can’t be vulnerable or emotional but I think the reverse for women is that we’ve been told our anger isn’t valid.

 

 

 

 

 

When we get angry, women are often told we are hysterical, unstable, aggressive or mad but I believe we need to own our anger and call it what it is. Be a real, flawed and imperfect mother and let your kids see that! I’d much rather tell my kids “mummy’s in a bad mood” rather than suppress it and pretend everything’s fine all the time. We can’t be perfect and in the process slowly lose our minds.

What was your favourite place to visit in London as a kid and why?

 

 

 

 

 

This is starting to show my age now… back in the day there used to be donkeys on Hampstead Heath, right by the ponds. When I was 6 or 7, my grandpa used to take my siblings every Sunday for a ride. It’s a gorgeous memory I have, plus there were also shetland ponies that were really sweet natured. I wish there was somewhere local I could take my kids and chuck them on a donkey. We’ve got Kentish Town City Farm locally which has a couple of ducks!

 

 

 

 

 

What was your favourite place to eat as a family?

 

 

 

 

 

We love a cafe called Stella’s Room in Muswell Hill. It just does the best breakfasts, all for a reasonable price, and it’s a really lovely family place to be so we go there a lot. My youngest won’t sit down but the people who work there always save us our favourite table.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where in the UK would you recommend to another family?

 

Due to covid, we just went to Anglesey for a mini holiday where we rented a cottage on the beach and were surrounded by sheep and beautiful rolling hills. It was a bit of a drive though… it was supposed to take us 6 hours but it took us 12 in the end. Honestly, having young boys is like having dogs. We kept having to stop off to let them have a pee and a walk around.

 

Another great day trip if you don’t mind the long drive is Mersea Island. It’s in Essex, a little beach town, which is absolutley gorgeous. We go there lot in the Summer and, if you time it with the babies naps, you are in for a smooth journey.

 

 

 

 

 

What would be your perfect family day out?

 

 

 

 

 

I think it’s got to be simple day out in Highgate Woods. There’s nothing like getting out the house early on a sunny day (this is an achievement with two young kids in itself) and going for long walk around the woods and have breakfast there. Without kids, my ideal day would be completley different…

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name three places you love taking your kids.

 

 

 

 

 

I like London Zoo. The Southbank is fab in the summer, my kids love the bubbles and then I have to name drop Highgate Woods again as it has the best playground there. It’s so pretty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bus, tube, taxi, walk or cycle?

 

 

We walk or drive if we’re going somewhere far.

 

 

Give us a tip or a London life-hack…

 

 

 

 

 

Save your sanity and allow them to go on their i-Pads. It’s the third parent to this generation! Don’t worry about screentime, our parents worried about it and we turned out fine. Their parents worried about radio, their parents worried their kids were “drawing too much”… every generation worry but I just say crack on, give them an i-Pad and do what you gotta do to survive.