Manford has risen from eager amateur to Perrier nominee and one of the UK’s hottest comic properties in just a few years. Best known as a team captain on Channel 4’s 8 Out Of 10 Cats, he is also the host of ITV’s new comedy and music programme Comedy Rocks, which began last week.

His career was launched when, employed as a lowly pot collector at a Manchester comedy club when an act failed to turn up. He was given his break, and five weeks later won the North-West Comedian of the Year Award. Next came the finals of Channel 4’s So You Think You’re Funny.

He has also hosted the breakfast show on XFM Manchester and appeared in Shameless, Cutting It and the cult BBC3 show Ideal.

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