Shazia Mirza

My mum can’t find me anyone to marry. My friend Matthew who is a gay, politically correct social worker, looks at me with great concern and says, “You’re not thinking of becoming a Jihadi Bride are you?” Would I do that? I mean the weather in Britain isn’t great, and the sunsets and landscape in Syria are meant to be very romantic… I’d get a husband, wouldn’t have to work, and would definitely get a place in heaven. Yes I’d miss my hair straighteners and hot pants, but that’s a small price to pay.

Shazia Mirza is an award-winning comedian and columnist. She has performed her stand-up shows across the world – from the Edinburgh Fringe to Texas, USA to Dubai and Kosovo. She has performed extensively across Europe. Her shows include The Last Temptation of Shazia Mirza and Portrait Of Shazia Mirza. She also appeared in The Vagina Monologues (Royal Albert Hall). She has appeared on Have I Got News For You, a regular panellist on The Wright Stuff, The World Stands Up, and Last Comic Standing. She was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy, and won the GG2 Young Achiever of the Year Award and also Woman of the Year. She has written for the Guardian for many years and currently has a new weekly column in their Weekend magazine entitled Diary of a Disappointing Daughter.