About
Born to deaf parents, signing was Ray Bradshaw’s first language and he is fluent. He is the first comedian to perform in English and in sign language simultaneously and says he appreciates his show can be a bit like ‘watching a game of tennis’. He has to therefore time his shows impeccably, because there is a five-second delay between when he delivers the joke, and when the interpreter delivers it – meaning he gets two rounds of laughs per joke.
He has been on the stand-up circuit since 2008 and is a seasoned compare. He first performed in Edinburgh in 2015, the first gig his dad could see because it was interpreted. Frankie Boyle is a big fan and champions Deaf Comedy Fam, with Bradshaw supporting him at the Glasgow Comedy Festival.
Watch Ray Bradshaw: Deaf Comedy Fam
The first comedian to perform simultaneously in English and in sign language, prepare to marvel at Ray’s warm-hearted autobiographical blend of storytelling, familial observations and cheeky Glaswegian humour. A linguistic comedy feat.
Short Clips
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Bio
In 2017 only 5 or 6 language interpreted comedy shows out of 3500, something Bradshaw would like to see change. As a child he acted as translator for both his deaf parents so became very comfortable chatting to people from an early age, something that he says probably pushed him towards a career in stand-up comedy.
He frequently travels to Australia where he is a popular name on the circuit and he has performed sell out shows in Melbourne and Adelaide as well as Edinburgh
Ray has numerous radio credits under his belt with BBC Scotland and Radio 4, is a frequent guest on Kevin Bridges and Friends, and recently supported Ardal O’Hanlon on tour. With a wealth of experience in the world of TV warm up, Ray has worked on the BAFTA nominated Dog Ate My Homework for CBBC, as well as Don’t Drop The Baton, and Hogmanay Live for BBC Scotland – showcasing his versatility and ability to appeal to audiences of any age.
He has done various daredevil feats for charity, including running a marathon, and The Globe of Death which sees four bikers speed around the head of Bradshaw- it’s an act that has already claimed 3 lives. Bradshaw did the challenge without headgear or body armor and raised over £20,000 for charity.