Ayesha Hazarika

Ayesha Hazarika, MBE, is a political commentator who appears regularly across television and radio, providing expert opinion and insight. Having started her career as a stand-up comedian playing clubs across the country, she then took what she thought was a natural diversion into politics as a Special Adviser for the Labour Party, working with them for eight years both in Government and Opposition. During her time in Westminster she worked for Gordon Brown, Harriet Harman and Ed Miliband, advising them on Prime Minister’s Questions, speeches, media and policy as well as heading up initiatives on topics such as Women and Equality.

Since leaving front line politics Ayesha has presented shows on LBC and appears twice weekly on the panel discussion show CNN Talk (CNN international). In print Ayesha writes a weekly column for the Evenings Standard and The Scotsman and has contributed to FT, Guardian, New Statesman and Grazia. She is also a much sought after pundit due to her unique position to analyse and comment on current affairs with great wit and insight appearing regularly across shows including Good Morning Britain (ITV), Sky Papers (Sky News), The Andrew Marr Show (BBC1), Newsnight (BBC2), The Agenda (ITV) and The Today Programme (BBC Radio 4) as well as using her comedy chops on Breaking the News (BBC Radio Scotland) and Matt Forde’s Unspun (Dave).

In 2016 Ayesha returned to her stand-up roots with her show Tales from the Pink Bus which was a sell-out hit at the 2016 Edinburgh Festival and the Women of the World at the Southbank Centre. She then extended this show, creating State of the Nation, which she toured throughout the UK in early 2017 including a hugely successful run at the Soho Theatre, which had extra dates added due to phenomenal demand. During the show, Ayesha lifts the lid on what life was really like behind the scenes at Westminster with brutal honesty and humour and asks what’s next for British politics. The show enjoyed a very successful run in Edinburgh in 2017, including a **** review from The Scotsman. 

She is also in demand as a speaker and host due to her unique background in politics and stand up.

“One of nine hilarious women to look out for in 2017” The Metro