Ross Noble is a British stand-up comedian known for his spontaneous, improvised style. He rose to fame in the early 2000s and has gone on to have a very successful career in comedy. However, some fans have noticed that Noble seems to have disappeared from the public eye in recent years. So what exactly happened to Ross Noble?
Ross Noble’s Early Comedy Career
Ross Noble was born in Newcastle upon Tyne in northern England in 1976. He got his start in comedy as a teenager, performing his first gig at the age of 15. In the 1990s, Noble began to make a name for himself on the North East comedy circuit. His manic energy and improvisational skills made him a hit with audiences.
In 1999, Noble made his Edinburgh Fringe debut with his show Laser Boy. His creative, improvised ramblings earned him the prestigious Perrier Award for best newcomer. This propelled Noble to greater national attention. He began touring extensively, bringing his unique comedy style to larger audiences across the UK.
TV Appearances and UK Stand-up Success
On the back of his Edinburgh success, Noble made his first appearance on national TV on the BBC comedy show Jack Dee Live at the Apollo in 2001. His madcap performance was a hit with viewers and critics alike. Noble’s TV profile grew as he made more appearances on panel shows like Have I Got News For You and QI over the next few years.
Noble also continued to tour the UK playing larger and larger venues. His 2004 tour Unrealtime was one of the biggest comedy tours of the year, playing to over 100,000 people. Further tours like Nobleism (2005), Fizzy Logic (2006) and Headspace Cowboy (2009) cemented his reputation as one of the UK’s favorite stand-up acts. He won the Time Out Award for Best Stand Up in 2003.
US Exposure and Continued UK Success
In 2007, Noble made his US stand-up debut with shows in New York and Chicago. American audiences embraced his freewheeling style. He made several appearances on late night US TV like The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. In 2008, Noble recorded his first stand-up DVD for the American market – Nobleism USA.
Back in the UK, Noble continued to play arena tours and win awards. He won the Loaded Lafta Award for Best Stand Up in 2008. His 2009 tour Nobleism sold over 100,000 tickets. In 2010, Noble’s show Nonsensory Overload was nominated for the prestigious Comedy Award (the replacement for the Perrier Award).
Australia and Other International Success
As well as the US and UK, Noble gained popularity in Australia too. He toured the country extensively from 2006 to 2011 with shows like Fizzy Logic, Nobleism and Ramble On. These tours sold over 250,000 tickets collectively. Noble’s madcap improvisational style was right at home with Australian audiences.
Noble also toured other countries like Ireland, Canada, Sweden, Denmark and New Zealand during this period. His worldwide popularity was booming. Back in the UK he hosted four series of witty panel show Ross Noble’s Australian Trip from 2009 to 2012 where he joked about his time down under.
His Acting and TV Career
As well as stand-up, Noble branched out into acting and TV presenting during the 2000s. He landed roles in films like Stitches (2012) and Mindhorn (2016) displaying his talent for improvised comedy. On TV he presented travel/comedy shows Ross Noble Goes Global (2013) and Ross Noble Freewheeling (2013-2014) where he travelled the world, riffing on his experiences.
Noble was also a frequent guest on TV panel shows during this period, appearing on everything from Never Mind the Buzzcocks to Would I Lie To You? His madcap energy made him an ideal panel show guest. He also appeared regularly on the popular Channel 4 show 8 Out of 10 Cats.
Where Did Noble Go in the Late 2010s?
After being so prolific for over a decade, some fans began to wonder why Noble seemed to disappear towards the end of the 2010s. He was still touring but his TV appearances dried up. Panel show bookings also seemed to reduce. So why did one of Britain’s most popular comedians seem to vanish?
There are a few possible explanations for Noble’s lower profile:
- He purposefully stepped back from TV to focus on stand-up touring.
- TV producers moved on to booking younger comedians.
- His madcap style was not deemed risky enough for modern TV.
- He took time off for personal reasons.
In interviews, Noble emphasized that he was still just as busy touring. So it seems the lack of TV exposure was probably an active choice to return to his stand-up roots. Noble’s maverick style thrives best in live performance rather than on heavily scripted TV shows.
Noble’s Recent Work
While he may have vanished from TV, Ross Noble has remained as prolific as ever as a live stand-up comedian over the last five years.
He undertook major UK tours in 2017 with Brain Dump and in 2019 with El Hablador. Both tours sold extremely well, proving Noble’s enduring popularity with British audiences. Reviews praised his exhilarating improvisational skill and imaginative spontaneity.
Internationally Noble also toured Australia and New Zealand in 2018 with his show Off Road. Again he impressed with his freewheeling banter tailored specially to each location.
During the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns Noble launched a podcast Ross Noble’s Brain Dump in 2020. This allowed him to riff wildly for an audience while touring was impossible. It showed his comedy talents were as sharp as ever.
Noble’s 2022 Work and Beyond
Proving he is still very much active and popular on the comedy circuit, Noble has undertaken a major new UK tour in 2022. Entitled Humournoid, this marathon 75 date tour will run from April to December, taking in some of the country’s biggest venues.
Reviews so far have acclaimed the tour as a return to form, with Noble improvising and interacting with the audience just as dynamically as in his earlier career. It seems clear that despite his lower TV profile in recent years, Noble remains one of Britain’s premier stand-up talents.
Looking ahead, Ross Noble fans can expect the comedian to continue taking his spontaneous stand-up around the world. While we may not see him on TV as regularly, his live comedy chops are as strong as ever. At only 46 years old, Noble still likely has decades more unique comedy to unleash upon audiences.
Conclusion
In summary, Ross Noble has not disappeared in recent years. He simply made an active choice to step back from TV and focus on his true passion – improvised stand-up comedy. His tours continue to sell extremely well and reviews confirm his skill for spinning comedy gold out of thin air is undimmed. While UK TV may have moved on, true comedy fans know that Ross Noble’s wildly inventive shows remain unmissable.