From Australian stand-up stages to international radio, the versatile rise of Celia Pacquola
In short: Since her 2006 comedy debut, Celia Pacquola has transformed from a local talent into a powerhouse of Australian and British broadcasting. Whether writing for BBC Radio 4 or winning prestigious acting awards, her career is a masterclass in comedic versatility and enduring creative momentum.
Born in 1983 and raised in Victoria's Christmas Hills, Celia Pacquola began her professional comedy journey in 2006. After winning the Raw Comedy Awards' best first-time entrant prize, she quickly established herself on the festival circuit. Her 2009 production, Am I Strange?, earned critical acclaim at both the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, securing both Best Comedy and a Critics Award. During her initial period of touring, she hosted programmes such as Fox Summer Breakfast and Red Hot Go for Fox FM. She also showcased solo works such as Flying Solos in 2010 and Delayed in 2012.
Pacquola's talent extends far beyond stand-up. She has become a staple of both Australian and British radio, contributing to BBC Radio 4 programs such as Shappi Talk and The Unbelievable Truth. Her television work is equally decorated; she earned an AACTA Award for her supporting performance in a television drama and co-wrote the award-winning series Rosehaven alongside Luke McGregor in 2016. Her screen credits also include the New Zealand film The Breaker Upperers and the ABC series Utopia. She even explored her family's ancestral roots on the SBS documentary series Who Do You Emulate You Think You Are? in 2021.
Beyond the screen and stage, Pacquola has demonstrated a significant impact through philanthropy and personal transparency. She secured A$50,000 for the Safe Steps Family Violence and Support Centre after triumphing in the 2020 seventeenth series of Dancing with the Stars Australia. While her professional life is marked by high-profile appearances on shows like Taskmaster Australia and The Project, she remains notably candid about her personal struggles with depression and anxiety. In 2018, she received a Helpmann Award for her stand-up show All Talk. She also appeared in a Sydney Theatre Company production of The Torrents in 2019.
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