Available for
Workshop, Talk, Interview, Commission a bookAudiences
Age 5 to 7, Age 7 to 11, Age 11 to 14Genres
Horror, Humour, Poetry, Stage/ScreenBook types
Fiction for children, Picture book, PoetryAwards
- BBC Audio Awards Nominee
Organisations
- Writers Guild of Great Britain
- Equity
- Society of Authors
- NAWE
Details
International stand-up comic and author for kids
- 3500 schools visited in UK and Globally - Australia, Egypt, Switzerland, Qatar, Thailand, Vietnam, Jordan, UAE, Malaysia, Uganda, Kenya, Brunei and Indonesia. Stand-up comedy/book tour
- MA in Playwriting from the University of Birmingham
- BBC TV writer (ChuckleVision/Giggley Bits/Teletubbies)
- 53 pantomimes scripts (Little and Large, Cannon and Ball, Timmy Mallett)
- Extensive theatre directing experience in pantomime and children's theatre.
- Touring worldwide with books and kid’s stand-up shows
- Over 750 children's stand-up comedy gigs
- 10 years performing comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe, festivals and arts centre
- 32 children's comedy books published
- BBC Audio Award Best New Writer Nominee for "Spike and the Elfin Oak”
- BBC Audio Award Shortlisted for Best Single Drama for “Happiness”
- Amazon Audiobooks Top Ten for “There Used To Be A Me.”
- Gold Award New York Festivals Radio Awards for “There Used to Be a Me”
- BBC Audio Award nomination for Best Podcast or Online Audio Drama
- “Billy Plonka and Grot Laboratory” published by Ventorros Press 2021
- “Moby Duck” published by Ventorros Press 2022
- “The FBG” published by Ventorros Press 2022
- “There Used to Be a Me” audio play about Peter Sellers for Spiteful Puppet 2021 starring Alfred Molina
- “Starship Titanic” for Perfectly Normal Prods for BBC Radio Four 2021 starring Michael Palin
SCHOOL QUOTES
“Best thing I’ve seen in this school in thirty years!”
Iain Blaxall, teacher, Norwich School, England
“It was brilliant - the kids were captivated.” –
Megan King, St.Andrews School, Bangkok, Thailand
"My son, who is nearly 10, thought you were amazing and wants to be just like you when he grows up. So there you go, not only do you have a fan, you are now officially a role model :-) Thank you!" –
Tara Diamond, Weston All Saints Primary School, Bath, England
“Students thoroughly enjoyed the introductory assembly, in case you could not tell by all the laughter, as well as the small workshops. The students walked away from the workshops inspired and excited, which is always the sign of a great lesson.” -
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Catherine F. Porterfield, The International Academy, Amman, Jordan. |
"An inspiring children's comedian and author." -
Claire Hele, Ipswich High School for Girls, England
"Hugely entertaining and extremely popular!" -
Riva Barnard, Edge Hill Junior School, England
“The children were incredibly motivated and inspired by your performance and workshop and as a result there has been a big shift in the enthusiasm for writing particularly the boys. Some have sent up a lunchtime writing club. There was great amusement regarding the workshop and children were excited to see that writing can be such fun! As a school we can only watch as the impact of this unfolds! Many thanks for a very inspiration and unconventional approach to writing.”
Mrs.Carter Seabrooke Primary School, Kent, England
“The students are still talking about it and we all went to work to develop interesting characters and settings in order to publish some interesting stories.
I personally noticed an improvement in several students’ writing due to the details they included. This they remembered from you and I thank you.” –
Mimi Attia, Le Rosey, Rolle, Switzerland
“The pupils you worked with during the day were so inspired by you that they still have not stopped talking about it. Parents, governors and pupils laughed all the way through your performance. The friends of the school have asked if we could book you to come every year as they were so impressed.”
Karen Foster, William Stukeley School, Lincolnshire, England
“I enjoyed this session and found it very insightful. Creative and fun! Very useful to see how to build ideas without using words and engaging imagination. Unmissable and informative. As a YL teacher I got some useful tips. Only downside was lack of time!”
Jill Davidson Teaching Centre & ELT Projects, British Council, Jabal Amman, Jordan
“Ian Billings is an author with a difference - he has a rare talent to entertain too. At the recent awards ceremony for the Warwickshire Secondary Book Award Ian not only expertly chaired discussion with two authors - Sophie Mckenzie and Emma Clayton - but had an auditorium full of Year 7 pupils in stitches, only pausing to catch his next gem in a stream of hilarious and fresh stand-up gags. ". -
Stella Thebridge
Manager, Warwickshire Schools Library Service, England
“Everybody - children, teachers and non-teaching staff, thoroughly enjoyed your workshops throughout the day and particularly your hilarious show. The children were so enthused by you and you really got across the message that reading and writing can be fun. We look forward to welcoming you to our school again sometime in the future. “
Darryl Evans, Llangewydd Junior School, Wales
Event feedback
Ian visited as part of our transition week and worked with the Year 6 into Year 7 students. His shows were lively, engaging and entertaining, as well as inspiring for young readers and writers. His workshop, which included a smaller group of students, was similarly engaging and really helped the students to think about how to create a setting in creative writing. We will definitely arrange another visit in the future!