Ria Lina

Ria Lina is a British comedian, actress, and writer, and a 2003 winner of an EMMA award.[1] She is known for her television appearances on Mock The Week, The World Stands Up, Mega Mela Malai Comedy and Sweet n Sour on BBC3. Prior to her career as a comic, Lina acquired a BSc in Experimental Pathology, an MSc in Forensic Science and a PhD in viral bioinformatics, and worked as an IT forensic investigator for the Serious Fraud Office.

Ria Lina
Ria Lina in 2020
BornHigh Wycombe, England
MediumStand-up, television, cabaret
NationalityBritish
Years active2001–present
GenresComedy, Musical Comedy
Subject(s)Taboos, autism, racial identity, education, musical comedy
SpouseSteve Jones
Websitewww.rialina.com

Personal life

Lina was born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, to a Filipino mother and a German father. At the age of one she moved with her parents to California, before returning to the Buckinghamshire village Chalfont St Giles aged 9. When she was 14 the family moved to the Netherlands, where she studied at The American School of the Hague,[2] graduating at 16.

At 17, she attended the University of St Andrews, gaining a Bachelor of Science in Experimental Pathology,[3] before attending University College London as a postgraduate, obtaining a PhD in Viral Bioinformatics. After a short break, during which she had her first child, she returned to academia and read an MSc in Forensic Science and Technology at the London South Bank University[4] before working as an IT forensic investigator for the Serious Fraud Office.

During her time as a student she continued to work in amateur dramatics and became a member of the National Youth Theatre.

Lina has three children.[5]

Lina has Asperger's syndrome.[6][5]

Stand-up

Lina's first performance as a stand-up comedian was while still at St. Andrews University. She did not perform regularly until she moved to London to do her PhD. By the time she had finished her PhD she was an award-winning stand-up comedian working regularly on the UK comedy circuit. Lina has taken four critically acclaimed shows to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 'School of Riason' (2014) was nominated for the Amused Moose Laughter Awards, and contained one of Dave's Top 10 Jokes of the Fringe.[7] It was scheduled to be a Radio 4 special to be aired in 2016.[8] Her previous shows 'Thpethial' (2013) and 'It's Not Easy Being Yellow' (2012), have also been performed at the Brighton Fringe, the Leicester Comedy Festival, and in Asia as part of the Magner's International Comedy Festivals.[9][10]

She is also seen regularly on the UK comedy circuit, with her trademark mix of dry wit and bawdy ukulele songs. As a writer she has contributed to two Ladyboys of Bangkok tours.[11] Her most recent project, 'Taboo Raider', debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2015.[12]

Television

Lina has worked in television both as a writer and actor. For the ITV sketch show Meet the Blogs she was both writer and actor. She has written and presented a documentary for Channel 4 revealing the truth behind the myths that surround Oriental women in Britain.[13]

Further TV work includes Jongleurs Live,[14] The World Stands Up,[15] Sweet n' Sour Comedy,[16] Malai Monologues[17] and film short Christie.[18]

Awards
  • Winner of the Best Comedy Award Greater Manchester Fringe 2016 for her show 'Dear Daughter'[19]
  • Finalist Amused Moose Comedy Award 2014[20]
  • Winner of the Best Comedy/Comedian EMMA Award 2003
  • Winner of the King of Kings Comedy Store Award 2003[21]
  • Carlton's Multicultural Achievement Awards in Performing Arts 2003 Nominee
  • Jongleurs' Stand and Deliver 2003 Finalist
  • Babycham Funny Women 2003 Runner-up
  • BBC New Comedy Awards 2003 Semi-finalist[22]
  • Winner of the London Comedy Festival Allstars Award 2002
  • Winner of the Comedy Store King Gong Show May 2002
  • Daily Telegraph Open Mic Award 2002 Finalist[23]
  • Wilkinson Sword Cutting Edge of Comedy 2002 Finalist[24]
  • Amused Moose New Talent Act Award 2002 Finalist

References
  1. "Winners of the EMMA Awards announced". bbc.co.uk/pressoffice. Archived from the original on 24 March 2005. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  2. "American School of the Hague, an international school in The Netherlands". ash.nl.
  3. "St andrews university". The Herald. Glasgow.
  4. "Ria Lina". LinkedIn Corporation. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  5. Asian Network's Big Comedy Night - Asian Network Comedy Highlights, retrieved 4 February 2020
  6. Lina, Ria. "Political correctness is the best thing that's happened to comedy : Correspondents 2015 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  7. Furness, Hannah (19 August 2014). "Tim Vine's vacuum joke voted best one-liner at Edinburgh Fringe". The Daily Telegraph.
  8. "News: Radio 4 for Ria Lina". Beyond The Joke. 17 April 2015.
  9. "Comedians at Magner's International Comedy Festival". comedyfest.com.sg.
  10. "Comedians share their favourite jokes ahead of Hong Kong's latest festival of fun". Post Magazine.
  11. "Ria Lina".
  12. "Search". Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
  13. "BBC – Radio 4 – Woman's Hour -Ria Lina". BBC News.
  14. "Jongleurs Live!". comedy.co.uk.
  15. "Ria Lina – The World Stands Up". theworldstandsup.com.
  16. "Sweet and Sour Comedy (TV Movie 2004)". IMDb. 22 March 2004.
  17. "Spotlight: RIA LINA". spotlight.com.
  18. "Christie (Video 2008)". IMDb. 7 April 2008.
  19. "Greater Manchester Fringe 2016 Award Winners Announced". vivamanchester.co.uk. 2 August 2016.
  20. "Amused Moose Comedy Award 2014 – Amused Moose". amusedmoose.com.
  21. tdm. "The Comedy Club l Ria Lina – Comedians l Book Comedians". thecomedyclub.co.uk.
  22. "BBC – Press Office – BBC THREE New Comedy Awards regional final Brighton". BBC.
  23. Powder Blue Internet Business Solutions. "The Daily Telegraph Open Mic Award Final". chortle.co.uk.
  24. metrowebukmetro (12 August 2002). "Cutting Edge of Comedy – competition review". Metro.

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