Richard Blackwood

Organization2 listings

About: RICHARD BLACKWOOD Stand-up comic, Broadcaster, Actor, Presenter, Inspirational leader Richard Blackwood has been making audiences laugh, think, and feel for more than three decades. A natural entertainer from an early age, he first stepped onto the stand-up stage in 1993 at The Spot in Covent Garden, quickly becoming one of the UK’s most recognisable comedy voices. His sharp wit and engaging style saw him tour nationally alongside Geoff Schumann before making the leap to television. Early TV appearances on The Real McCoy and Blouse and Skirt led to his big break on MTV, co-hosting the flagship show MTV Select with June Sarpong. By 1999, Richard had his own Channel 4 primetime vehicle, The Richard Blackwood Show, blending comedy, celebrity interviews, and live music. Never one to be confined to a single lane, Richard also pursued music, releasing his debut album You’ll Love To Hate This in 2000. Its lead single, Mama (Who Da Man), hit No.3 in the UK charts, cementing him as a crossover talent critics dubbed “South London’s answer to Will Smith.” Over the following years Richard built an impressive CV across broadcasting and theatre. He became a household voice on Choice FM (now Capital XTRA), hosted RB’s Sunday School, the station’s top- rated Sunday show and launched RB Real Talk, a live seminar series tackling community issues and inspiring young people. On stage, he starred in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (West End, 2009) alongside James Earl Jones, and played Donkey in Shrek: The Musical (2011–2013), a role that pushed him into singing and musical theatre at the highest level. Richard’s screen career flourished with a major role in EastEnders (2015–2018) as Vincent Hubbard, and since 2020 he has starred in Hollyoaks as Felix Westwood. Beyond acting, he has used his platform for social good, memorably undergoing a live prostate cancer examination on ITV’s This Morning, helping break stigma and raise awareness for men’s health. In 2024, Richard celebrated 30 years in stand-up with a sold-out nationwide UK tour, reaffirming his status as one of Britain’s most versatile and enduring entertainers. Whether on stage, screen, or radio, Richard Blackwood continues to prove that versatility, longevity, and authenticity are the halmarks of a true entertainer.