Linda Smith (comedian)

Linda Helen Smith (29 January 1958 – 27 February 2006) was an English comedian and comedy writer. She appeared regularly on Radio 4 panel games, and was voted "Wittiest Living Person" by listeners in 2002. From 2004 to 2006 she was head of the British Humanist Association.

Life and career

Smith was born in Erith, Kent in 1958 and was educated at Erith College of Technology (now Bexley College) and at the University of Sheffield where she graduated in English and Drama. She joined a professional theatre company before turning to comedy. In 1987, she won the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year, then known as the New London Comic Award, and performed on the Edinburgh Fringe before breaking into radio comedy.

Many of her early stand-up appearances were benefit concerts staged in solidarity with the British miners during the Miners' Strike in the 1980s. She was a lifelong socialist.

Her first appearances on national radio were on Radio 5's ''The Treatment'' in 1997. She was subsequently a regular panellist on ''The News Quiz'' and '' Just a Minute'' and appeared frequently on ''I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue'' (from June 2001 onwards), '' Have I Got News for You'', ''Mock the Week'', ''Countdown'' and '' QI''. She wrote and starred in her own Radio 4 sitcom, ''Linda Smith's A Brief History of Timewasting''. After appearing on Radio 4's ''Devout Sceptics'' to discuss her beliefs she was asked by the British Humanist Association (BHA) to become president of the society, a role that she occupied with commitment from 2004 until her death. In 2002, she was voted 'Wittiest Living Person' by listeners to BBC Radio 4's ''Word of Mouth''. In his 2003 book Classic Radio Comedy, Mat Coward called Smith "the funniest woman on radio today".

On 17 November 2003, Smith appeared on the BBC
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