Linda Smith Biography
Linda Smith was an English comedian and comedy writer who appeared regularly on Radio 4 panel games and was voted (Wittiest Living Person) by listeners in the year 2002. From 2004 to 2006 Linda was head of the British Humanist Association. Linda was educated at Erith College of Technology (now Bexley College) as well as at the University of Sheffield where she graduated in English and Drama. Linda joined a professional theatre company before turning to comedy. In the year 1987, she won the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year, then known as the New London Comic Award, as well as performed at 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, Linda was a lifelong socialist. Her first appearances on national radio were on Radio 5’s The Treatment in the year 1997. Linda was subsequently a regular panelist 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, as well as QI.
Smith wrote as well as 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 Linda was asked by the British Humanist Association (BHA) to become president of the society, a role that she occupied with commitment from the year 2004 until her death.
In 2002, Linda 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 the radio today).
On 17 November 2003, Linda appeared on the BBC television show Room 101, where she successfully managed to put in (adults who read Harry Potter books), Tim Henman, (Back to School signs that appear in shops), as well as (posh people). However, Smith failed to put in Bow ties after host Paul Merton pointed out that Stan Laurel regularly wore a bow tie.
Linda Smith Age
Linda died at 48 years old, she was born on January 29, 1958, in Erith, United Kingdom. She was normally celebrating her birthday on January 29, every year.
Linda Smith Birthday
She was normally celebrating her birthday on January 29, every year.
Quick facts about Linda Smith are listed below:
Full name: Linda Helen Smith
Date of birth: January 29, 1958
Place of birth: Erith, United Kingdom
Linda Smith age: Died at 48 years old
Birth sign: Aquarius.
Height: 5′ 6″
Spouse: Warren Lakin
Education: The University of Sheffield (1979–1982)
Profession: Comedian and comedy writer
Children: Not known
Mother’s Name: Not known
Father’s Name: Not known
Salary: Over $85,000 per year
Net worth: 5 million dollars (2023)
Linda Smith Height
Linda had an average height of 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m) tall.
Linda Smith Parents and Siblings
Linda was born and raised by her mother and father in Erith, United Kingdom. Linda’s family, parents, and siblings are publicly not known. We will update this section once this information is available.
| Father | Not Known |
| Mother | Not Known |
| Brothers and Sister | Not Available |
| Husband / Partner | Warren Lakin |
Linda Smith Husband
Linda was in a relationship with her partner Warren Lakin. She met her partner, Warren, at university, as well as they were together for nearly 30 years until her death.
Linda Smith Obituary
On 27 February 2006, Linda Smith died as a consequence of ovarian cancer at the age of 48. She had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer three-and-a-half years earlier but, not wanting to be thought of as a patient or a victim, Linda did not want people to know.
Linda Smith Illness, Death and Legacy
On 27 February 2006, Linda Smith died as a consequence of ovarian cancer at the age of 48. She had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer three-and-a-half years earlier but, not wanting to be thought of as a patient or a victim, Linda did not want people to know. Before Linda died she chose that her funeral be humanist and her memorial at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, on 10 March, was dedicated to the British Humanist Association.
Her life as well as her work were honored at the British Academy Television Awards in 2006. The first episode of Dawn French’s Girls Who Do: Comedy was dedicated to the memory of Linda Smith. A tribute edition of The News Quiz featuring clips of Linda’s appearances as well as personal memories of her from other panelists was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on March 3, 2006, hosted by Simon Hoggart.
Two tribute gigs were held in her memory in the year 2006. The first took place on May 14, at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield, In Praise of an English Radical, the second on June 4, at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London entitled Tippy Top: An Evening of Linda Smith’s Favourite Things.
In the month of August 2006, Andy Hamilton presented a BBC Radio 4 tribute entitled Linda Smith: A Modern Radio Star. An anthology on CD, entitled I Think the Nurses Are Stealing My Clothes: The Very Best of Linda Smith was released in the month of November 2006 as was a book with the same name. A tribute show of the same name was aired on BBC Radio 4 on November 10, 2006.
Linda’s sell-out stage show Wrap Up Warm has been available on CD since November 2006. Linda Smith was serving on a third series of A Brief History of Timewasting before she became incapacitated by her illness. As a tribute, the online radio station BBC 7 ran the previous 2 series, the first all on one day.
The University of Kent holds The Linda Smith Collection as the foundation of the British Stand-Up Comedy Archive. It includes notes, diaries, scripts, audio-visual recordings, photographs, press cuttings, correspondence as well as publicity material covering her entire life and career.
It was deposited at the University of Kent by Linda’s partner Warren Lakin in the year 2013. A gig called “Loving Linda” took place in the year 2018 to raise money to combat cancer that took her life. In the year 2019, Chortle published a list of 12 of Linda’s best jokes to mark her birthday.