Owain Elis James (born 3 November 1980) is a Welsh comedian, broadcaster and actor from Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. James is best known as a stand-up comedian, his weekly radio show and podcast for BBC Radio 5 Live, his football punditry and presenting and for his TV acting roles. James's first language is Welsh and he performs stand-up in English and Welsh.
Early life
James was born in Haverfordwest and grew up in Carmarthen, Wales. He has two younger sisters, Carys and Nia. James's mother worked with the father of Welsh comedian Rhod Gilbert and the mother of Welsh musician Euros Childs.
James studied Modern History and Politics at Cardiff University.
Prior to becoming a professional comedian, James engaged in various forms of employment, including temp work, charity work and part-time work at a café.
Career
Comedy
James began his comedy career in 2005, though he had previously won the Maes B comedy award at the 1999 national eisteddfod. He made the transition to full-time comedy work in 2008. Prior to moving full-time to comedy, James was guitarist with the Cardiff-based indie/punk band Heck, fronted by Jemma Roper. The band recorded an EP and received airplay on BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio Wales and BBC Introducing's Wales show, then broadcast on Radio 1. They also performed on new bands nights organised by the NME.
James commenced his role as Rex Jones, an old caretaker who is a post-Marxist with a health-and-safety obsession, in the live show Chris Corcoran's Committee Meeting in 2009. The show, conceived by Welsh comedian Chris Corcoran, was held for three years at the Muni Arts Centre. Corcoran explained in 2014: "We would write each show from scratch in the space of five days and the first time we'd perform it would be in front of the audience."
James supported Gilbert on his national UK tour, "Rhod Gilbert and the Award-Winning Mince Pie", in 2010. Supporting Gilbert, James experienced performances before audiences of over 1,500 people and he later said that he felt like a "pop star" when he walked on stage during the tour. James performed the "Daytripper" show at the 2010 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
James and Corcoran later performed in a "best of" show based on the Chris Corcoran's Committee Meeting shows, including the Social Club FM spin-off radio show, at the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The show received the Guardian Pick of the Fringe accolade and led to the production of The Committee Meeting television pilot after the Tiger Aspect production company expressed interest.
In 2012, in response to a question about whether there is a difference between English and Welsh comedy, James replied:
There are differences, however slight, and the references are obviously different. But not so different that Welsh comics can't be successful in England, and vice versa. There are plenty of regional differences in English humour. I would tailor my material differently if I was in Aberystwyth as opposed to Manchester, but not radically.
James was the MC of the Machynlleth Comedy Festival Gala performance at the May 2014 Hay Festival. James performed alongside partner Isy Suttie, as well as comedians Henry Paker and Mike Wozniak. At the 2015 Machynlleth Comedy Festival, James performed a new Work in Progress show as well as a set in Welsh.
In late 2015, James recorded a stand-up special in Welsh titled Rhacs Jibiders. It was broadcast on S4C and was also available (as with many of the channel's shows) on the BBC iPlayer. His next Welsh-language show, Haleliw, was first broadcast on Christmas Day 2019.
In 2020 James began co-hosting The Socially Distant Sports Bar podcast with sports journalist Steff Garrero and comedian Mike Bubbins, based on their love of sport but lack of live sport due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Radio
James played Rex Jones in the radio spin-off of Chris Corcoran's Committee Meeting, Social Club FM, which was initially broadcast in August 2011 for BBC Radio Wales and ran for two years.
Following a pilot show, on 16 February 2014 James started broadcasting the Elis James and John Robins show on XFM (now Radio X), co-hosting with fellow comedian John Robins. The show was broadcast on Saturday afternoons and released a popular podcast. The show had its final broadcast on 30 March 2019.
On 2 April 2019, it was announced that James and Robins will be hosting a new Friday afternoon radio show on BBC 5 Live starting 31 May.