Francesca Martinez

Wobbly* comedian, award-winning writer, actress, and activist inspiring audiences to redefine normal.

  • First female winner of the Open Mic Award at the Edinburgh Festival.
  • Creator and star of All of Us, a sell-out play at the National Theatre.
  • Author of What the **** Is Normal?!, shortlisted for multiple national book awards.
  • Acclaimed TEDx speaker on happiness, inclusion, and resilience.
  • Named Top Ten Game Changer in the European Diversity Awards and twice awarded Honorary Doctorates for contributions to equality and inclusion.
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Francesca Martinez – Comedian, Writer, Playwright, and Inspiring Voice for Change

Francesca Martinez is an award-winning comedian, actress, writer, playwright, and social campaigner whose powerful blend of humor and humanity challenges audiences to rethink what it means to be “normal.”

*Born with cerebral palsy—though she prefers to call herself wobbly—Francesca has spent her career turning perceived limitations into sources of creativity, connection, and strength.

She first made history in 2000 to win the Open Mic Award at the Edinburgh Festival, launching a global comedy career that has seen her perform from Hollywood to the World Economic Forum in Davos. She has delighted TV audiences on Live at the Apollo, The Jonathan Ross Show, and Extras alongside Kate Winslet and Ricky Gervais.

As a playwright and author, Francesca brings her wit and honesty to new creative frontiers. Her memoir What the **** Is Normal?! (2014) received widespread acclaim and was nominated for the Chortle Comedy Best Book Award and was runner-up for the Bread & Roses Book Award. Her debut play All of Us — directed by Ian Rickson — premiered at the National Theatre in 2022 to strong reviews from critics including The Guardian.

A passionate speaker and campaigner, Francesca inspires audiences across business, education and healthcare to embrace inclusivity, authenticity and courage. Her TEDx Talk, “Being Happy is a Political Act”, embodies her belief that personal empowerment and social change go hand in hand. She has addressed global summits, major conferences and universities, and her work has been recognised by nominations and awards including Motivator of the Year (2005), Public Affairs Achiever of the Year (2013) and inclusion in the BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour Power List (2014).

Francesca’s thought-leadership goes beyond performance: she is a tireless advocate for equality and compassion. She fronted the WOW (War on Welfare) petition campaign, which secured over 100,000 signatures and led to a landmark debate in the UK House of Commons. In 2008 she made headlines by withdrawing from the Olympic torch relay in London in protest over China’s human-rights record. Through these actions she continues to spark vital conversations about dignity, diversity and inclusion.

Whether performing stand-up or keynoting at international events, Francesca Martinez blends humor, intellect, and passion to leave audiences laughing, reflecting, and ready to act. Her work reminds organizations and individuals alike that embracing our “wobbliness” is the first step toward building a more empathetic and resilient world.

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Testimonials

Francesca was a host worth waiting for. After several false starts due to Covid, she presented our annual awards ceremony in Newcastle and was a huge hit with all of our attendees. She was funny, warm, engaging and genuinely seemed to enjoy herself while presenting too. She was an absolute professional, and had obviously taken the time in advance to get to know our organisation and her role on the evening. A real pleasure to work with!
Home Star Awards 2022
Francesca was incredible – like we knew she would be. There was some amazing feedback, mainly about her positivity, energy and passion. Everyone loved it.
Home Group - Online Event 2021
Francesca, as the headline event at Gibraltar Pride 2014, not only punctured glass ceilings, but warmed and lovingly bruised our hearts, too. In so doing, she successfully demonstrated that human solidarity not only knows no bounds, but can actively transcend them, whilst allowing us all to militantly fall in love with each other! In short, Gibraltar and its LGBTI, disabled and many other communities love Ms.Martinez. And, as a personal level, I am no exception, either. My fondness and respect for her humanity and many evident talents are impossible to conceal!
Felix Alvariz OBE
Equality Rights Group
Francesca's speech was the hit of the evening funny, personal and very inspirational. Everyone singled her out and said what a great speaker she was. Her impact was amazing and wed love her to come back next year.
World Economic Forum 2008
When I was at Unilever I organised an event around the theme of creative courage. All artists display varying degrees of courage but Francesca walked on stage and changed the atmosphere. She made them more courageous from that moment. It was like a euphoria - it took them a while to come down.
Unilever
Francesca was laugh out loud funny. She was definitely a star of the show and, along with Alan Carr, she had the audience in stitches.
Channel 4
In all our years of annual conferences, Francesca is the first speaker to receive a standing ovation! Francesca had told us 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder' – this young woman has it in abundance! Pearls of wisdom flowed from her mouth and her act was both hilarious and inspirational. A refreshingly different take on comedy, she wise-cracks her way through prejudice and disability, using everyday events seen from a disabled person's angle, as the butt of her jokes. A big-hearted lady with a zest for life, from whom everyone could learn a lesson.
Inner Wheel Association of Great Britain
Francesca was fantastic. The laughter was non-stop for the full hour. She expertly mixed the comedy with the motivational. I will definitely be recommending her in the future.
Oracle
Everybody loved Francesca's performance – she was the highlight of an evening of exciting performances. Her warm, friendly, easy-going personality endeared her to those who worked with her at the event.
Harrow Borough Council
Thank you again so much to Francesca for hosting our London Book Fair event. We knew she would be good, but had no idea quite how powerful and engaging (not to mention almost painfully funny) her contribution would be - it was just incredible. I don’t know how to express how spot-on it was - everything we wanted and more....
BOOKTRUST
Francesca is one of the most inspiring women I have met and her approach to her life and work is one that is well worth sharing with others. Our delegates were enthralled with her performance, and I shall always remember her phrase “perfectly me” which we should all strive to adopt as our personal motto. And the bonus is that she is incredibly funny!
Association of Graduate Recruiters
Francesca brought the house down. We had lots of disabled young people in the audience and they were all cracking up. The crowd even managed to bend her arm for a little more time than planned! Please do thank her again from us. It was a great start to the festival and totally along the awareness-raising but fun vibe we wanted!
Disability from a Different Angle Film Festival
It was an absolute honour to meet with, and listen to, Francesca in Dublin… She received a standing ovation - deservedly so. Not only is Francesca approachable, friendly and intelligent, but she is someone one that can interact with any audience, delivering amazingly sharp humour. Her expert presentation is valuable for health and all other professionals to hear, and so hilarious and entertaining. I am a long-standing and great fan - even more so now that I have met her and witnessed such an amazing performance!
Baby Lifeline
Our thanks to Francesca for doing such a wonderful hosting job. Her charm, skill, and brilliant irreverence really made the evening go with a swing and set exactly the tone and spirit I was hoping for.
BBC
It is very seldom in life that as a sensitive and spiritual person I am moved to stopping in my tracks and reassessing my life. In the 20 minutes Francesca spoke to us, she looked into my heart, my subconscious, my brightest and darkest being - and she gave me a shake, a slap and the heartiest laugh I’ve had in months. She’s the most confident, assertive, unassuming, apolitical, pragmatic, honest, hilarious person I’ve ever had the opportunity to be in a room with. I take my hat off to her. She’s an inspiration - who wears fabulous boots!
Head of Healthcare, Beauchamp Solicitors
Francesca was a great success and I have received very good feedback from our staff.
Accenture
It was a real pleasure to have Francesca perform at UBS last night. Her approach to life is very refreshing and her humour is absolutely hilarious. The impact she had on everyone was powerful and unforgettable. The event sold out all of its 600 tickets in just 27 seconds which is a record - we are already planning on having her back.
UBS
Francesca presented a powerfully articulate, inspirational, refreshingly honest and politically incorrect, highly humourous, frank, sensitive self-portrait, that challenged, educated and entertained a captivated audience of delegates.
Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin
When I invited Francesca Martinez to speak to a group of second year undergraduates as part of a communications module, I was hoping for a different approach to the topic. I was not disappointed. The session was well received by the students, thoroughly enjoyed by all and fulfilled all the learning objectives. The session also reinforced my belief that humour enhances learning. Any effect will be long lasting and influence the students long after leaving the theatre. It was an education in itself.
St. George's University Hospital
Francesca was an incredible speaker and our staff were really impacted by her presentation. She is the perfect speaker for medical professionals and her message will have a deep effect on the way we approach difference.
Princess Elizabeth Hospital - Guernsey
We were delighted to invite Francesca to perform her Comedy as part of our Diversity Week activities, this being the 3rd year we have had a comedy night during the week. Francesca gave us a really entertaining night with her insight and made people really think about the person rather than the disability. We laughed along with her and came out all the better for being more disability aware. Employees are still talking about her - weeks after her performance!
CITI Group
Francesca’s talk was absolutely fantastic, a massive hit with the delegates. She was most certainly the topic of conversation and left everyone with food for thought!
British Association of Prosthetists and OrthotistsBritish Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists