SPOTLIGHT on comedian Luisa Omielan

How stand-up comic Luisa Omielan turned her chaotic life into a winning routine. By Laura Silverman

WHO? Four years ago, Luisa, 33, was a wreck. Dumped by her boyfriend, swamped in student debt (she studied performing arts at Salford University) and struggling to make it as a comedian, she moved back in with her mum in Farnborough, Hampshire. Panic struck when Luisa realised that, by the same age, Beyoncé was considerably more famous. She decided her way to success would be to channel the singer in spirit. BIG BREAK Luisa turned her troubles into a stand-up routine. ‘It was one of the most magical gigs,’ she later said. ‘Laughing about your problems with a room full of people can take the edge off.’ Luisa took her show What Would Beyoncé Do?! (her mantra) to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2012. It was a hit and later had four sell-out runs at London’s Soho Theatre. Celebrity fans include actress Caroline Rhea (otherwise known as Aunt Hilda in the 90s TV series Sabrina, the Teenage Witch) and comedian Miranda Hart (you can spot Luisa in Miranda’s 2014 Christmas special). WORLD DOMINATION Luisa finds a lot of stand-up ‘dull’ and wants her shows to ‘be more like a party’. She’s not averse to the odd song and dance – Beyoncé’s ‘Run the World (Girls)’ is a favourite – and encourages the audience to join in. Last year, a YouTube clip of her ‘thigh gap’ routine – in which she ridicules women who brag about having a space between their upper thighs – went viral. It has had more than 30 million views. WHAT’S NEXT? Luisa is working on a sketch show for ITV2. Oh, and she has just written a memoir charting her rise to stardom. Top that, Beyoncé.

Luisa’s memoir What Would Beyoncé Do?! (Century, £14.99*) is out now