Claire hops back

ONE of Jokers Comedy Club’s favourites, popular TV star Claire Hooper, is heading back to Hobart to headline again next week.

Hooper has been captivating audiences and receiving critical acclaim since beginning her comedy career in Western Australia in 2004, then being named Best and Fairest at the 2005 National Improvisation Championships.

After landing a 2006 Best Newcomer Award nomination for her Melbourne International Comedy Festival debut show Oh, Hooper became a regular on Australian TV, popping up on programs such as Rove Live, The Sideshow and Stand Up! Australia. But she is probably best known for her four years as a team captain on Network Ten’s iconic comedy show Good News Week, alongside Paul McDermott and Mikey Robbins.

In 2015 Hooper scored her dream job as co-host of The Great Australian Bake Off for Foxtel’s LifeStyle Channel. While taste-testing her way through four seasons of the program, Hooper has also continued her standup comedy career, following up last year’s successful show Familiar — which she wrote after the birth of her second child in 2016 — with her latest effort, the critically acclaimed All The Rage.

Hooper has headlined Jokers Comedy Club three times previously, and returns next week to do it again at The Polish Corner in New Town on Wednesday, July 18, from 8pm. She will be joined by Australia-based English comedian Dan Willis, plus Mike ain and Jokers host Gavin Baskerville.