Courtney Dawson
Actor | Comedian | Presenter | WriterCourtney (Ngāti Kurī, Waikato-Tainui) stumbled into her first comedy gig in 2018, and since then has been traveling round the motu, spinning yarns and breaking hearts.
After winning the NZ Raw Comedy Quest and the Best Newcomer Award at the NZ Comedy Guild Awards in 2019, she made her professional debut with a a sold out double act show in the 2021 International Comedy Festival. She was awarded Outstanding Comedy Performance in 2022 by the Auckland Fringe Festival, won Best Female Comedian at the 2023 NZ Comedy Guild Awards, and this year was recognised by the NZ International Comedy Festival who awarded her Best Newcomer for her first solo show with the festival. She continues to be an in demand comedian, gigging regularly round the country.
Courtney also maintains a solid presence on NZ television, having co-hosted two seasons of Rags are Riches, appearing on Have You Been Paying Attention? (NZ), Celebrity Treasure Island, and more recently occupying the ‘news desk’ on Paddy Gower Has Issues.
After winning the NZ Raw Comedy Quest and the Best Newcomer Award at the NZ Comedy Guild Awards in 2019, she made her professional debut with a a sold out double act show in the 2021 International Comedy Festival. She was awarded Outstanding Comedy Performance in 2022 by the Auckland Fringe Festival, won Best Female Comedian at the 2023 NZ Comedy Guild Awards, and this year was recognised by the NZ International Comedy Festival who awarded her Best Newcomer for her first solo show with the festival. She continues to be an in demand comedian, gigging regularly round the country.
Courtney also maintains a solid presence on NZ television, having co-hosted two seasons of Rags are Riches, appearing on Have You Been Paying Attention? (NZ), Celebrity Treasure Island, and more recently occupying the ‘news desk’ on Paddy Gower Has Issues.
Full Biography
Credits
Stand-up Comedy
2024 - Dreams Are Free - NZ International Comedy Festival
2023 - The Comedy Mixtape with Kura Forrester - Māngere Arts Centre
2023 - Becky and Courtney Do Business - Melbourne Comedy Festival
2022 - Shoes Off (at the door) also featuring , Kura Turuwhenua, Chardé Heremaia, Aunty Lianne and Janaye Henry (MC)
2022 - The Comedy Mixtape with Pax ASSADI - Vodafone Events Centre
Television
2023 - Paddy Gower Has Issues - News Desk Co-Host - Warner Bros. Discovery - TV3
2023 - 7 days - Panelist - Warner Bros. Discovery/TV3
2023 - The Great Comedy Debate - Panelist - Warner Brothers Discovery/TV3
2023 - Cubicle Confessions - Guest - TVNZ
2023 - Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee - Contestant -Kevin & Co
2022 - Have You Been Paying Attention? (NZ) - Panel Guest - TVNZ
2022 - My Favourite Dead Person - Te Puea Hērangi - The DownLow Concept
2022 - Bouncers - Featured - TV3
TVC
2022 - Long White - NZ only
2022 - AAI Insurance - NZ only
Web Series
2022 - Rags Are Riches: season 2 - Presenter - Māori Television
2022 - Rags Are Riches - Presenter - Māori Television
2024 - Dreams Are Free - NZ International Comedy Festival
2023 - The Comedy Mixtape with Kura Forrester - Māngere Arts Centre
2023 - Becky and Courtney Do Business - Melbourne Comedy Festival
2022 - Shoes Off (at the door) also featuring , Kura Turuwhenua, Chardé Heremaia, Aunty Lianne and Janaye Henry (MC)
2022 - The Comedy Mixtape with Pax ASSADI - Vodafone Events Centre
Television
2023 - Paddy Gower Has Issues - News Desk Co-Host - Warner Bros. Discovery - TV3
2023 - 7 days - Panelist - Warner Bros. Discovery/TV3
2023 - The Great Comedy Debate - Panelist - Warner Brothers Discovery/TV3
2023 - Cubicle Confessions - Guest - TVNZ
2023 - Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee - Contestant -Kevin & Co
2022 - Have You Been Paying Attention? (NZ) - Panel Guest - TVNZ
2022 - My Favourite Dead Person - Te Puea Hērangi - The DownLow Concept
2022 - Bouncers - Featured - TV3
TVC
2022 - Long White - NZ only
2022 - AAI Insurance - NZ only
Web Series
2022 - Rags Are Riches: season 2 - Presenter - Māori Television
2022 - Rags Are Riches - Presenter - Māori Television
Training
N/A
Awards
2022 - Outstanding Performance Comedy (Individual) - Shoes Off (at the door) Auckland Fringe Festival
2022 - Outstanding Comedy (Overall) Shoes Off (at the door) Auckland Fringe Festival
2022 - Unf**k The World - Shoes Off (at the door) Auckland Fringe Festival
2019 - Best Newcomer award, NZ Raw Comedy Quest
2022 - Outstanding Comedy (Overall) Shoes Off (at the door) Auckland Fringe Festival
2022 - Unf**k The World - Shoes Off (at the door) Auckland Fringe Festival
2019 - Best Newcomer award, NZ Raw Comedy Quest
Skills
Roller Skating
Driver’s License - Full
Driver’s License - Full
Showreel