December 23rd 2024.
Joanne McNally is back on tour, and this time around, things are a bit different. Last year, she took the stage to talk about the pressure she felt from everyone around her getting married and having kids. But now, a year later, she's changed, and so has her stand-up.
At 41 years old, Joanne's career as a comedian is thriving. After her sold-out run of Prosecco Express last year, which was the booziest show in the history of the London Palladium, she has become somewhat of a legend. "Maybe if I'm still touring at 80, me and the entire audience will have finally gone to rehab," she jokes in a chat with Metro. "But for now, I don't think enough time has passed for any of us to have improved ourselves that much."
You may recognize Joanne from her role on the TV show Taskmaster. And if not, you've probably heard her voice on her wildly popular podcast, My Therapist Ghosted Me, which she co-hosts with her best friend, Vogue Williams. But stand-up comedy is Joanne's bread and butter, and she has mastered it over 10 years with her relatable likability, keen observations, and outrageous humor.
In her previous show, Prosecco Express, Joanne shared her fears and anxieties about weddings and kids as a woman in her late 30s. But in her new show, Pinotphile, she's making a transition. "I'm moving on from that pressure and away from talking about myself," she explains. "In this show, I'm not doing those things. There's no more debate about that. I'm not going to get married, and I'm not going to have kids."
Joanne reflects on her decision, saying, "I've realized now that those things just aren't for me. If you have to think about something that hard, then maybe it's best to leave it. I always thought I would do those things, and they seemed so important, but now they don't feel important at all."
While in her Prosecco Express tour, Joanne wondered whether she would follow the same path as everyone around her, but now she has made up her mind. Life seems to be working in her favor, as her career continues to soar without the added pressures of marriage or children.
When straight men show up to her shows without a partner to drag them along, Joanne realizes the extent of her success. She jokes, "Why are you here? I do get recognized a bit, but I'm always surprised because the podcast is the main gig, and it's audio. But nothing is invisible anymore."
Joanne and Vogue's hysterical antics on their podcast can be found all over social media. "Everyone can see you all the time, which drives me a little mad," Joanne says. "My face is not a morning face," she says, looking radiant without makeup in the morning. She explains that they record the podcast in a bit of a bubble, and sometimes, on the day of its release, they get excited if something unexpected slips through the editing process.
Joanne is looking forward to hitting the road again for her tour, and she also recently hit the stage with Vogue Williams for their live show of My Therapist Ghosted Me. This year, Joanne has spent most of her time stationary in her South London home, but she has big plans for next year. "I want to buy a house," she says with determination. "If I spend another year renting, I will throw myself off a balcony. Is that too grim? I will drown myself in the toilet. How about that?"
When asked what's stopping her from buying a house with all her accomplishments, Joanne explains, "It's really hard to do all the paperwork by yourself. One of the great things about past relationships is that I kind of go into autopilot. I tend to go out with people who take charge and handle the paperwork, and it's like having a PA who you ride."
But buying a house isn't just about the paperwork. "It's the cost as well," Joanne says. "That's why a lot of people are looking to be in relationships and stuff because it's better to have a dual income than a single one. The world is wired to suit couples."
It's true; according to Zoopla, the average first-time buyer needs an income of £60,600 to afford a home, which is equivalent to two average UK salaries. And in London, where Joanne lives, the situation is even bleaker. Nearly three-quarters of working people in London can't afford an average two- or three-bedroom property with an 80% loan-to-value mortgage.
Joanne has always lived with boyfriends or friends, and this is the first time she's living alone. When asked what she would do if she could come back as a ghost, she jokes, "In an ideal world, all my exes would live in one house, and I would just haunt one apartment for ease, instead of having to travel around to all of them."
Joanne's new show, Pinotfile, will be touring around the UK and Ireland from April 2025 to March 2026. She believes in living life to the fullest and making the most of every moment. After all, as she says, "Nothing is invisible anymore."
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