Meet Munya Chawawa, the talented comedian known for his hilarious online sketches that satirize politicians, musicians, and celebrities. Born in Derby in 1992, Munya and his family relocated to the village of Framingham Pigot in Norfolk when he was just 11 years old after living in Zimbabwe. After studying psychology at Sheffield University, Munya worked for 4Music and Reprezent Radio before finding fame with his memorable characters like newsreader Barty Crease, drill rapper Unknown P, and his viral video “Matt Hancock’s It Was Me” (a parody of Shaggy’s hit song). This success during the Covid pandemic garnered him millions of followers and led to his own BBC show and writing opportunities for Charlie Brooker.
Munya is currently on his first live tour until October 28th, showcasing his comedic talents to audiences across the country.
Looking back at his childhood, Munya recalls his dad’s fashion influence, particularly his love for high-pulled socks. He jokingly attributes his choice of shoes to the influence of Thomas the Tank Engine cartoons, as he continued to wear Velcro Tank Engine shoes even as a teenager, possibly explaining the delay in his romantic life.
In a nostalgic photograph taken in Derby, Munya reminisces about his playful and imaginative childhood. His mother would create epic action figure battles for him to wake up to, with toys hanging from the ceiling and popping out of vases. This sparked his love for building worlds and performing. As a child, Munya would plan elaborate three-hour performances for his parents, incorporating ventriloquism, breakdancing, and singing. He considered himself a triple threat entertainer.
Munya credits his uncle and grandad for inspiring his path as an entertainer. Every Friday, they would engage in joke-telling battles, which fueled Munya’s desire to compete with them. His grandparents even bought him a joke book, which he studied diligently to impress his uncle. Making his hard-to-crack uncle laugh was a genuine achievement for young Munya.
When Munya moved to Zimbabwe, he relished in the novelty of being the British kid. His friends there had never heard of Derby, so they assumed he had grown up in the heart of London. Munya was popular in school, excelling academically and in sports. However, he lived a double life, constantly fearing trouble due to his strict parents’ expectations. Despite being head boy and a class prefect, Munya never let go of his comedic side.
Moving back to England due to political and economic unrest in Zimbabwe was a significant culture shock for Munya. In Zimbabwe, academic achievement brought popularity, but in the UK, Munya was dubbed a “boffin” for actively participating in class. Adjusting to this new environment caused a decline in his confidence and self-esteem. Bullies didn’t physically harm him, but they targeted his mind, spreading rumors about him smoking weed and destroying his handmade wooden hippo, which symbolized his culture and work ethic. Munya coped by writing poetry and raps about the tough streets of Norfolk and ultimately found his own path by hosting breakdancing competitions and delivering captivating speeches. He was elected head boy and developed a reputation for fist-bumping all the younger students before class.
During Munya’s school years, his dad pushed him into public-speaking competitions in hopes of fulfilling his own dreams of a career in law. Munya participated to please his dad, but it was there that he discovered his love for TV presenting. However, breaking into the industry proved challenging. People didn’t understand his unique blend of urban sensibility and articulate speech. Faced with rejection, Munya decided to take matters into his own hands and created sketches to showcase his comedic talents.
In 2018, Munya’s parody video of Jamie Oliver’s controversial jerk-rice recipe gained immense attention on the internet. This success motivated Munya to continue producing sketches and build his online following. Despite setbacks, such as losing a presenting job and a change in TV channel, Munya persevered and found success during the Covid pandemic when people were craving entertainment.
Going viral brought its own highs and lows for Munya. He has learned to embrace success and failure, using standup comedy as a way to prove to himself that he belongs in the industry. The rush of performing live and seeing people’s reactions in real time gives Munya a unique adrenaline rush that often keeps him awake at night. To calm this energy, he turns to language learning app Duolingo.
For Munya, standup comedy is not only about making people laugh; it’s about validating himself and overcoming his fears of embarrassment. He firmly holds the mic during performances, fueled by the adrenaline that comes with being on stage. Munya’s passion for comedy and his journey from Zimbabwe to the UK have shaped him into the talented and resilient entertainer he is today.
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
