Comedian to be honoured at graduation ceremony

Musical comedian, actress, and writer Isy Suttie is to be recognised by the University of Derby with an honorary degree.

Isy, who is best known for her role in Channel 4’s Peep Show and appearances on 8 Out of 10 Cats, is to receive the honour at the university’s annual Buxton Award Ceremony.

As well as students celebrating their successes, notable people with a strong connection to the university or to the county, are chosen to receive an honorary degree at the annual awards ceremonies.

The university will be recognising Isy with an Honorary Master of the University (HonMUniv) for her distinction in the field of comedy and her support for the region.

Raised in Matlock, Isy started performing stand-up comedy in 2002.

She has appeared in numerous television shows including Channel 4’s Damned, Shameless and Man Down, and BBC’s Whites.

Her 2010 stand-up show, Pearl and Dave, was turned into a BBC Radio 4 series, Isy Suttie’s Love Letters won a Gold Sony Award, and she has been nominated three times for a British Comedy Award.

A proud ambassador for Derbyshire, she recently published her first novel, Jane Is Trying, which is set in the Peak District, and she has an upcoming role in The Baby, a new comedy/horror series for Sky and HBO.

She said: “I am over the moon to be an honorand. As well as Matlock where I grew up, I have a strong connection to Derby, having performed in multiple plays at the former Playhouse with the community theatre group when I was growing up, and visiting any Saturday I could to buy clothes!

“Derbyshire is always featured in my writing because growing up there had such a profound effect on me personally and creatively, and I also think the landscape is better than anywhere I’ve ever visited.

“I will always feel most at home in Derbyshire and am very proud to come from there and to be receiving this.”

Almost 500 students from the class of 2020 and 2021 are set to graduate at the Buxton Award Ceremony, which will take place on Tuesday 7 December at the Devonshire Dome at the Buxton Campus.

It follows the graduation ceremonies for 6,700 students, which took place throughout November at Derby Arena.

Professor Kathryn Mitchell, vice-chancellor of the University of Derby, said: “We are delighted to be hosting our first in-person award ceremony in Buxton since before the first government restrictions were implemented in March 2020.

“Graduation is a time to celebrate the hard work, commitment and successes of our students and we are so proud of everyone who is going to be graduating, particularly given the challenges they have faced while studying throughout the pandemic.

“We also look forward to celebrating Isy and her achievements. Our honorands provide inspiration for the thousands of our graduating students who are about to embark on their careers or further academic study.”