ABOUT nelly thomas

AWARD WINNING COMEDIAN

AUTHOR

BROADCASTER

podcaster

Nelly was listed as one of Australia’s “most innovative thinkers” in The Age Newspaper and was featured on the ABC’s Big Ideas: The Smartest Stuff on TV, Radio and Online.

Nelly Thomas is a multi-talented, award-winning Australian comedian, author and broadcaster. She is also well-known for her media commentary, speaking and expert facilitation. Nelly started in stand-up comedy in 2002 by accident after years working in the community and education sectors. She won the National Raw Comedy Competition in 2003 and found herself doing a show at Edinburgh Fringe!

Nelly is a highly sought-after MC and key-note speaker. She is known for her warmth; as well as her ability to speak with wit and intelligence on a range of topics. She is a regular guest on ABC Melbourne Radio, Radio National, News Breakfast and various other shows.

In 2022 Nelly launched the smash-hit podcast The Single Life of Us. With more than 1,000,000 downloads, it has been featured on Ch9, Ch7 and is consistently in Apple & Spotify’s Top 20 podcasts in Australia. In 2023 she launched a new podcast sensation: Dear Nelly - sex, relationships and dating on the other side of 40 to similar acclaim.

Nelly is the author of four books including three highly successful children’s books – Some Girls (2017), Some Boys (2018) and Some Brains: a book celebrating neurodiversity (2019). These books have been lauded for their contribution to diversity and humour in children’s literature and Some Brains was nominated for the 2022 International Outstanding Books on Disability and included in the Premiers’ Reading Challenge list in 2024.

She is also the author of two books for adults: What Women Want (a collection of essays) and Some Mums are Fat Molls (a filthy, raucous picture book for adults).

She writes extensively in the Australian press.

 Nelly lives in Melbourne with her two daughters and a very dense Labradoodle. She’s partial to a G&T and terrible TV.

"Unbelievable feedback Nelly – and you have 380+ fans from that room. People have not stopped telling me how brilliant you were! Thank you for MCing our major fundraising event so brilliantly. It takes a rare skill to manage a crowd of nearly 400 enthusiastic women who’ve had a few years between drinks – you did so skilfully and with good humour. You approached our topic with sensitivity, relatability, and passion. The feedback from attendees has been overwhelming and a strongly indicated that you were key to the success of the day! We are so grateful and really look forward to the next one."

Felicity Pringle, McAuley Community Services for Women