Courtney Dawson

Courtney Dawson (Ngāti Kurī, Waikato-Tainui) never planned a career in comedy—she simply wandered into her first open mic in 2018 and never looked back. What began as a happy accident quickly became a meteoric rise.

Within a year, she claimed both the NZ Raw Comedy Quest title and the Best Newcomer Award at the NZ Comedy Guild Awards. By 2021, she was making her professional debut with a sold-out double act at the International Comedy Festival. Her momentum only accelerated: in 2022, the Auckland Fringe Festival honoured her with Outstanding Comedy Performance, and in 2023 she took home Best Female Comedian at the NZ Comedy Guild Awards. The following year, the NZ International Comedy Festival crowned her Best Newcomer for her first solo show with the festival.

Beyond the stage, Courtney has become a familiar face on New Zealand screens. She co-hosted two seasons of *Rags are Riches*, appeared regularly on *Have You Been Paying Attention?*, delivered the news on a season of *Paddy Gower Has Issues*, and recently co-hosted the award-winning infotainment show *DON’T*.

Still in constant demand, Courtney performs regularly across Auckland and throughout the motu, bringing her sharp wit and warm presence to audiences everywhere.