My Comedy Career: Ola Labib

As her sitcom pilot The Pharmacy is released by Channel 4, we talk to Ola Labib.

Tell us what you do in your job.

I am a stand-up comedian, writer, actor, content creator and clinical pharmacist... it can't all be joyful and dreamy.

Depending on where and what I'm working on, I work with so many different people: My latest project was a Channel 4 Blap called The Pharmacy. For this commission I worked with the amazing Charlie Lewis and Ben Farrell from Objective Fiction which, even though heaps of work, it exercised my creative muscles.

As well as working with teams in front of cameras, I have the pleasure of working with great teams of producers and directors behind cameras. For The Pharmacy, I worked with director Andrew Chapplin, AKA Chappers (GameFace, Witless, Alma's Not Normal) which opened up another side to the creative world.

In stand-up and writing, it can get a little lonely, because it's just me, myself and I. And in a pharmacy? I think there are misconceptions as to what I do in that, I think sometimes people don't see how much hard work, blood, sweat and tears it takes to keep grinding in this industry. Watch The Pharmacy on Channel 4 streaming/YouTube to see what it's like for me working in a pharmacy!

How did you first get involved in the comedy industry?

I was a clinical pharmacist for years, which is something I fell into when I didn't get into Medicine. I always saw myself doing something non medical, but growing up in my family? That wasn't an option. Then, in 2017, I went to an event hosted by an optometrist turned fashion designer, Boutique DeNana. We got talking and she had a similar story, in that healthcare wasn't her passion and she would always get complimented on her wardrobe so she took a leap and went into the fashion industry.

"What's your thing then?" she asked me. I shrugged and said "my mates tell me I'm funny". "Why don't you try stand-up comedy?". And, even though it was over a year later that I did my first stand up set, her words were stuck in the back of my mind the whole time.

All it took was, over a year later, having the most awful week at work - overworked, understaffed, underpaid, underappreciated. That was my wake-up call to start looking up open mic nights and finally give comedy a shot. After applying to loads, I got a lovely message from Jason Cooke from The Comedy Balloon, Ape and Apple [in Manchester] and he gave me my first 5 minute spot. And the magic all started there.

What key skills do you need to be able to do your job well?

Patience, patience and more patience. It's a long haul but with dedication, self-belief and talent, you can make it. It's a real grind and hustle. It got really tough balancing pharmacy and comedy, but I know I needed my pharmacy job to fund my comedy career until it funded itself.

What has been your biggest career achievement to date?

I have two biggest career achievements:

Having The Pharmacy, a show I created and wrote, getting commissioned for a Blap.

Secondly, being the first Sudanese comedian to ever perform at The O2. I had the opportunity to support Mo Gilligan at The O2 performing in front of 15,000 people. It was an immense experience and it honestly made me feel like dreams really can come true.

And what has been the biggest challenge/disappointment?

My biggest challenge is proving that there can be more than one successful Muslim woman on TV. There's a perception that there can only be one person from each diversity group on a panel show, or on a line-up. My challenge is to prove that it doesn't matter what your background is or what diversity box you tick or what you look like - everyone has their own unique story.

Talk us through a typical day.

Every day is so different, depending on what I'm working on. But, usually, I wake up to pray just before sunrise, have breakfast and either go to the gym or go for a walk to clear my mind for the day.

I usually then go to a coffee shop or my local library, to do some writing, catch up with emails and work on comedy projects. Then I'll come home, get housework done, cook and chill for the evening... unless I have a gig, then I'll be ready to travel wherever it is I'm booked for.

On the days I have TV work, meetings or pharmacy work, that substitutes the library session. I'm one of those people that desperately needs routine. I have a legend planner; I have my day's routine written down otherwise my mind will go into overdrive and I'll get discombobulated and end up sitting on the couch all day binging on TikTok.

Tell us a trick/secret/resource that you use to make your job quicker/easier.

As boring as it sounds, it's routine and organising my day. I used to be over ambitious and wanted to do a million things in one day, but I ended up doing nothing except increasing my screen time. I think giving yourself daily achievable targets is key. So when you're about to chill at the end of the day, you really feel like you've had a productive day. Epic feeling.

How are you paid?

I'm self-employed so I get paid depending on the work I do and how quick invoices are processed. Some people are super great and get the money over snappish and some have to be chased for months! But I have the best management ever, so I never have to worry about that side of things, thank God!

If you could change one thing about the comedy industry, what would it be?

I would change the grouping of people from certain diversity backgrounds. No two people are the same.

What tips would you give for anyone looking to work in your area of the industry?

I would say - just do it. Start the process. there's no right time to start anything. So if you want to do it, JUST DO IT. Like I said, it takes a lot of patience, a lot of grinding and a lot of hustle, but if you truly believe you have what it takes, then, what's stopping you?

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Watch The Pharmacy via YouTube or Channel 4 streaming