James Anthony Patrick Carr (born 15 September 1972) is a British and Irish comedian, presenter and writer. He is known for his rapid-fire deadpan delivery of one-liners and often controversial and edgy dark humour. He began his comedy career in the late 1990s and rose to prominence for hosting the Channel 4 panel shows The Big Fat Quiz of the Year (2004–present), 8 Out of 10 Cats (2005–2021), and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (2012–present). Alongside his television work, Carr has established a successful career as a touring stand-up comedian, performing internationally.
James Anthony Patrick Carr was born on 15 September 1972 in Isleworth, London. He is the second of three sons born to Irish parents, Nora Mary (née Lawlor; 19 September 1943 – 7 September 2001) and Patrick James "Jim" Carr (born 1945). Carr's father was an accountant and later became treasurer for computer company Unisys. Natives of Limerick, his parents were married in 1970 and separated in 1994, never divorcing.
Carr spent most of his early life in the Buckinghamshire village of Farnham Common, where he attended Farnham Common School and Burnham Grammar School. Carr was diagnosed with dyslexia and could not read or write at his expected level until around ten or eleven years old. He completed sixth form at the Royal Grammar School in nearby High Wycombe.
After earning four A grades at A-level, Carr studied social science and political science at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, graduating with first-class honours in 1994. He went on to work in the marketing department at Shell, but took voluntary redundancy in January 2000 as he felt "miserable" there. He performed his first paid stand-up gig later that month. He said a course in neuro-linguistic programming helped him realise his mind was working to hold him back from following his dreams of becoming a comedian.
Carr began his TV hosting career in the early 2000s, hosting Channel 4 game shows like Distraction and Your Face or Mine?. He presented several episodes of 100 Greatest, including "100 Worst Pop Records", "100 Worst Britons", "100 People Who Look Most Like Jimmy Carr" (a spoof) and "100 Scary Moments".
Beginning in 2005, Carr presented the comedy panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats. The show aired on Channel 4 until 2016, when it moved to More4 and later went to E4. Since 2012, Carr has also presented over 150 episodes of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, a combination of his panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats and daytime quiz show Countdown.
In April 2010, Carr hosted the first British version of a comedy roast show, Channel 4's A Comedy Roast. On 6 May 2010, he was a co-host of Channel 4's Alternative Election Night, with David Mitchell, Lauren Laverne and Charlie Brooker. He joined the three presenters again for 10 O'Clock Live, a Channel 4 comedy current-affairs show, which started airing in January 2011.
In 2014 and 2015, Carr guest-presented two episodes of Sunday Night at the Palladium on ITV. In 2018, he presented American comedy panel show The Fix on Netflix. From 2018 to 2020, Carr hosted the Comedy Central series Roast Battle. Since 2021, he has hosted the Channel 4 quiz show I Literally Just Told You.
In March 2025, he hosted the first series of LOL: Last One Laughing UK with Roisin Conaty. In October 2025, Carr hosted the first series of Am I The A******? with GK Barry and Jamali Maddix on Comedy Central.
Carr contributed sketches to Channel 4 topical comedy TV programme The 11 O'Clock Show and has appeared on panel shows A League of Their Own and QI. During a guest appearance on the BBC motoring show Top Gear, Carr set a new celebrity test track lap record on the 'Star in a Reasonably Priced Car' segment. He was described as "the worst driver we've ever had" and "the luckiest man alive" by Top Gear's test driver the Stig.
Carr has appeared as a contestant on celebrity editions of Deal or No Deal (won £750 for Helen & Douglas House), The Chase (won £1,000 for Variety Club), Benchmark (won £1,000 for Elton John AIDS Foundation), Tipping Point (won £7,000 for Blue Cross), Catchphrase, and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, winning £1,000.
Carr was a guest presenter for one edition of Have I Got News for You; in 2007 he joined Ian Hislop's team in the edition of the show chaired by Ann Widdecombe, with whom he "flirted" outrageously. Later in the episode, Widdecombe said: "I don't think I shall return to this programme."
Conan O'Brien was an early supporter of Carr's career, with Carr appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien twice in 2002, twice in 2006, and again every year between 2007 and 2009 (the last appearance being on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien). Carr continued to appear on American late night, appearing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2003 and 2005; The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2024; and on The Late Late Show with James Corden in 2016.
Carr's first venture into producing TV in the US was the joint UK–US–Canada production,The Strategic Humour Initiative (hosted by Sir David Frost) in 2003. Carr was chosen as the UK comedian. Only one episode was made.
In 2005, Carr hosted 12 episodes of the American version of the shock gameshow Distraction, as he had hosted the original UK version. A second US series (14 episodes) was commissioned in 2006. Comedy Central (US) also made two episodes of Comedy Central Presents: Jimmy Carr in 2005 and 2009.
In 2015, Carr was the first British comedian to have a Netflix stand-up special with his show Funny Business. Netflix produced 10 episodes of The Fix in 2018 hosted by Carr. It was an attempt to export the UK panel show format to America. Although still available on Netflix, no further episodes have been made.
In January 2006, Carr made a joke on Radio 4's Loose Ends, the punchline of which implied that Gypsy women stank. The BBC issued an apology, but Carr refused to apologize and continued to use the joke. He appeared in two episodes of the radio series of Flight of the Conchords in 2005.
Carr has appeared on BBC Radio 4's The Museum of Curiosity a total of seven times since 2011. He was the Museum Curator (in his five appearances in 2012) and a guest on the 2018 Annual Stock Take Christmas special, alongside Lee Mack, Jo Brand, and Sally Philips.