Comedian takes fostering journey to the stage

A Welsh stand-up comedian is putting her experiences as a foster carer front and centre as part of her brand new show.

Kiri Pritchard-McClean is an award-winning comedian who has appeared on television shows such as Have I Got News For You, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Would I Lie to You?, as well being a regular performer at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Pritchard-McClean recently revealed that she and her partner offer respite foster care for children at her farm in Anglesey, Wales alongside her career as a comedian, providing care for short periods when they are both at home.

Now, she has decided to craft her experiences as a foster parent into a stage show designed to encourage audiences to consider the benefits of getting into fostering. Titled Peacock, the show focuses on the process of becoming a foster carer, with various comedic and uplifting personal tales that Pritchard-McClean and her partner experienced as aspiring foster parents.

While preparing the performance, the comedian performed her routine on multiple occasions in front of various social workers in local council offices in order to receive the blessing of those working in the fostering community.

The show, now touring across the UK and Ireland for the rest of 2024, features input from fostering bodies such as Foster Wales. Furthermore, local fostering organisations around the UK are being invited to the shows to provide interested audience members with more information about the fostering process.