Old Hymerian, Dan Morfitt is a new comedian performing across NYC and also a specialist in radio, podcasts and TV. He has worked as a Breakfast Producer at BBC Northampton and has experience in live presenting and interviewing. Recently, he has started a stand-up career around New York, where he now lives.

Dan studied at Hymers College from 1988 in the Junior School with Mr Bingham up to 1998 in the Sixth Form with Mr Morris. After Hymers College, he felt that he "had to get out of Hull" and he made his way "only as far as Sheffield University!" 

I spent more time in the radio studio than the lecture theatre there. I ended up on Viking FM then went national at Kerrang! Radio in Birmingham. I have worked at some big stations, did a bit of local TV, then produced at the BBC before moving to Los Angeles with my wife, Catriona, & our cats in 2019.

While at school, he had originally wanted to be a doctor until he was 15 but then he realised that he didn't want the responsibility of life and death in his hands. The teachers helped 'ignite a spark' in him, to be curious and to appraise the bigger picture.  At university, he studied a four-year course in Social and Political Studies.

Dan has remained in contact with many friends from his days at Hymers College:

Loads of people, we're still in contact, although it's more difficult to see them since we moved to the US just before a global pandemic. A few are in Hull, the rest dotted across the UK. We'd do a Spiders reunion but I've heard they've put up the prices. £2 now for a Tyzer, TWO POUNDS!

For Dan, thinking about who his favourite teacher at school is a tough question:

Jennie Thomas in the Junior School was fantastic and I loved Mrs Chorlton and Mrs Powell in the Senior School but if I was forced to pick a favourite, it has to be Anne Stanyon. I did Early Modern History for A Level and my studies support the adage that the mistakes of the past will forever be repeated, we never learn to break the cycle. Ms Stanyon rocked!

School trips brought back fond memories for Dan:

A lot of the school trips like Cranedale or the Rhineland were fun because out of the classroom, you found out that many teachers had an amazing sense of humour and cared more about you than you ever thought. Tony Tordoff played a huge part in my comedy education, such a shame he's no longer here.

Hymers is a place, but it's the people that make it special.

While at school, Dan also used to sing in the choir for a time:

I was a decent chorister until puberty. I also used to sing at Holy Trinity, now Hull Minster, and Larry Trewartha was both fearsome and funny in both arenas! I played brass instruments badly too, much to Robert Childs' annoyance. I always did the quiz competitions, at BP and Hull Daily Mail, that developed my knack of winning every Pub Quiz ever. Heck, I was not a sportsman. Does Car Wash at LA's on a Tuesday count as extra-curricular?

Talking about his new career in stand-up Comedy, Dan told us more about how it came about:

Catriona's job took us to the US in 2019 and I had to wait to receive my Employment Authorization. It finally came in February 2020 but COVID closed the world down just a couple of weeks later. I started editing and consulting on podcasts remotely. A job promotion for her made us switch coasts and we now live across the Hudson from Manhattan in Jersey City, New Jersey.

I had always wanted to try doing stand-up but never had the cojones until the end of 2022 when I started taking a class. I quickly got addicted to the writing, editing and performing and by Christmas, was performing regularly. Now in 2023, I've headlined a couple of sold out shows and am getting more bookings around the 5 Boroughs.

I'm still very raw, very green, and at the very start of a stand-up "career". Could come to nothing, or it could give me riches and fame beyond my wildest dreams! It's come together quicker than I ever could have expected so by the time you're reading this, I might have been on The Tonight Show and my sitcom deal has been signed.

If you're going to do stand-up, NYC is THE place to do it. There are thousands of us at it; it's highly competitive, brutal and beautiful all at the same time. I've performed at Gotham, Broadway, Greenwich Village and Comic Strip Live so far, among many others, but I am desperate to do my Tight Five (a five minute comedy routine) at the Comedy Cellar.

If any OH is in town, come and see a show and I can tell you which Halal cart on 6th is the best to get your kebab from too. And who knows, I could return to the UK soon? I'd love to perform at the Bonus Arena but would be happy doing a night at the Comedy Lounge on George St. They kept the old revolving dance floor, didn't they?

If anyone wants recommendations of the delights of NYC and the unofficial 6th Borough in Jersey, I'm on most of the socials with my comedy dates and sets at @danmorfitt

danmorfitt.com