Interview: Ria Lina: Science, Riabellion and why Oxford should come to her show

The amazing Ria Lina brings her new Riabellion tour to Oxford Friday 23rd January 2026 at the North Wall. After last years triumphant debut with Riawakening (One of The Telegraph’s Top Ten of 2024) which was a post-pandemic “wake-up”, Riabellion is the push-back: a sharp, personal, joke-dense hour about following all the rules and discovering the world is still nonsense.

Prior to her visit, the Oxfordshire Guardian managed to catch up and ask her about sharper material, “stealth science”, autism, Celebrity Mastermind and what makes an Oxford room fun to play.

We can’t wait for the show, and those going should expect big topics grounded in real life — family, hormones, social rules and “the state of everything” — delivered with pace and precision.

Who is Ria Lina?

A British-Filipina comedian with a serious science toolkit, Ria holds a BSc in Experimental Pathology, MSc in Forensic Science and a PhD in Virology, and previously worked in IT forensics at the Serious Fraud Office. On TV and radio she’s appeared on Live at the Apollo (including a hosting slot), Have I Got News For You, Mock the Week, Pointless, The Last Leg, Celebrity Mastermind (which she won in 2023 with 8/8 on Rosalind Franklin), The News Quiz, The Now Show and more.

She created the Radio 4 series Ria Lina Gets Forensic, and is candid about her autism diagnosis in adulthood, talking openly about neurodivergence without making it her whole on-stage identity.

The interview

For someone new to your comedy, how would you describe Riabellion, and why should they come?

Riabellion is a fast, punchy hour about what happens when you have followed the rules, done the sensible thing, been “good”, and then realise the world is still nonsense. It is sharp, personal, and properly joke-dense, with big topics grounded in real life: family, hormones, social rules, and the state of everything. Reviews have called it ‘polished’ and ‘provocative’, with a lot of laughs packed into the hour (which was always my main aim!)

What felt different writing this show compared with Riawakening (which The Telegraph picked in its Top Ten of 2024)?

Riawakening was the wake-up, coming out of the pandemic and reassessing life. Riabellion is the next beat: not just noticing what is broken, but pushing back. Writing-wise it is more intentional, more relentless forward drive, because the thesis is an active one. Also, the edge is a touch sharper, because “awake” is contemplative and “rebellion” is action driven.

You’ve got a BSc, MSc and PhD. How does a neurodivergent scientist’s brain change the way you build a joke or test a routine?

I treat a routine like an experiment. Hypothesis, variables, controls, repeatability. I am constantly asking what exactly they laughed at, what exactly they misinterpreted, what is the cleanest version of this idea, and what happens if I change one word. But it’s also a lot of trial and error – sometimes a joke just makes people laugh and I never quite understand why… so it’s a science AND an art.

Do you ever slip in “stealth science”, a bit of learning hidden inside the laugh?

All the time. What else is comedy for? If you’re not laughing you’re learning. In fact, I wouldn’t call it stealth science, in this show I literally smack you in the face with it. Trust me you’ll love it (the learning not the smacking).

Congratulations on Celebrity Mastermind, what drew you to Rosalind Franklin (and how did you nail a very impressive 8/8)?

Thank you! Rosalind Franklin was irresistible because her story has everything I care about: a brilliant woman, fascinating science, institutions behaving badly, and men trying but ultimately failing to steal the credit in the eyes of history. Better than an action movie. And to win I channelled my old PhD days… study study study….

You were diagnosed as autistic in adulthood. Was that a surprise, or did a lot suddenly make sense? And what prompted you to seek a formal diagnosis?

It was both a surprise and completely obvious. Surprise in the sense that you do not expect a formal label later in life. Obvious in the sense that once you have it, your entire personal history suddenly has captions. I pursued diagnosis because I wanted clarity, not comfort: an explanation that was practical, testable, and could actually improve how I live and work.

And while the changes I made in my own life DID greatly help me manage my condition better, but work wise it was a good few more years before I could be open and honest about it. It’s only recently that people have been more open and understanding about neurodiversity in the workplace, in my experience, and it’s still tough for a lot of people.

If audiences take one idea about autism home after your show, what would you hope it is?

The show isn’t about autism. So feel free to take very little home about it. Being autistic is like being brunette. I have brown hair, I dress to complement my hair, or I style it in a way that suits me that I can work with while out and about.

The same with autism. I’m an autistic comedian, but that doesn’t mean it’s my brand or my entire persona. I don’t think I would ask people to ‘take away’ an idea about being brunette from a show, so people can hopefully take this perspective about autism away with them from this answer.

You’ve spoken about being divorced and still sharing a home. Day to day, what helps that arrangement feel calm and respectful, and how do you decide what stays private versus what goes on stage?

I love the assumption it’s calm and respectful. I’m a Filipina woman, our home lives, married or not, are full of fire and temper and yelling and food. And I discuss with my ex my jokes that mention him so he is aware of how he is being positioned. I am also careful to make sure that you cannot recognise him or my children from my stand up if you were to run into them in the street. That’s the best way I know how to talk about my truth without compromising their right to privacy.

You left the Serious Fraud Office to be a comedian. Were you the funny one in the office, or did your comedy career come as a surprise to colleagues?

I wasn’t so much the funny one as the one who said the thing that needed to be said but nobody said it. In the town meeting, in front of the boss. I was in front of HR more than anybody else for breaking etiquette. Turns out what is inappropriate at work is hilarious onstage…

If someone’s never seen you live and feels a bit nervous about comedy clubs, what would you say to invite them in?

Live comedy is a shared experience that is not to be missed. If you are worried about being involved in the show against your will, sit away from the front, don’t talk or use your phone during the show, and laugh with your face and mouth – not just your mind, and you will be fine.

You’re at the North Wall in Oxford on 23rd Jan 2026, what do you enjoy about rooms that size, and any Oxford memories you’re looking forward to revisiting?

Rooms that size are perfect because you can feel the crowd thinking in real time. You can take a risk, hear the micro-reactions, and adjust with them. It is intimate without being awkward. I also enjoy Oxford because it has that particular energy of high achievement and low social ease. They are willing to laugh out loud and aren’t too above themselves, despite their brains and capabilities. A meeting of equals.

After Riabellion, what’s on the agenda? more Radio 4, another tour, something entirely different?

More acting, more broadcast work, and work on building my Patreon. I recently started my own news and discussion show which I live stream every Sunday morning, everyone is welcome to come and join in the discussion. There is also a lot of exclusive content on there that you can’t get anywhere else, like my Tour Diaries.

Ria Lina Tour Dates for 2026

Ria Lina — Riabellion UK Tour (Age guidance: 16+)

Date (2026)	City / Town	Venue	Notes	Tickets
Fri 23 Jan	Oxford	The North Wall	Captioned	Book
Thu 24 Jan	Bristol	Redgrave Theatre	—	Book
Sat 31 Jan	Milton Keynes	The Stables	—	Book
Thu 5 Feb	Brighton	Komedia	—	Book
Fri 6 Feb	Leicester	Guildhall	—	Book
Thu 12 Feb	Durham	The Gala	—	Book
Fri 13 Feb	Durham	The Gala	—	Book
Sat 14 Feb	Much Wenlock	Edge Arts Centre	—	Book
Sun 15 Feb	Swindon	Swindon Arts Centre	—	Book
Thu 19 Feb	Edinburgh	Monkey Barrel	—	Book
Fri 20 Feb	St Andrews	Byre Theatre	—	Book
Sat 21 Feb	Newcastle	The Stand Comedy Club	—	Book
Sun 22 Feb	Glasgow	The Stand Comedy Club	—	Book
Thu 27 Feb	Cambridge	Junction	—	Book
Fri 28 Feb	London	Leicester Square Theatre	Captioned	Book
Thu 6 Mar	Cardiff	Wales Millennium Centre	—	Book
Wed 19 Mar	Nottingham	Canalhouse	—	Book

Dates/venues correct at time of publishing; check links for latest times, access info and any updates.