Lloyd Langford: A Comedian’s Journey Through Laughter and Life
Lloyd Langford, a comedian from Wales, is well-known for being recognized in the streets on a daily basis. However, one person who often stops him to express their admiration is for his partner, Anne Edmonds, a fellow comedian whose performances on The Katering Show and Get Krack!n have made her a household name. This dynamic of mutual respect and admiration came into play when they were both contestants on Taskmaster Australia, where Langford found himself in an unusual position.
“Initially, I wanted Anne to win, and I didn’t really care about winning myself,” Langford shared. “I think the producers also had a similar sentiment. So if you watch some of the scoring, I believe they tried to make it more competitive.”
Balancing Family and Career
Langford and Edmonds faced the challenge of competing against each other while managing their toddler’s childcare. The show was filmed sequentially, with contestants completing tasks individually over five days before coming together for team challenges and review shows hosted by Tom Gleeson and Tom Cashman.
“You get picked up from the hotel at around 6:30 or 7 a.m., taken to the location, and then you’re there all day,” Langford explained. As the first contestant, he essentially served as a guinea pig for the tasks that would eventually be shown on television.
One such task involved trying to alter Tom Cashman’s heartbeat. “I was trying to get him aroused and then offended,” Langford recalled. “I said some awful stuff, and I think the producers were like, ‘we can’t use this.’”
Despite not being focused on winning, Langford and Edmonds ended up tied in the final round. The tiebreaker required them to estimate the weight of a life-sized gold bust of Tom Gleeson’s head, which weighed 1.6 kilograms. Langford guessed 3.6 kilograms, while Edmonds went with seven kilograms. He won the series, but the trophy wasn’t exactly a prize he was eager to display.
“It’s very ostentatious. It’s gold, and it’s huge. And it’s also Tom Gleeson,” Langford said, clearly amused by the absurdity of the situation. “It’s above a cupboard, stuffed hidden away in a plastic bag.”
A Prank and a Shared Laugh
Before hiding the trophy, Langford pulled a prank on Edmonds. “I got into bed with the trophy and pulled up the cover, so it was like we were next to each other. She said I was going to get in trouble.” Edmonds later tweeted a photo of the moment, captioning it, “I hope the head brings you comfort during our difficult months ahead.”
Making each other laugh has always been a key part of their relationship. Langford recalls a time when they were up against each other for an AACTA award, and Edmonds won. In her speech, she told Langford to “suck shit,” which he found amusing. “It brought much-needed levity to what was otherwise a very dull occasion,” he said.
A Life Filled with Music and Laughter
Edmonds is currently working on her new sitcom, Bad Company, about a crumbling theatre company, while Langford takes on childcare duties. Their daughter, Gwen, is a big fan of op shops, and Langford enjoys picking up items for her. “We just come back with shit we don’t need,” he joked. “Every now and again we’ll have like a purge, where we just take half of it back again.”
Gwen has a strong musical taste, especially for rock’n’roll. “She’s really into Elvis, the Blues Brothers, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Motorhead, AC/DC…” Langford showed off her 10-hour playlist on his phone. While it can be annoying, it also brings a lot of laughter into their lives.
From Impromptu Performances to Comedy Stardom
Langford’s journey into comedy began unexpectedly. At two weeks into an arts degree at the University of Warwick, he attended a comedy show and found himself with a new haircut after volunteering to let Francesca Martinez cut his hair. That experience led to a career in stand-up comedy.
His early days were not without challenges. One notable gig was when he performed to an empty room. “There was no one there. I said to the bar manager, ‘I’m just going home.’ He was like, ‘Well, if you go home, you’ll just get half the money.’ I had to do half an hour.”
Despite these early struggles, Langford has built a successful career. He now performs at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, where his show Okay, I Believe You will run from April 7-19. He plans to take a break during the first two weeks of April to spend time with his family.
Looking Ahead
Langford has also appeared on the next season of Have You Been Paying Attention? and filmed a guest appearance on The Hundred with Andy Lee alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. “He was running late because he’d done a couple of podcasts. I was like, I don’t think you need to do podcasts any more. You’re the prime minister,” he said.
As for the future, Langford admits he doesn’t have a five-year plan. “I know that I’ve got to pick Gwen up from kinder at 3 o’clock, and that’s it.” An afternoon of op shopping and ice-cream awaits — sounds like a pretty good plan to him.
