Mae Martin

Early life and influences

Mae Pearl Martin was born on 2 May 1987 in Toronto to Canadian writer and teacher Wendy Martin and English actor and musician turned food writer James Chatto. Their early childhood included several years living in a village on the Greek island of Corfu, where they were also baptized. Martin's parents were former hippies and comedy fans, filling the family home with recordings of British and American comedy classics. From a young age, Martin developed intense obsessions with performers like Bette Midler, The Kids in the Hall, Pee-wee Herman, and The Rocky Horror Show, a connection deepened by their grandfather Tom Chatto's role as narrator in the stage version. Martin began performing stand-up comedy at age 13 as part of the troupe The Young and the Useless and started working at Toronto's Second City comedy club at 15 after dropping out of an all-girls school. Their teenage years were marked by the onset of drug and alcohol addiction, which led to their parents asking them to leave home at age 16. Martin spent much of their twenties and thirties staying with comedian friends, later describing how abusive relationships were normalized in the comedy scene during that time. They eventually entered drug rehabilitation, an experience that would later influence their creative work.

Career in Canada and move to the UK

Martin's professional comedy career began in earnest in Canada during their early teens. At age 16, they became the youngest ever nominee for the Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award, a significant early recognition. Their work in Canadian television included writing for the acclaimed sketch series Baroness von Sketch Show, for which they won two Canadian Screen Awards for Best Writing in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Series. In 2011, seeking new challenges, Martin relocated to London to enter the British comedy scene. Their breakthrough came with the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival show Mae Martin: Us, which explored modern sexuality and led to the BBC Radio 4 series Mae Martin's Guide to 21st Century Sexuality. This period established Martin as a thoughtful voice on complex personal and social topics, with subsequent appearances on programmes like The Now Show and as co-host of GrownUpLand.

Breakthrough with Feel Good and Netflix specials

Martin's career reached a new level of prominence with the creation and release of the semi-autobiographical comedy series Feel Good. Co-created and co-written with longtime collaborator Joe Hampson, Martin also starred in the series, which premiered on Channel 4 and Netflix in 2020. The show tackled relationships, queerness, addiction, and privilege, earning critical praise for its immaculate writing and humour and garnering Martin a BAFTA TV Award nomination for Best Female Comedy Performance. A second season was released in 2021. Parallel to this television work, Martin developed their 2017 Edinburgh show Dope into a half-hour Netflix comedy special released in January 2019 as part of the Comedians of the World collection. The special, which examines addiction and compulsive behaviour, was shortlisted for the Edinburgh Comedy Awards. Martin followed this with another Netflix special, SAP, in 2023, which received a Juno Award nomination for Comedy Album of the Year in 2024.

Recent television, music, and documentary work

In recent years, Mae Martin has expanded their creative output across multiple mediums. They appeared in the HBO Max series The Flight Attendant in 2022 in a recurring role as Grace St. James. In 2023, they won series 15 of the Channel 4 comedy game show Taskmaster and starred in the comedy documentary series I Have Nothing. In 2024, they hosted an episode of CBC's The Nature of Things called Fluid: Life Beyond the Binary. Production began in 2024 on their television series Wayward for Netflix, which aired in September 2025.

• 2022: Appeared as a contestant in the Amazon Prime Video series LOL: Last One Laughing Canada.
• 2022: Played the recurring role of Grace St. James in the HBO Max series The Flight Attendant.
• 2023: Won the fifteenth series of the Channel 4 comedy game show Taskmaster.
• 2023: Starred in the comedy documentary series I Have Nothing.
• 2024: Hosted the CBC The Nature of Things documentary episode Fluid: Life Beyond the Binary.
• 2025: Their created series Wayward, where they star as Alex, aired on Netflix in September.

Musically, Mae Martin released their debut studio album, I'm a TV, on 27 February 2025 through Universal Music Canada. The album's sound was described as indie rock. Martin performed lead vocals on the album, as well as playing piano, guitar, harmonica, and bass. The songs were all self-written, with production by Jason Couse and Wes Marskell of the Darcys. Martin later said that many of their musical influences are Canadian indie bands that are included in the soundtrack for their series Wayward.

Notable projects and publications

Mae Martin's body of work includes several key projects that define their artistic range. They co-created, wrote, and starred in the Channel 4 comedy series Feel Good, which tackles relationships, queerness, addiction, and privilege. Their 2017 show Dope, about addiction, was modified into a Netflix comedy special released in 2019. In 2023, they released the Netflix comedy special SAP and starred in the documentary series I Have Nothing. They also hosted a 2024 documentary episode exploring the science behind sexual and gender fluidity.

• Feel Good (2020 to 2021): A two-season Channel 4/Netflix series co-created with Joe Hampson, exploring addiction and queer identity.
• Dope (2019): A Netflix comedy special adapted from their Edinburgh Fringe show, shortlisted for the Edinburgh Comedy Awards.
• Can Everyone Please Calm Down? (2019): A young adult book serving as a guide to 21st-century sexuality.
• SAP (2023): A Netflix comedy special nominated for a Juno Award for Comedy Album of the Year.
• Wayward (2025): A Netflix series created by Martin where they star as a small-town cop investigating local secrets.
• I'm a TV (2025): A debut indie rock studio album released by Universal Music Canada.
• Fluid: Life Beyond the Binary (2024): A documentary episode for CBC's The Nature of Things on gender fluidity.
• Host of the 2026 Juno Awards: Announced in January 2026 to host the ceremony in Hamilton, Ontario.

Awards and recognition

Throughout their career, Mae Martin has received significant awards and nominations. They are a two-time Canadian Screen Award winner for Best Writing in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Series for Baroness von Sketch Show. They won series 15 of Taskmaster in 2023 and received a Canadian Screen Award in 2024 for Best Guest Performance in a Comedy Series for I Have Nothing. Their work on Feel Good earned a BAFTA TV Award nomination for Best Female Comedy Performance. Their Netflix special SAP received a Juno Award nomination for Comedy Album of the Year in 2024.

• Canadian Screen Award: Two wins for Best Writing in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Series for Baroness von Sketch Show.
• BAFTA TV Award nomination (2021): For Best Female Comedy Performance for Feel Good.
• Taskmaster champion (2023): Winner of the fifteenth series of the Channel 4 game show.
• Canadian Screen Award (2024): Won Best Guest Performance in a Comedy Series for I Have Nothing.
• Juno Award nomination (2024): For Comedy Album of the Year for the Netflix special SAP.
• Edinburgh Comedy Awards shortlist (2017): For the show Dope.

These honours reflect both critical acclaim and popular appeal across Canada and the United Kingdom. Their BAFTA nomination is a mark of British recognition, while their Canadian Screen Awards and Juno nomination highlight their success in Canada. Winning Taskmaster demonstrated their popularity with UK audiences. Their work on Baroness von Sketch Show and I Have Nothing shows consistent critical recognition within the Canadian industry.

Personal life and public identity

Mae Martin has been open about their personal journey, which has informed much of their artistic material. They have one older brother, and their family includes notable artistic figures such as their grandfather, actor Tom Chatto, and their paternal uncle, artist and actor Daniel Chatto, who is married to Lady Sarah Chatto, a cousin of King Charles III. In 2021, Martin publicly came out as non-binary, began using they/them pronouns, and had top surgery, describing themself as a queer person. They have discussed their bisexuality and past relationships with both men and women. In late 2023, Martin was in a relationship with reality television personality Parvati Shallow, though by January 2025 Shallow described the relationship as in an in-flux situation. Martin has also spoken publicly about receiving an ADHD diagnosis, discussing their experiences with the disorder in a 2024 interview with Adam Grant.

Selected filmography and appearances

Mae Martin's notable television and comedy special appearances highlight their career progression. Their stand-up specials include the Netflix comedy special Dope, released in 2019, and SAP, released in 2023. They starred in and co-created the series Feel Good, which aired from 2020 to 2021. They appeared in a recurring role on The Flight Attendant in 2022 and won the competitive show Taskmaster in 2023. Their documentary work includes hosting the 2024 episode Fluid: Life Beyond the Binary and starring in the 2023 series I Have Nothing.

Questions about Mae Martin

What awards has Mae Martin won?

Mae Martin has won two Canadian Screen Awards for Best Writing in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Series for their work on Baroness von Sketch Show. They won the fifteenth series of Taskmaster in 2023. They received a Canadian Screen Award in 2024 for Best Guest Performance in a Comedy Series for I Have Nothing. Their Netflix special SAP was nominated for a Juno Award for Comedy Album of the Year in 2024.

Did Mae Martin release a music album?

Yes, Mae Martin released their debut studio album, I'm a TV, on 27 February 2025 through Universal Music Canada. The album's sound is described as indie rock, and Martin performed lead vocals as well as playing piano, guitar, harmonica, and bass. All songs were self-written, with production by Jason Couse and Wes Marskell of the band the Darcys. Martin has cited Canadian indie bands as major musical influences.

What is Mae Martin best known for?

Mae Martin is best known as the co-creator, co-writer, and star of the Channel 4 and Netflix comedy series Feel Good. Their work on this show earned them a nomination for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Female Comedy Performance. They are also widely recognized for their Netflix comedy specials, including Dope, which was adapted from a live show about addiction, and SAP, which received a Juno Award nomination. Martin won the fifteenth series of the UK comedy game show Taskmaster in 2023. Their career began in Canada at age 13 with the troupe The Young and the Useless, and they later moved to London in 2011 to enter the British comedy scene.

Is Mae Martin non-binary?

Yes, Mae Martin is non-binary. In 2021, they came out as non-binary, began using they/them pronouns, and described themself as a queer person. They have also been open about having top surgery. Regarding their sexuality, Martin has dated both men and women and identifies as bisexual, though they previously resisted labelling their sexuality. Their personal exploration of identity extends to their professional work, as seen in their 2024 documentary for CBC's The Nature of Things, titled Fluid: Life Beyond the Binary, where they explored the science behind sexual and gender fluidity.

What is Mae Martin's new Netflix series Wayward about?

Mae Martin's Netflix series Wayward is about a small-town police officer named Alex, played by Martin, who helps two teenagers investigate the secrets of their town and the boarding school they are forced to attend. Martin created the series, writing and producing it. Production on Wayward began in 2024, and the series aired on Netflix in September 2025. The series' soundtrack features Canadian indie bands, which Martin has cited as musical influences. This project is part of Martin's broader creative output following their success with Feel Good and their comedy specials.

What is Mae Martin's next big project?

Mae Martin's next big project is hosting the 2026 Juno Awards ceremony in Hamilton, Ontario, as announced in January 2026. Martin expressed hope that their immense gratitude and love would come through during the hosting opportunity. This follows their recent multi-project output, including the Netflix series Wayward, which aired in 2025, and their debut studio album, I'm a TV, released in February 2025. Martin has most recently signed a deal with Netflix, indicating continued collaboration with the platform. Their 2023 comedy special SAP and their win on Taskmaster also preceded these developments.

Sources and further reading

• Mae Martin (Wikipedia)
• As a songwriter, Mae Martin's free from the pressure of ... (xpn.org)
• Mae Martin (bi.org)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-19.