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Loyiso Gola (born 16 May 1983) is a South African Stand-up comedy and TV comedian. He is the co-creator and News presenter of the late-night news satire television series Late Nite News with Loyiso Gola on e.tv and eNCA, launched in 2010, and has performed internationally.
Gola describes himself as "very reserved and shy" before his exposure to comedy. After performing a stand-up opening act for comedian Marc Lottering at his high school, his drama teacher introduced him to the Cape Comedy Collective at the age of 17. He subsequently stand-up comedians from the comedy troupe for a school work experience programme and began performing on stage regularly with the group.
He matriculated in 2002, and won the Sprite Soul Comedy Tour in December of the same year, after which he relocated from Cape Town to Johannesburg.
His younger brother Lazola Gola is also a comedian.
In 2007 he became the co-host of the SABC 2 Dinner with the President talk show created by Pieter-Dirk Uys, playing the role of the black grandson of the satirist's alter ego Evita Bezuidenhout.
In 2010 he became the host of the Late Nite News satirical series he co-created with fellow comedian Kasigo Lediga, which aired on e.tv and eNCA.
Gola has performed stand-up comedy in various One-person show on the South African comedy circuit since 2006, as well as in several international comedy festivals.
On 21 January 2022 he appeared on the BBC1 programme Would I Lie To You?, series 15, episode 3.
In 2012 Gola was named one of the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans, in the Media & Film category. Men's Health describes Gola as having "divisive mass appeal" due to the openly critical nature of his humour, and being "a genuine thinker masquerading as a fool and the reluctant voice of a cynical generation".
Late Nite News was nominated for an International Emmy Award for best comedy series in 2013.
Career
His television career began with appearances on SABC 1 in the Phat Joe Live talk show in 2002, and subsequently on the SABC 1 Pure Monate Show sketch comedy series created by comedians David Kau and Kagiso Lediga in 2003.
Recognition
Gola won the Best Breakthrough Comedy Act South African Comedy Award for his 2007 one-man show Loyiso Gola for President, which coincided with the run-up to the election of a new leader of the African National Congress who would ultimately become the President of South Africa.
One-man shows
Filmography
Film
Television
Awards
External links
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