Ria Lina

About

British stand-up comedian, writer, actor and presenter known for her sharp social commentary delivered with a scientist's precision and perspective, for her work on Have I Got News For You, Mock the Week, The News Quiz, and The Now Show, and for her Riawakening and Riabellion comedy tours. 

Before Fame

She attended international schools while growing up. She started a BSc in Experimental Pathology at the University of St Andrews. She then earned an MSc in Forensic Science and completed a PhD in Virology at UCL. She worked as an IT forensic investigator for the UK Serious Fraud Office before she pursued comedy full-time. She began stand-up in the early 2000s. Her career began taking off in the mid-2010s. She became an in-demand panelist during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trivia

She voiced the character Perun in the Nintendo JRPG Xenoblade Chronicles 2. She won Best Comedy at the Greater Manchester Fringe for her comedy hour Dear Daughter in 2016. She was a guest co-host on Pointless in 2023. She won her Celebrity Mastermind episode in January 2023.

Family Life

She was born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. Her mother is from the Philippines, and her father is from Germany. She has three children. 

Associated With

She and Alexander Armstrong have both appeared on Pointless. She has appeared as a panelist opposite Paul Merton on Have I Got News For You.