Mani Liaqat

Born Ammad Liaqat Rahim in Sialkot, Pakistan, Mani later moved to Manchester as a teenager, where he pursued performing arts. He earned a BTEC National Diploma in Arts, a National Diploma in Performing Arts, and a Diploma in Advanced Acting & Method Acting from Burton & South Derbyshire College. Mani burst onto the comedy scene after winning The Great Indian Laughter Challenge UK in 2010, earning the title of "Funniest Asian in the UK" for his sharp, multilingual wit in English, Punjabi, Urdu, and Hindi. As an actor, he appeared in the Bollywood film Pusher (2010) alongside Mahima Chaudhry, and featured in the Pakistani drama Sard Aag on HUM TV. In British television, he starred in the BAFTA-winning “Muslims Like Us” (BBC Two, 2017), and also appeared in popular series such as Citizen Khan, First Dates, and the 2023 web series United Kacche. Mani has successfully hosted some of the biggest events in the market, including Miss Bollywood UK (2009), English Curry Awards, Scottish Curry Awards, and the IPPA Awards, and always had the audience buzzing with his high energy, engaging tones! He launched Pioneer Sports; a custom sportswear brand in 2018 that is based in Greater Manchester. Mani also received the Pakistani Music & Media Award for Best Comedy Act in 2024, paying homage to his success and overall impact on the use of cultural comedy throughout his professional career.