Nick Mohammed, long hailed as 'comedy's best kept secret', has finally achieved his breakout moment in the most unexpected way: by spectacularly losing on The Celebrity Traitors. The comedian, known for his Houdini and Dracula spoofs, entered Traitors lore during the finale by throwing away victory alongside rugby player Joe Marler, snatching defeat from the jaws of glory.
Mohammed, 45, has been a fringe favourite since the early 2010s, emerging from the Invisible Dot agency but never quite fitting in. His inspirations include Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and Torvill and Dean, and he carved a niche with character shows as his alter ego Mr Swallow, performing escapology and spoof musicals. He became a familiar TV face on Miranda, Stath Lets Flats, and his own sitcom Intelligence, but his profile rocketed with Ted Lasso.
Despite sitcom success, his transition to national treasure was bumpy. A Bafta skit as Mr Swallow left audiences confused, and his West End run of A Christmas Carol(ish) suffered a disastrous opening night due to technical failures. Now, his improbable Traitors appearance has won public affection.
His current live show, Show Pony, offers a rare glimpse of the 'real' Mohammed behind the Mr Swallow mask, addressing his race and career for the first time. Though he feared viewers would hate him after betraying his bromance with Marler, fans of his comedy are likely to embrace him even more.
