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‘We were ahead of our time!’: Charly Clive and Ellen Robertson AKA sketch duo Britney on their new TV fame and word-of-mouth hits
Comedy duo Charly Clive and Ellen Robertson, known collectively as Britney, have found mainstream television success while remaining committed to their low-budget sketch comedy roots at the Edinburgh fringe. The pair, best friends since bonding on a school trip 20 years ago, were separately cast in major US TV dramas within weeks of each other in December 2024 — Clive in HBO's Rooster opposite Steve Carell, and Robertson in Netflix's Vladimir opposite Rachel Weisz. Both shows debuted in March to strong reviews and large audiences, marking a breakthrough after years of smaller television roles for the pair, both now 33.
Despite their new-found TV profiles, Clive and Robertson are returning to Edinburgh with two shows: a lunchtime play called Jitters, written by Robertson, and their evening sketch show Holy Mackerel!, performed under the Britney name. The interview highlights their meticulous, perfectionist approach to sketch writing, drawing comedic inspiration from unlikely sources such as a Guardian headline referencing Karl Lagerfeld and Jeffrey Dahmer, and even a restaurant menu. It follows their well-received 2022 fringe show, Friends and Nothing More, continuing a decade-long comedy partnership that began with flat-sharing and live performance before their recent screen success.
In short
- Britney duo Clive and Robertson both landed major US TV roles in 2024/25.
- Rooster (HBO) and Vladimir (Netflix) both debuted successfully in March.
- Despite TV fame, they're returning to Edinburgh fringe with new sketch shows.
Explained simply
Charly Clive and Ellen Robertson are British actors and comedians who perform together as the sketch duo Britney. They became friends at school about 20 years ago, then built their comedy partnership through live shows and low-budget sketches, including performances at the Edinburgh fringe festival.
The Edinburgh fringe is a large annual arts festival where performers present shows, often before reaching wider audiences. Britney’s work has grown from this small-scale comedy scene, while both performers have also taken on television roles; their recent US drama parts have brought them greater attention.
The story follows how Clive and Robertson are balancing those screen careers with writing and performing new fringe shows. It matters as an example of a long-running comedy partnership continuing its live work while its members reach a larger television audience.
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