Ipswich is often the punchline to people's jokes... but the people are so funny

As he plans a new TV comedy based in Suffolk's most famous town, stand-up comedian Omid Djalili on his superstar friendship with that county's most famous local, Ed Sheeran, and how he was cancelled before cancel culture even existed

- By Josh White

COMEDY duos throughout history don't come less likely than Omid Djalili and Ed Sheeran. But that's exactly what the 59-year-old British-Iranian funnyman, and the global hitmaker, 34, from Suffolk, have become after joining forces for Sheeran's Persian-inspired music video Azizam.

The surprising collaboration, in which the Shape Of You singer-songwriter is transported to an Iranian wedding where he meets Djalili playing a chef, led the two men to bond over their love of Ipswich. Having moved there from London during the pandemic in order to downsize, Djalili promptly fell in love with the town and its surroundings, while Sheeran, who lives in a £3.75million mansion outside Framlingham where he grew up, is a lifelong Ipswich Town FC fan.

Now the pair are collaborating once again on a major new comedy to be filmed in... you've guessed it, Ipswich. And Djalili, who previously expressed a wish for Sheeran to write its theme tune, is clearly thrilled about it, even if he's keeping the details a secret.

"The idea has really ignited the town and everyone behind it," he tells the Daily Express, revealing Sheeran "emails me every day".

"Ipswich Council gave some money towards it, and now that we have Ed Sheeran backing it, he absolutely loves the idea. He basically says: 'We've got to get this over the line'."

Why the excitement? "Ipswich is often the punchline to people's jokes. But actually, when you live here, it's an amazing place, and the people are so funny. I just really hope that we'll get it over the line, then you'll see what I'm talking about."

Djalili, who made his comedy breakthrough in 1995 at the Edinburgh Fringe with Short, Fat Kebab Shop Owner's Son - a show about his experiences of growing up in Britain - has always veered effortlessly between different worlds.