Courtney Dawson
Biography
Courtney (Ngāti Kurī, Waikato-Tainui) stumbled into her first comedy gig in 2018, and has been going from strength to strength since then. After winning the NZ Raw Comedy Quest and the Best Newcomer Award at the NZ Comedy Guild Awards in 2019, she made her professional debut with a a sold out double act show in the 2021 International Comedy Festival. She was awarded Outstanding Comedy Performance in 2022 by the Auckland Fringe Festival, won Best Female Comedian at the 2023 NZ Comedy Guild Awards, and in 2024 was recognised by the NZ International Comedy Festival who awarded her Best Newcomer for her first solo show with the festival. Courtney maintains a solid presence on NZ television - she co-hosted two seasons of Rags are Riches, was a regular on Have You Been Paying Attention?, occupied the news desk on a season of Paddy Gower Has Issues, and more recently made us laugh as co-host of award winning infotainment show DON’T. She continues to be an in demand comedian, gigging regularly in Auckland and around the motu.
Known For & Full Filmography7 Titles
Drama Series - 2009, 16 episodes • as Panelist
7 Days is a New Zealand comedy gameshow similar in some ways to the British program Mock the Week, hosted by Jeremy Corbett and created by The Down Low Concept. Paul Ego and Dai Henwood usually appear on each episode, along with other comedians, who form teams and answer questions about news stories from the last week.
Drama Series - 2026, 16 episodes • as Contestant
Daniel Faitaua takes the tried-and-true Tipping Point formula and infuses it with a distinctly Kiwi flavour, alongside some some of Aotearoa's favourite famous faces
Drama Series - 2023, 16 episodes • as Self
Comedian Guy Montgomery hosts a spelling competition with a mixture of simple and unconventional rounds.
Drama Series - 2019, 16 episodes • as Panelist
New Zealand's best and brightest comedians showcase their current affairs prowess unpacking the hot topics of the week: politics, sports, pop culture news and international affairs to test just who’s been paying attention…
Drama Series - 2023, 16 episodes • Main Cast Role
Paddy Gower tackles the issues facing New Zealanders. He's joined in studio by Newshub reporters, and comedians Karen O'Leary, Eli Matthewson and Courtney Dawson.
Drama Series - 2025, 16 episodes • as Self
Staring down the barrel of turning 30, the big questions about life goals - marriage, kids & home ownership - have ambushed Bubbah's sleep, twisting her dreams! Can her comedian friends help get some answers?
Movie - 2023, 2h 15m • as Self
Armed with only their comedic genius, impeccable wit, and intellectual nous, two teams of comedians battle it out in the Great Comedy Debate of 2023.