ABOUT ME

As a comedy producer, Lynne combines her interest in the entertainment and charity worlds with her experience of women’s media and marketing to women. 

Originally trained as a journalist Lynne spent the first years of her career working in women’s magazines for publishing groups Nat Mags and IPC writing about fashion and beauty topics. 

“If you’ve seen the film, the Devil Wears Prada, this gives you some idea of what I went through when I started my career!” explains Lynne.  “I even knocked my teeth out when I worked on a particularly posh publication – I’m sure I was the inspiration for Ugly Betty!”

After editing a fashion trade magazine Lynne went on to set up a lingerie boutique where she gained even further insight into the psyche of women.  “Your underwear says a lot about you,” she explains.  “I learned so much from watching women purchasing their most intimate items of clothing.  Very revealing.”

When Lynne sold the shop she began a new phase of her career in public relations and marketing along with stints as a TV presenter for cable television channel, Living.  Lynne eventually set up her own PR consultancy and managed many successful promotional campaigns for well known brands like Asda, W H Smith, The Prince’s Trust, Thames Water, Hyundai Car UK, Pepe Jeans, Umbro, Nike, Avon, Almay, Innoxa and Yardley.

“Funny Women grew out of a creative idea for a client,” explains Lynne.  ‘But I decided that this was one idea I had to keep for myself.  I’m now the proud owner of one of the UK’s leading comedy brands.”

The first Funny Women event took place in 2002 and since then Lynne has produced seven Funny Women Awards, six major charity events, six successful runs of Funny Women at the world famous Edinburgh Fringe, and toured Funny Women Live around the UK.  Funny Women has also raised in excess of £100K for charity under the banner of ‘laughing about life to help and heal women’.

Funny Women has attracted sponsorship from major brands including Babycham, Lee Cooper, Sheilas’ Wheels, British Airways, the Londa Hotel in Cyprus, Avon, Moschino, Nivea and Boots.

Lynne is launching Funny Women in Business in 2010 which offers a training and coaching programme for women based on stand up techniques to improve self confidence and presentation skills in their professional lives.

“I have seen how much stand up helps women to become more assertive and confident in their every day lives.  We have been running comedy workshops for women alongside the Funny Women Awards for the last two years and our business programme is an extension of this activity.”

Lynne is married to composer and music producer, Richard Lightman, and they live in Richmond, West London with their two children, aged 21 and 17.  She is a member of the Certified Institute of Public Relations and was the president of Women in PR from 2001-2003.  Lynne regularly appears on television and radio, writes and comments in national newspapers and is working on a book based on her experiences of working in comedy with Funny Women.

If you would like to speak to Lynne or find out more about the Funny Women Awards, Workshops or Funny Women in Business, please call 020 8948 4444 or email info@funnywomen.com .  You can also visit www.funnywomen.com .