Amelia Dimoldenberg ( ; born 30 January 1994) is an English comedian, writer and presenter. She is the creator and host of the web series ''
Chicken Shop Date
''Chicken Shop Date'' is a British YouTube interview show created and hosted by Amelia Dimoldenberg, and produced by her production company Dimz Inc. The show features celebrity interviews that are framed as dates in a local chicken shop.
The s ...
'', in which she interviews celebrities in
fried chicken restaurant
A fried chicken restaurant is a fast food restaurant that serves (mainly) fried chicken—usually chunks of chicken, battered or breaded and deep-fried.
United States
The concept of the fried chicken restaurant originated in the United Sta ...
s while subjecting them to her sarcastic,
deadpan
Deadpan, dry humour, or dry-wit humour is the deliberate display of emotional neutrality or no emotion, commonly as a form of Comedy, comedic delivery to contrast with the ridiculousness or absurdity of the subject matter. The delivery is meant t ...
, and
awkward sense of humour.
Early life and education
Amelia Dimoldenberg was born on 30 January 1994. She is the daughter of retired librarian Linda and
public relations
Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing and disseminating information from an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) to the public in order to influence their perception. Pu ...
executive and longtime
Westminster City Council
Westminster City Council is the local authority for the City of Westminster in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2022. Full council meetings ...
member Paul Dimoldenberg.
She has a sister, Zoe. She is Jewish.
Dimoldenberg grew up in
Marylebone
Marylebone (usually , also ) is an area in London, England, and is located in the City of Westminster. It is in Central London and part of the West End. Oxford Street forms its southern boundary.
An ancient parish and latterly a metropo ...
, in an apartment opposite
Edgware Road tube station,
and attended
St Marylebone School
Saint Marylebone School is a comprehensive secondary school in Marylebone, London. It specialises in Performing Arts, General Arts, Maths & Computing. In the sixth form, boys can attend as well. The school then became a converter academy, h ...
. She gained
A-levels
The A-level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational ...
in English, art, politics, and IT, before studying for a
foundation diploma in Art and Design and a
BA in Fashion Communication at
Central Saint Martins
Central Saint Martins is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London, a public art university in London, England. The college offers full-time courses at foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and a variety of short ...
, where she graduated in 2017.
She said that her time at university was spent "on the outskirts of the ultra-fashionable scene" and that she "left the party-going to those who had the stamina, and the invite".
Career
''Chicken Shop Date''
''Chicken Shop Date'' began as a humorous
column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member ...
written by Dimoldenberg for the
youth magazine ''The Cut'', which was based at the Stowe Centre
youth club
A youth center or youth centre, often called youth club, is a place where young people can meet and participate in a variety of activities, for example table football, association football (US soccer, UK football), basketball, table tennis, v ...
on
Harrow Road
Harrow Road is an ancient route in London, North West London which runs from Paddington in a northwesterly direction towards Harrow, London, Harrow. It is also the name given to the immediate surrounding area of Queen's Park, London, Queens Par ...
.
It was other members' interest in
grime music
Grime is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) that emerged in London in the early 2000s. It developed out of the earlier UK dance style UK garage, and draws influences from jungle, dancehall, and hip hop. The style is typified by rapid, sy ...
that led her to interview grime artists, as she wanted to know more about the music, and she began by interviewing "friends of friends".
Dimoldenberg had the idea to frame the interviews as
dates, and the location of a chicken shop was chosen as it was "somewhere you wouldn't usually go on a date".
The first filmed episode was released in March 2014, featuring a "date" with grime MC
Ghetts
Justin Jude Clarke-Samuel (born 9 October 1984), better known by his stage name Ghetts (formerly Ghetto), is a British Grime (music), grime MC, rapper, songwriter and actor. His music has been played on national radio stations such as BBC Radio ...
.
Each episode takes around 40 minutes to film, with the finished episode being edited down to a maximum of seven minutes.
Dimoldenberg has described her persona in the show as "an exaggerated version" of herself, adding that "in the edit is where the character comes through, we chop and cut things, we make it more awkward".
While noting that ''Chicken Shop Date'' is "not as popular" as American interview formats like ''
Hot Ones
''Hot Ones'' is an American YouTube talk show, created by Sean Evans and Chris Schonberger, hosted by Evans and produced by First We Feast and formerly Complex Media. Its basic premise involves celebrities being interviewed by Evans over a pl ...
'', ''
Between Two Ferns
Between is a preposition. It may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Between (Frankmusik album), ''Between'' (Frankmusik album), a 2013 album by Frankmusik
* "Between", a song by Jerry Cantrell from ''Boggy Depot''
* Between (TV series), ''Bet ...
'', and ''
Carpool Karaoke
Carpool Karaoke was a recurring segment on '' The Late Late Show with James Corden'', in which host James Corden invites famous musical guests to sing along to their songs with him while traveling in a car driven by Corden on a planned route usu ...
'', Jonah Engel Bromwich of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' has described it as "notable for the way in which it has grown through tapping into a specific subculture" and that "capturing an audience of music enthusiasts has given the show credibility".
Dimoldenberg is known for surprising her chicken shop guests by posing preposterous questions about aspects of their image, art, or public perception. For example, Dimoldenberg asked
Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Lucille Bridgers (born August 17, 1994) is an American singer-songwriter. Her indie folk music typically centers on acoustic guitar and Electronic music, electronic production, with melancholic lyrical themes. She has won four Grammy Aw ...
, a singer who wore a skeleton onesie for the duration of a 2-year tour, if she thinks "dressing as a skeleton is promoting an unhealthy body image?"
Television
In early 2018, Dimoldenberg presented the
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...
documentary ''Meet the Markles'', in which she travelled to the United States to meet members of
Meghan Markle
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (; born Rachel Meghan Markle, August 4, 1981) is an American member of the British royal family, media personality, entrepreneur, and former actress. She is married to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, the younger son ...
's family.
''
The Telegraph
''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are often names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include:
Australia
* The Telegraph (Adelaide), ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaid ...
'' called it "an entertaining ride
..slicked by moments of real hilarity"
and the ''
Evening Standard
The ''London Standard'', formerly the ''Evening Standard'' (1904–2024) and originally ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), is a long-established regional newspaper published weekly and distributed free newspaper, free of charge in London, Engl ...
'' described it as an "instant hit".
Later that year, she appeared in an episode of ''
The Big Narstie Show''. In October, she appeared as a "roving reporter" in the first series of the
ITV2
ITV2 is a Television in the United Kingdom, British free-to-air television channel owned by ITV Digital Channels, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998. For a number of years, it had the largest audience share after the fiv ...
hip hop-themed comedy show ''
Don't Hate the Playaz
Don't, Dont, or DONT may refer to:
Films
* ''Don't'' (1925 film), a 1925 silent comedy film
* ''Don't'' (1974 film), a 1974 film about the monarch butterfly
* ''Don't'', a fake trailer from the film ''Grindhouse'' (2007)
Songs
* "Don't" (Bill ...
''. The series was nominated for a
Royal Television Society Award
The Royal Television Society (RTS) is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present, and future. It is the oldest television society in the world. It currently has fourteen r ...
.
Dimoldenberg did not appear in the second series.
In 2020, Dimoldenberg appeared on Channel 4's ''
Celebrity Come Dine with Me'' with
Marcel Somerville,
Dave Benson Phillips
Dave Benson Phillips (born 3 February 1965) is a British entertainer, comic, children's television presenter and wrestler. He has presented '' Playhouse Disney'' (1998–2006), '' Fun Song Factory'' (1994–1999), and the CBBC game show '' Get ...
,
Anthea Turner
Anthea Turner (born 25 May 1960) is an English television presenter. She was a host of ''Blue Peter'' from 1992 until 1994, and of ''GMTV'' from 1994 until 1996.
Early life
Turner was born in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, and educated at the ...
, and
AJ Odudu
Onatejiro "AJ" Odudu (born 12 February 1988) is a British television presenter. She co-presents the ITV2 reality shows '' Big Brother'' (since 2023) and ''Celebrity Big Brother'' (since 2024) alongside Will Best, and previously the spin-off sh ...
.
In December 2021, it was announced that Dimoldenberg would host a web shorts series titled ''
Celebrity Rebrand'' for Channel 4. The first season, consisting of six episodes, was released via the network's social media channels. The comedy show features Dimoldenberg as a "celebrity brand visionary" attempting to assist various Channel 4 stars in rebranding their image.
In January 2023, she appeared on a "New Year's Treat" episode of ''
Taskmaster'' alongside
Self Esteem
Self-esteem is confidence in one's own worth, abilities, or morals. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself (for example, "I am loved", "I am worthy") as well as emotional states, such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame. Smith and Macki ...
,
Mo Farah
Sir Mohamed Muktar Jama Farah (born Hussein Abdi Kahin; 23 March 1983) is a Somali-British former long-distance runner. Considered one of the greatest runners of all time, his ten global championship gold medals (four Olympic and six World tit ...
,
Greg James
Gregory James Alan Milward (born 17 December 1985) is an English broadcaster and author. He has been a presenter on BBC Radio 1 since 2007, hosting shows including his old drive-time show and the station's flagship breakfast show.
Since 201 ...
, and
Carol Vorderman
Carol Jean Vorderman (born 24 December 1960) is a Welsh broadcaster, media personality, and writer. Her media career began when she joined the Channel 4 game show ''Countdown'', appearing with Richard Whiteley from 1982 until his death in 2005, ...
. In 2025, she participated in series 8 of ''
The Great Stand Up to Cancer Bake Off
''The Great British Bake Off'' (often abbreviated to ''Bake Off'' or ''GBBO'') is a British television Cooking show, baking competition, produced by Love Productions, in which a group of amateur bakers compete against each other in a series of ...
''.
Other ventures
In the ten years since launching ''Chicken Shop Date'', Dimoldenberg has worked to broaden her comedic repertoire. In 2025, it was reported that most of her income came from sources other than the show. She has reported on several
red carpet
A red carpet is traditionally used to mark the route taken by heads of state on ceremonial and formal occasions, and has in recent decades been extended to use by Very Important Person, VIPs and celebrity, celebrities at formal events.
History
...
s, starting with the
MOBO Awards
The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin, also known as the MOBOs) are an annual British music award presentation honouring achievements in " music of black origin", including hip hop, grime, UK Drill, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and Ba ...
in 2017, followed by the
Brit Awards,
Golden Globe Awards
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual Awards ceremony, award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally ...
, and the premiere of the film ''
Barbie
Barbie is a fashion doll created by American businesswoman Ruth Handler, manufactured by American toy and entertainment company Mattel and introduced on March 9, 1959. The toy was based on the German Bild Lilli doll, Bild Lilli doll which Hand ...
'' (2023). She writes hundreds of questions before each event to ensure she is prepared. She established a production company in 2018 called Dimz Inc, which houses shows like ''Chicken Shop Date'', ''Amelia's Cooking Show'', and ''Fake News''. Dimoldenberg plans to launch Dimz Inc Academy alongside an in-person exhibition for visitors to "be inspired and create their own ideas", inspired by ''Chicken Shop Date''s youth club origins.
In 2022, Dimoldenberg became a brand ambassador for
Olay
Olay or Olaz, previously Oil of Olay, Oil of Olaz, Oil of Ulan, or Oil of Ulay, is an American skin care brand owned by Procter & Gamble. For the 2009 fiscal year, which ended on June 30, Olay accounted for an estimated $2.8 billion of P&G's re ...
. She is also an ambassador for
Bumble
Bumble is an online dating and networking application launched in 2014. Profiles of potential matches are displayed to users, who can "swipe left" to reject a candidate or "swipe right" to indicate interest. The app is a product of Bumble Inc., ...
and
Levi's
Levi Strauss & Co. ( ) is an American clothing company known worldwide for its Levi's ( ) brand of denim jeans. It was founded in May 1853 when German-Jewish immigrant Levi Strauss moved from Buttenheim, Bavaria, to San Francisco, California, ...
.
On 29 January 2024, the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., with the stated goal of adva ...
announced Dimoldenberg as their red carpet correspondent for the
96th Academy Awards
The 96th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. During the gala, the AMPAS presented Academy Awards (commonl ...
, a role she continued in
2025
So far, the year has seen the continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudanese civil war, and the Gaza war. Internal crises in Bangladesh post-resignation v ...
.
References
External links
*
Amelia Dimoldenbergat ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dimoldenberg, Amelia
1994 births
Living people
21st-century English comedians
21st-century English non-fiction writers
21st-century English women writers
Alumni of Central Saint Martins
Comedians from the City of Westminster
British comedy YouTubers
English documentary filmmakers
English television presenters
English women comedians
English women journalists
Jewish English comedians
Jewish women comedians
People from Marylebone
The Guardian journalists
Vice Media
Writers from Westminster
YouTubers from London