John Oliver is an English comedian, producer, television host, and actor. He first appeared at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2001 and made his debut solo show in 2002, co-hosting Political Animal. At the Festival and similar venues, Oliver frequently worked with other members of the Chocolate Milk Gang, a group of comedians who often collaborated and performed with one another, including Daniel Kitson, Russell Howard, David O`Doherty, and Alun Cochrane. Oliver`s first stand-up show was in 2008 and released on DVD. He began hosting several shows in the UK and was named on the list of 100 Most Influential People. In 2008, he made his first film role in The Love Guru and did voice acting in The Smurfs film and its sequel. He is known for The Daily Show, Terrifying Times, and The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear.

Since 2014, Oliver has been the host of the HBO series Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. He has received widespread critical and popular recognition for his work on the series, whose influence over US culture, legislation, and policy making has been dubbed the "John Oliver effect". His recent project includes the film The Lion King.