Katy Brand

BA Theology 1997
Actress, Comedian and Writer

Katy tells us that she was an enthusiastic Theology student and very committed to having a full and exciting life at Oxford. She joined all the clubs at Keble, and even managed to row for a term before the early mornings became too much for her delicate, creative sensibilities. She was very involved with the College drama club, though it was rather nascent at the time, and this was before the College theatre was built. She is very envious of the students and this facility now! Katy joined the Oxford University Dramatic Society and became Vice President of The Oxford Revue. The experience of performing as a student in Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh and London formed the basis of her career. Since then, Katy has worked non-stop in the world of arts and entertainment, writing, performing, producing and directing for everyone from the BBC to Steven Spielberg, noting: “It has been a ride beyond my wildest dreams, and I can safely say it began amongst the dreaming spires of Oxford. Or more specifically, within the red brick walls of Keble College.”

Katy chose to be photographed in Hayward Quad because this was the location of her first-year room when she arrived at Keble College as a fresh and innocent Theology undergraduate in 1997. “My favourite memory is looking out of the window one morning to find someone had stolen and rigged up a full set of working traffic lights overnight. I thought, ‘yes, this is the Oxford I want—a mix of naughtiness and ingenuity.”

By the time she left in 2000, she is pleased to say that she sucked the very bones of Oxford life, tried everything once, and some things twice. She felt very happy here, and it really changed her perspective on life—“what could be achieved with hard work; what could also be achieved with hard drink.”