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Colin Lane

Colin Stuart Lane (born 25 March 1965) is an Australian comedian, actor, and television host, best known for his role as "Lano" in the internationally acclaimed comedy duo Lano and Woodley, which he formed with Frank Woodley in 1987. Born in , , Lane began his career in and during his university years, eventually co-creating the duo's signature physical and character-driven humor that blended , , and absurd scenarios. Over nearly two decades, Lano and Woodley toured extensively, performing hundreds of sold-out shows worldwide and releasing works including the ARIA Award-winning album Lano & Woodley Sing Songs and the novel Housemeeting. The duo's television success included the ABC sitcom The Adventures of Lano and Woodley (1997), which aired in over 30 countries and showcased their chaotic, roommate-based sketches, earning critical praise for its innovative comedy style. Their farewell tour in 2006, titled Goodbye, drew over 125,000 attendees across 34 Australian cities and won the Helpmann Award for Best Comedy Performance. In 1994, Lane and Woodley received the prestigious Award at the Fringe Festival for their show , marking a pivotal moment in their rise to global recognition. The pair briefly reunited in 2017 for the show Fly!, which won the 2018 People's Choice Award and was later recorded for . In November 2025, they announced a new national tour Lano & Woodley in Space for 2026. Following the duo's initial disbandment, Lane pursued a prolific solo career, hosting Network Ten's cooking competition from 2011 to 2013, where his quick wit complemented the high-energy format. He has made guest appearances on prominent programs such as the UK's (2013 and 2019 episodes), ABC's Spicks and Specks, and Network Ten's The Project, while also featuring in acting roles on series like , Fisk, and . Lane has extended his talents to theatre, starring as Black Stache in (2024 production) and performing in musicals such as with Essgee Productions, as well as cabaret collaborations like Two for the Road at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Additionally, he has served as a master of ceremonies for corporate events and brands, including and , and hosted radio segments on ABC Melbourne. In his , Lane is married to Sue Lane and has three children; his wife has occasionally joined him in performances. Residing in , , Lane continues to be a prominent figure in Australian entertainment, blending his improvisational roots with diverse media projects that highlight his enduring appeal as a versatile performer.

Early life and education

Childhood in Perth

Colin Stuart Lane was born on 25 March 1965 in , . Lane grew up in during the and alongside three sisters, in what he has described as a family-oriented . Public information about his family's background remains limited, reflecting the comedian's preference for regarding his personal early years. These formative experiences in a suburban setting in provided the backdrop for Lane's development before he pursued further opportunities elsewhere.

Tertiary education and early interests

In the mid-1980s, Colin Lane attended Victoria College's Rusden campus in , where he studied drama education with the initial goal of becoming a teacher. During his undergraduate years, Lane discovered his passion for through involvement in theatre sports and groups, which allowed him to explore spontaneous and . These activities honed his skills in comedic and physical , shifting his focus from structured toward the improvisational energy of live entertainment. Following in 1987, Lane decided to abandon ambitions in favor of full-time after early gigs reinforced his comedic aptitude, prompting him to relocate from to to access greater opportunities in the city's burgeoning arts scene. Shortly thereafter, he met Frank Woodley at a night in Collingwood.

Comedy career with Lano and Woodley

Formation of the duo

Colin Lane met Frank Woodley in at a night in Collingwood, , where both were participating in , an improvisational comedy competition that sparked their initial creative synergy. This encounter occurred shortly after Lane's graduation from , marking the beginning of their professional overlap in Melbourne's burgeoning comedy and improv scene. Their early collaborations began as part of the trio The Found Objects, formed with Scott Casley in 1987 for the inaugural , where they performed improvised sketches in settings and small venues like the Patrick Hotel in Collingwood. After Casley departed around 1992, Lane and Woodley transitioned to a in 1993, debuting at the same hotel and adopting the stage name "Lano and Woodley," derived directly from their surnames to emphasize their partnership. These initial gigs in pubs and festival circuits allowed them to experiment with collaborative material, building a rapport through shared performances. The duo's style emerged from these formative experiences, centering on and elements that relied on character interplay rather than conventional punchlines, with Lane portraying a domineering and Woodley embodying a naive, acrobatic . This approach was refined through repeated outings in environments and comedy festivals, where the emphasis on visual gags and narrative-driven sketches fostered their distinctive, chaotic energy.

Key stage shows

Their breakthrough came with Fence in 1993, which won the Moosehead Award for Best Newcomer at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival before securing the prestigious Perrier Award at the 1994 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The show featured absurd physical humor centered on a feud between neighbors, performed on a minimalist stage with a single thin masonite sheet and a simple paling fence prop, highlighting their innovative approach to staging that amplified the duo's high-energy antics. Other notable productions included an adaptation of The Odd Couple in 1994, Legacy in 1995, and later works that built on their physical style. These shows earned critical acclaim for their creative use of minimal props and relentless pace, often transforming simple elements into chaotic spectacles that showcased Lane's domineering presence alongside Woodley's naive vulnerability. The duo's farewell production, Goodbye, toured from 2005 to 2006 across 37 cities, drawing over 120,000 attendees and blending classic material with new sketches for an emotional send-off to their 20-year partnership. Elements from these stage shows, such as recurring sketches and physical routines, were later adapted into television formats.

Television adaptations

The duo starred in the sitcom The Adventures of Lano and Woodley, which aired in two seasons from 1997 to 1999, comprising 13 episodes of chaotic, roommate-based sketches that showcased their style. The series was broadcast internationally, including on the in the UK, and developed a for its innovative humor.

Hiatus and reunion

After two decades of collaboration, Lano and Woodley announced their split in 2006 following the conclusion of their farewell tour, Goodbye. The duo cited creative exhaustion as a primary reason, with Colin Lane noting that their deep familiarity had limited further innovation, likening the partnership to a long-term marriage where predictability had set in. Frank Woodley echoed this, describing subtle relational strains that emerged over time. During the hiatus, Lane pursued solo performance ventures, while Woodley concentrated on writing and directing projects such as short films and stand-up specials. The pair reunited in 2017, sparked by a one-off performance at the International Comedy Festival's 30th anniversary gala in 2016, which reignited their onstage chemistry amid strong fan demand. Their renewed friendship, unmarred by any prior rift, and a shared recognition that solo work lacked the duo's unique dynamic further motivated the comeback. They launched Fly, a high-flying aerial comedy show paying tribute to the through inventive physical stunts and escapades, which toured nationally in starting in March 2018 and extended to the . The production earned acclaim for its blend of and timeless humor, drawing large audiences and marking a successful revival. Building on this momentum, Lano and Woodley followed with in 2023, adapting Herman Melville's novel into a chaotic featuring whale-themed antics, where Lane's earnest dramatic attempts clash with Woodley's disruptive interruptions for comedic effect. The show premiered as a work-in-progress at the 2022 before a full national tour in 2023, which continued through 2025 with sold-out seasons across , including and regional venues. As of November 2025, the duo remains an active partnership, embarking on new tours such as a work-in-progress show in and upcoming productions like Lano & Woodley in Space, affirming their enduring appeal.

Solo career

Theatre and cabaret

Following the success of Lano and Woodley's farewell tour, Colin Lane ventured into straight theatre with a role in David Williamson's Don's Party, produced by the Melbourne Theatre Company in 2007. He portrayed Evan, the bitter and possessive dentist husband, infusing the character with comedic timing amid the play's satirical depiction of 1969 Australian election night politics and social tensions. In 2008, Lane took on the role of Pooh-Bah in Essgee Entertainment's production of Gilbert and Sullivan's , a that toured Australian cities including and . His performance as the pompous, multi-titled bureaucrat blended traditional with Lane's vaudeville-inspired , earning praise for providing a humorous foil to the ensemble's antics. Lane's solo cabaret debut came in 2009 with I'm Not Sure About the Music, a musical comedy revue that premiered at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and featured a mix of original songs, parodies, and stand-up elements tied by witty internal monologues. The show, which explored Lane's ambivalence toward musical performance, sold out quickly and returned for a season in 2010, also appearing at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival as part of its festival tour. More recently, in 2024-2025, Lane starred as the villainous pirate Black Stache in the Australian of , a Tony Award-winning to produced by Dead Puppet Society and touring nationally, including , , , and . His portrayal highlighted the character's bombastic antics and quest for starstuff, drawing on Lane's signature physicality reminiscent of his duo work to amplify the play's adventurous humor.

Television hosting and guest appearances

Lane hosted the Australian version of the cooking competition series on Network Ten from 2011 to 2013, succeeding as the show's presenter. The format featured celebrity contestants and chefs competing to prepare quick meals from mystery ingredients, where Lane incorporated his improvisational humor to engage guests and add comedic flair to the proceedings. In 2011, Lane served as a guest co-host on the daytime talk show , filling in for during her maternity leave on Network Ten. The program focused on lifestyle discussions, celebrity interviews, and audience interaction, allowing Lane to showcase his quick-witted banter in a conversational setting. Throughout his career, Lane has been a frequent guest on several Australian panel and variety shows, drawing on his comedic timing honed from improv training. He appeared in 16 episodes of the music quiz Spicks and Specks on from 2005 to 2011, often contributing humorous insights during trivia rounds. Lane also served as a regular panellist on across multiple seasons, including 12 episodes from 1997 to 2011, where he participated in satirical discussions on current events. His appearances extended to The Project on Network Ten, where he joined as a guest panellist for topical commentary and light-hearted segments. Internationally, Lane featured on the panel show in episodes from 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2020, including the "Kit and Kaboodle" episode in series K (2013) alongside , the "L-Animals" episode in series L (2014), the "Numbers" episode in series N (2017), and the "Queens" episode in series Q (2020). These outings highlighted his ability to deliver punchy one-liners in a format emphasizing obscure knowledge and wit. Following 2020, Lane continued guest spots on variety programs, such as judging on the improvisational comedy series in 2023 and appearing as himself on the culinary chat show in 2024, often leveraging his Lano and Woodley legacy for solo comedic exchanges. In 2025, he returned to The Project for a live desk appearance, discussing his ongoing projects with characteristic banter.

Film and other media

Lane made his film debut in the 2005 The Extra, directed by and starring , where he portrayed Danny, an aspiring movie extra navigating the absurdities of the industry. He followed this with a supporting role in the 2008 White Lines, a 7-minute finalist directed by Craig Maclean, depicting a has-been actor's desperate bid for relevance. Solo, he has engaged in musical comedy specials, notably co-starring with tenor David Hobson in the tour In Tails, which began in 2016 at the and toured through 2024, blending operatic arias with physical comedy across Australian venues. Post-2020, Lane has appeared in audio media, including a 2024 guest spot on Radio National's Life Matters discussing personal insights on and quitting, and episodes of the Funny in Failure , where he reflected on his career transitions and creative collaborations.

Awards and recognition

Awards with Lano and Woodley

Lano and Woodley, the comedy duo consisting of Colin Lane and Frank Woodley, garnered significant recognition for their collaborative work, particularly through their innovative blend of , sketches, and character-driven humor. Their breakthrough came with the 1993 debut of Fence at the , where they won the Brian McCarthy Memorial Moosehead Award, an early accolade that highlighted emerging talent and served as a precursor to their international success. The duo's Fence show continued to build momentum, leading to their appearance at the 1994 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. There, they secured the prestigious Perrier Award for Best Show, often regarded as the "Oscar" of the world due to its influence on careers and its status as the highest honor at the festival. This win for Fence marked a pivotal moment, elevating Lano and Woodley from Australian favorites to global standouts and opening doors for further tours and adaptations. In 2006, the duo won the ARIA Award for Best Comedy Release for their album Lano & Woodley Sing Songs. Years later, their farewell production Goodbye in 2006 earned the Helpmann Award for Best Comedy Performer, recognizing excellence in Australian live performance and underscoring the duo's lasting impact on the theater scene. The award celebrated the show's poignant mix of hilarity and reflection on their 21-year partnership. Following a hiatus, Lano and Woodley's 2018 reunion show received the People's Choice Award, voted by audiences and reflecting the duo's enduring popularity and ability to connect with fans through absurd, high-energy antics. These collaborative honors not only affirmed their joint legacy but also paved the way for individual pursuits in the years that followed.

Individual honors

Lane's hosting of from 2011 to 2013 earned a nomination at the for Most Popular Lifestyle Program in 2012, highlighting his contribution to the show's popularity as the only afternoon lifestyle program to receive such recognition. These nominations underscored his versatility in transitioning from to presenting.

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