Victoria Wood is a British comedienne, actress, singer and writer. She has written and starred in sketches, plays and sitcoms, and her live stand-up comedy act is interspersed with songs of her own composition, which she accompanies on piano.

Wood was born in Ramsbottom, Bury, Lancashire, and studied drama at the University of Birmingham, beginning her show business career as an undergraduate. Her first big break was as a novelty act on the BBC's consumer affairs programme, That's Life in 1976. Her first play, Talent (1978) won her an award for Most Promising New Writer, and she has since won many awards for her light entertainment performances.

Wood is often regarded as among the top sitcom writers in Britain due to her understanding of British culture and high command of the English language. Her sitcom Dinnerladies is regarded along with The Royle Family as a prime example of dialogue-based TV comedy: shows in which the focus is more on discussion between characters than story or action.

Wood married magician Geoffrey Durham in March 1980, but they separated in October 2002. They have two children, Grace and Henry. She was awarded the OBE in 1997.

In 2003, she was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy. In a 2005 poll to find The Comedian's Comedian, she was voted amongst the top 50 comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders.