Francis Martin Patrick "Frankie" Boyle (born 16 August 1972) is a Scottish comedian and writer, well known for his pessimistic and often controversial sense of humour.
He was a permanent panellist on the comedy panel show Mock the Week from its beginning in June 2005 until his departure in September 2009 and made guest appearances on several other panel shows, as well as writing for Jimmy Carr's Distraction and Sean Lock's TV Heaven, Telly Hell.
Boyle was born and raised in Glasgow to Irish parents from the Crolly area of County Donegal. He attended Holyrood Secondary School in Glasgow. After leaving school, he worked as a library assistant over the summer and attended Langside College. He then studied Urban Planning at Aston University for a year before leaving and beginning a BA in English Literature at the University of Sussex. He graduated from university aged 22 and his first job was working in a Mental Health Hospital. He then went to a teacher training college in Edinburgh and had placements in schools, but by then he was already performing as a stand up comedian. He gained his big break after performing at The Stand Comedy Club in Edinburgh, a venue that has also helped launch the careers of Stewart Lee, Johnny Vegas, Peter Kay, Dara Ó Briain and Michael McIntyre.