Eddie Izzard changes name to fulfil a dream she’s had for over 50 years - find out what to

Comedian and politician Eddie Izzard has decided to change her name, fulfilling a dream she’s had for 51 years. Izzard - who will now go by either ‘Eddie’ or ‘Suzy’ - spoke about the decision with Matt Forde on The Political Party podcast,

Suzy, 61, has said she’s happy to keep both names so people can choose between the two. Speaking on the Political Party podcast, she said: "I’m Eddie. There’s another name I’m going to add in as well, which is Suzy, which I wanted to be since I was 10. I’m going to be Suzy Eddie Izzard, that’s how I’m going to roll."

Izzard has recently made the news after bidding to become an MP. The comedian decided to enter politics toward the end of 2022, launching a campaign to stand as Labour MP for Sheffield.

Upon failing to secure selection for the seat, Suzy spoke about the reaction her decision elicited. She said: "Some people have been transphobic when I was going for the [MP] selection, coming out as trans was not easy back in 1985,” she said, according to Politico.

"I don’t know [how many genders there are], we’re all somewhere on the spectrum, we have just got to chill out about it."

In December 2020, Izzard appeared on Sky Arts series Portrait Artist of the Year. During the show, host Stephen Mangan and other contestants referred to Izzard using the pronouns she/her.

Speaking with The Irish Times in December 2022, Suzy said: “"I was on a programme. They said, ‘Do you want she/her or he/him?’’ I went, ‘Ahh, oh, she.’ I’d been thinking of changing them. And then the programme went out, and the whole world changed them. Two days."

LGBT+ charity Stonewall reportedly praised the comedian for her brave decision which will mean a lot to trans and gender-fluid communities around the world.