Harald Eia

Harald Eia is a Norwegian comedian, actor, writer and television host from Rykkin, outside Oslo. As a child he was active in sports, particularly soccer, and first discovered performing when he played Peer Gynt in a school production. Eia first appeared on television in the youth program U-natt, but gained national recognition in the mid-1990s when he created and starred in the sketch comedy series Lille lørdag (1995) together with Bård Tufte Johansen and Marit Åslein. The show became a major success in Norway and was later performed at the Montreal comedy festival. He continued his collaboration with Johansen in the satirical TV show Åpen post (1998), which became one of Norway’s most popular comedy programs and was known for its sharp satire of Norwegian celebrities and media culture. The show occasionally sparked debate, including reactions from public figures such as singer Finn Kalvik. In addition to television, Eia has appeared in film, including the Norwegian comedy Detektor (2000) directed by Pål Jackman. Beyond acting and comedy, Eia has also worked as a writer and presenter, contributing to several influential Norwegian television and radio projects. Alongside his comedy career, Eia is a trained sociologist. He earned a degree in sociology from the University of Oslo in 1992 and has often combined humor with science and social commentary in his later work and documentaries.