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National

Comedian Biddy O'Loughlin carves her own career path, stepping out of the shadow of her mum, Fiona O'Loughlin

Comedian Biddy O'Loughlin with her biggest fan and daughter Dolly. (ABC: Lincoln Rothall)

Biddy O'Loughlin is funny and can sing and is not just Fiona O'Loughlin's daughter.

For those needing convincing, just check in with her closest fan, quite literally, 11-month-old daughter Dolly.

For her comedy gigs, the single mother straps the ever-smiling baby onto her chest before starting her routine.

"As soon as we're on stage, it's like she just stops and listens and it's a bit of a sight gag as well, but it wasn't the intention," O'Loughlin said.

"I just didn't have any options and then people go 'wow, you're doing comedy with a baby, I love that, that's great' and I go 'well, I didn't really have a choice'."

Comedian Biddy O'Loughlin performing on stage with her 11-month-old daughter Dolly. (Supplied)

Comedy career gone global

It has been a rollercoaster career in the entertainment industry since she decided in her early twenties that she needed to go to Ireland to start her comedy career — far from the shadow of veteran Australian comedian and mother Fiona O'Loughlin.

"It just sort of made more sense than doing it in Australia where the pressure would be and also all the comedians backstage I would have known since I was 12 or 13," O'Loughlin said.

Australian veteran and critically acclaimed stand-up comedian Fiona O'Loughlin. (ABC News)

"It would have been way too much pressure whereas in Ireland nobody knew who I was, who my mum was, and it was great."

Although she does wryly admit that after her first Irish gig an audience member asked if she knew Fiona O'Loughlin.

After living in Ireland, she journeyed to France and America to work, before running out of money and coming home.

She then did a full-time three-year film degree and made several award-winning short films.

Baby Dolly brought her home

Her life was then thrown upside down when she became pregnant and had Dolly.

After adjusting to being a mum, she decided to move from Alice Springs where she grew up, to Adelaide to pursue her comedy career last year.

Comedian Biddy O'Loughlin says having her daughter around while performing is grounding and reassuring. (ABC: Lincoln Rothall)

But being a single mum and doing the comedy circuit has not been easy.

"Sometimes it's really, really, really hard, but I don't like to wallow. I could have chosen not to do this," O'Loughlin said.

"Some days are particularly stressful, but I know it will be okay, we will get there, I am a great storyteller."

Branching out to cabaret, music

O'Loughlin is branching out into cabaret and is currently appearing in the Adelaide Cabaret Fringe Festival, a festival that ironically also features a show by her mum.

Much to her surprise, the 34-year-old recently discovered she actually has a decent voice and is keen to embrace a singing career, if with a few reservations.

"I really would love to give music more of a go, but something that's put me off about the music industry, you have to be some sort of a character," she said.

Fiona O'Loughlin's daughter and comedian Biddy O'Loughlin with her biggest fan and daughter Dolly. (ABC: Lincoln Rothall)

"I prefer the raw honesty of comedy to the branding of music, but I also just love to sing."

Nothing is getting in O'Loughlin's way — she recently came close to landing a television gig, picked up an agent and is making a last ditch attempt to get to the massive Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August.

That is where Dolly comes back in, with the pair often doing a busking double act in the city.

"She's getting a bit too old for it now, I can do 20 minutes and I can usually make $20 to $40 in those 20 minutes," she said.

Growing up with Fiona O'Loughlin

The comedian says she would not be surprised if Dolly becomes an entertainer when she grows up, but she also hopes to provide a more stable home environment for her daughter than what she experienced growing up.

O'Loughlin's teenage life was thrown upside down when her mum Fiona was discovered as a comedian and started travelling to gigs.

"It's something to be very aware of. I like having her [Dolly] on stage, whereas what happened with mum was, she suddenly blew up when I was 12 and she was gone," she said.

She admitted Fiona's struggle with alcohol over many years had also been tough to take.

"It still is, even the stuff that's not in the headlines, she's also a wonderful woman, but it has been really tough on all of us," she admitted.

Being a comedian and singer can be tough and you live or die with each performance.

But having Dolly at the end of each gig is grounding and reassuring.

"She's the most important thing in my life, so after I have a tough gig and they do happen, I don't think it's as devastating as before when I didn't have Dolly — she loves me anyway," she said.

Biddy said her mother has full confidence she will make it in Australia.

"She said she was going to buy stocks in me soon, so I think she thinks I'm alright," she said with a laugh.

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