Early Life
Manford was born to an Irish family in Salford, Greater Manchester, a son of Sharon (née Ryan), who is a Catholic and gave birth to him when she was sixteen - and Ian Manford, a courtroom stenographer. He grew up in a terraced house in what is known as the "Triangle of Death" area of Manchester notorious for its gang activity and high crime rate. He has three younger brothers: Stephen Sean, Colin Charles and Niall Christopher, and a younger sister, Danielle Leahnora.
When Manford was seventeen he got a job as a glass collector at a local pub. While working there he became interested in comedy after watching the likes of Peter Kay, Eddie Izzard and Johnny Vegas perform at the local comedy club. Kay recommended him to do the Higher National Diploma in media and performance at the University of Salford. Despite not having the required A Level grades he was accepted into the programme and eventually upgraded to a full degree. His brother Colin has also followed him into comedy and is also a University of Salford graduate.
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