He began his comedy career in 2004 and has supported Alan Carr and Russell Howard on tour.

In 2019 Wilkinson won a celebrity special version of The Great British Bake Off (for Stand Up to Cancer UK).

He played a major role in Him & Her as Dan Perkins, the lonely, socially awkward neighbour to main characters Becky and Steve.

Wilkinson was involved in the BBC Three comedy show Live at the Electric as a member of the comedic double act Two Episodes of Mash with Diane Morgan.

[2] In 2014, Wilkinson appeared as a resident comedian on the revived TV game show Celebrity Squares, hosted by Warwick Davis on ITV.

Wilkinson plays Simon, who takes his girlfriend Donna (Diane Morgan) to meet his family at their home on the Isle of Wight for the first time.

He generally participates in the show's latter half and occasionally acts as Rachel Riley's assistant.

He often appears in costumes, performs stunts and brings on special guests, and routinely refers to the show's regular model, Robert Deaton, (aka "Fabio"), as his half-brother.

He made Gherkin-inspired biscuits in round one, which host Paul Hollywood loved, and he won first place.

The podcast continued without Hillstead and all mention of her was removed including the entire back catalogue being deleted.

In 2021, David Earl and Joe Wilkinson began a podcast called My New Football Club.

The two discuss the ins and outs of professional sport, with Bamford able to give insight into the dressing room of Leeds United.