Some of the best comedians in Britain are bringing a smile to Southport’s face, as they head to town for the 12th Southport Comedy Festival.
The popular annual event, in association with Halliwell Jones BMW, takes place from Friday 29th September 2023 until Sunday 15th October 2023 for 17 fun-filled days of laughter.
Alongside returning favourites Jason Byrne, Paul Sinha, Rich Hall, Gary Delaney, Nina Gilligan and Jimeoin this star-studded festival welcomes TV comedians Tom Davis, Seann Walsh, Clinton Baptiste, Simon Brodkin, Jen Brister, Mark Steel, Emmanuel Sonubi and Mark Nelson.
The entire festival will be staged for a third year in a giant luxury heated and seated marquee courtesy of Elite Marquees in Victoria Park, home of the world-renowned Southport Flower Show.
The festival is supporting the stars of tomorrow with the return of the Southport New Comedian of the Year Competition, sponsored by Dragon Soop.
The festival is proud to support charity fundraising. This year we will be ‘raising money while raising a smile’ with special charity events planned for two great local charities Community Link Foundation and Southport Flower Show.
Visit southportcomedyfestival.com for full line up, information and direct links to book tickets.
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Here is a full line-up of 2023 Southport Comedy Festival comedians and events:
Friday 29th September
Big Comedy UK Presents Best of the Fest featuring Mark Nelson, Nina Gilligan, Emmanuel Sonubi and host Brendan Riley
Big Comedy UK has put together a fantastic night of comedy for the opening night of this year’s 12th annual Southport Comedy Festival in association with Halliwell Jones BMW
Join us at the opening night of the festival for a fantastic night of live comedy with a triple headline show.
Multi award winning Mark Nelson is one of the UK’s biggest-hitting comedy powerhouses. A regular on BBC Scotland and Radio 4 he has clocked up over 250 million views of his viral comedy clips.
“Possesses a talent that is simply obscene” The List
Nina Gilligan Winner Best Act, Northwest Comedy Awards 2023, Club Comedian Chortle Awards 2023, Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2021.
Emmanuel Sonubi as seen on Live at the Apollo, Comedy Central’s Stand-Up UK and the ITV2 Stand-up Sketch Show.
“One of my favourite discoveries of the year” Jason Manford
Hosted by Brendan Riley
Door: 7pm, Show: 8pm
Price: £15
Age Restriction: 18+
Saturday 30th September
Gary Delaney: Gary in Punderland
Gary Delaney
Get ready to dive into a rabbit hole of the best jokes in the world. Star of Live at the Apollo and sell-out sensation Gary Delaney is back! One of the most sought-after joke writers in the country and longstanding Mock the Week special guest, Gary has been through the laughing glass and he’s ready to bring you a brand-new show with hit after hit of the kind of one-liners only a master could craft.
“A cavalcade of brilliantly inventive puns” Guardian
Door: 7pm, Show: 8pm
Price: £21
Age Restriction: 16+PG
Sunday 1st October
An Evening with Clinton Baptiste
Clinton Baptiste
Clinton Baptiste is the useless clairvoyant medium psychic from Peter Kay’s smash hit comedy Phoenix Nights. Fresh from another sell-out UK tour, he’s back to deliver the best of his recent work, plus some new bits. Join Clinton for his stories, jokes plus demonstrations of his amazing ability and as always, he’ll be in the audience to give you truthful (but startling) readings from the spirit world!
Not for the faint hearted!
Door: 7pm, Show: 8pm
Price: £16.50
Age Restriction: 16+PG
Tuesday 3rd October
Seann Walsh: Back from the Bed
Seann Walsh
TV star and comedian Seann Walsh makes his first appearance at the Southport Comedy Festival as part of his national tour.
As seen on:Stand Up Sketch Show (ITV), Live at the Apollo (BBC2), Tonight at The London Palladium (ITV), 8 Out of 10 Cats (C4), Alan Carr’s Chatty Man (C4), Hey Tracey! (ITV), and The Jonathan Ross Show (ITV)
Seann also hosts the weekly hit podcasts What’s Upset You Now? alongside Paul McCaffrey and ‘Oh My Dog!’ with Jack Dee.
“Unquestionably the best observational comic of his generation” The Guardian
Door: 7pm, Show: 8pm
Price: £15
Age Restriction: 14+PG
Wednesday 4th October
Jen Brister : The Optimist
Jen Brister
After 76 sold out shows across the country Jen is extending ‘The Optimist’ tour for a third and final time…
If middle age has taught Jen Brister anything, it’s that optimism does not come naturally to her. In fact, it’s fair to say that her cup is very much half empty and she’s making no attempt to fill it. Can Jen work against her natural instincts and finally see the light? Or will she stay the same old pessimistic naysayer she’s always been. I mean, I think we know the answer to that, but let’s try and be optimistic.
“No one does furious better than Brister.” The Guardian
As seen on BBC’s Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, Hypothetical and Sara Pascoe’s comedy Lectures on Dave
Door: 7pm, Show: 8pm
Price: £15
Age Restriction: 18+
Thursday 5th October
Tom Davis: Underdog
Tom Davis
Sweet sweet soul, Tom Davis is best known for hit shows King Gary, The Curse, Murder in Successville, Live at the Apollo and his hugely popular podcast Wolf and Owl with Romesh Ranganathan.
Embarking on his biggest tour to date with his brand-new show, ‘Underdog’, Tom will be exploring life as the longshot. From leaving school with no qualifications to years working on building sites, all the way to the difficult road to fatherhood, acting in blockbuster films and yet still being told he’s punching by a waiter.
Big Tom Davis’ return to stand up should not be missed.
Door: 7pm, Show: 8pm
Price: £21
Age Restriction: 14+ PG
Friday 6th October
Comedy Bingo
Sponsored by Anthony James Estate Agents
Raising funds for Community Link Foundation
Anthony James Estate Agents is hosting a free Thumbs Up For The NHS Comedy Bingo night at Southport Comedy Festival to thank NHS and care staff for the incredible job they have done during the Covid pandemic. Pictured are Anthony Estate Agents Director Mark Cunningham (left) and Festival Director Brendan Riley (right). Photo by Andrew Brown Media
Eyes Down for a fabulous night of fun(draising) for a fantastic local charity Community Link Foundation with this truly hilarious and unique event!
Comedy Bingo is a highly interactive show hosted by comedian Brendan Riley, ‘bouncy and engaging’ The Scotsman
Sell out show festival 2022
Door: 7pm, Show: 8pm
Price: £10
Age Restriction: 16+ PG
Saturday 7th October
Jason Byrne : The Ironic Bionic Man
Jason Byrne
The King of the Southport Comedy Festival returns for his 9th year for more comedy chaos.
Jason, officially Bionic, “ironically” of course, as Jason, the accident prone, general unfortunate gobshite (to no want of his own) is now, half man, half machine.
Don’t miss this six million dollar/euro Irish prodigy.
As seen on Live at the Apollo, The Royal Variety Performance and Judging on Ireland’s Got Talent.
‘Outright King of Live Comedy’ The Times
‘Full on, double-up, gasping-for-oxygen hilarious’ Chortle
Door: 7pm, Show: 8pm
Price: £24.50
Age Restriction: 14+ PG
Sunday 8th October
Simon Brodkin : Screwed Up
Simon Brodkin
Fresh from his sold-out, critically-acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe run and becoming the most viewed British comedian of all time on TikTok, world-famous prankster and Lee Nelson creator Simon Brodkin brings his outrageous new stand-up show to the Southport Comedy Festival.
In ‘Screwed Up’ Simon rips into celebrity culture, social media, the police, Putin, Prince Andrew and Jesus. Nothing is off limits in this hilarious show, including his own mental health, his family, his five arrests and how he once found himself at an underground sex party.
“No show has made me laugh more” The Times
“Screwed Up is a full-on rat-a-tat gag-fest” Mail On Sunday
Door: 7pm, Show: 8pm
Price: £22.50
Age Restriction: 14+ PG
Tuesday 10th October
Southport New Comedian of the Year 2023 Grand Final
Sponsored by Dragon Soop
Samantha Day has been crowned the 2022 Southport New Comedian of the Year. Photo by Andrew Brown Media
Following a national search, eight aspiring comedians will compete to become the next Southport New Comedian of the Year.
Dragon Soop and The Southport Comedy Festival are proud to encourage new talent and help them become the stars of tomorrow. Choosing just one winner from an array of comedy talent won’t be easy.
Hosted by Brendan Riley “A born compere” The Guardian
Dragon Soop should only be consumed by adults aged 18+. Please enjoy responsibly
Door: 7pm, Show: 8pm
Price: £5
Age Restriction: 18+
Wednesday 11th October
Jimeoin: The Craic!
Jimeoin
Following last year’s sold-out show Jimeoin returns to the Southport Comedy Festival with his smash hit show The Craic!. An hilarious evening of World-Class stand-up from live comedy’s internationally acclaimed Irish master!
You’ve seen him on ‘The Royal Variety Performance’, ‘Live at the Apollo’, ‘Sunday Night at the Palladium’, ‘Conan O’Brien’ or perhaps online where he has clocked up hundreds of millions of views of his comedy clips… but NOTHING beats seeing Jimeoin live.
“Jimeoin recalls the familiar at a fantastically silly level, boiling his audience down to a tear-filled, gibbering mess.” Scotland on Sunday
“At the top of his game… didn’t leave a dry eye in the house” Manchester Evening News
Door: 7pm, Show: 8pm
Price: £19.50
Age Restriction: 14+ PG
Thursday 12th October
Paul Sinha : Pauly Bengali
Paul Sinha
Acclaimed comedian and star of TV and radio Paul Sinha returns to the festival for a ninth year with a brand-new show Pauly Bengali.
Best known as The Sinnerman on ITV’s The Chase. Paul is a Rose d’Or Award winner for radio comedy, and Chortle Award winner and Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee for his stand-up. Paul is a familiar voice on radio appearing on Just a Minute, The News Quiz and Fighting Talk. On television, Paul has appeared on QI, Would I Lie to You? Taskmaster and Celebrity Googlebox.
“One of our most thoughtful and enjoyable comedians” Times
Door: 7pm, Show: 8pm
Price: £15
Age Restriction: 16+
Friday 13th October
An Evening and a Little Bit of a Morning with Mark Steel
Mark Steel
Critically acclaimed multi award winning writer and comedian Mark Steel plays the Southport Comedy Festival for the first time.
Mark is best known for his BBC Radio 4 show Mark Steel’s in Town voted the 6th best radio comedy ever. He has also presented the BAFTA-nominated Mark Steel Lectures for BBC Two and is a regular on BBC 1’s Have I Got News for You and BBC Radio 4’s The News Quiz.
Join him for an evening (and maybe a little bit of morning) of stand-up comedy at it’s very finest.
“Steel’s rapier wit cuts to the chase” The Observer
Door: 7pm, Show: 8pm
Price: £17
Age Restriction: 14+
Saturday 14th October
Bingo Nights UK Presents 80’s Disco Bingo
Raising Money for Southport Flower Show
Disco Bingo
Prepare yourself for a blast back to the 80s!
Eyes Down for a fabulous night of fundraising for Southport Flower Show with this truly interactive event. 80’s Disco Bingo is exactly what it says on the tin; a full night of Disco and Bingo but with a modern twist! Featuring all the 80’s hits guaranteed to get the whole room up and dancing.
Sell-out show Festival 2021 and 2022 so grab your tickets now.
Fancy Dress is not mandatory but it is certainly encouraged!
Door: 7pm, Show: 8pm
Price: £10
Age Restriction: 18+
Sunday 15th October
Rich Hall : Shot From Cannons
Rich Hall
Multi Award winning comedy legend Rich Hall closes this year’s Southport Comedy Festival.
Fresh on the heels of his critically acclaimed memoirs, Nailing It, Montana’s transatlantic messenger returns with new rants, knife-edge observations, thrilling musical interludes and an ever-formidable knack for laughs on the fly. You’ll pay for the whole seat, but you’ll only need the edge of it.
As seen on Live at the Apollo, Have I Got News For You and QI
“Vital and incredulously angry. Hilarious” The Scotsman
“Blissfully funny” Guardian
Door: 7pm, Show: 8pm
Price: £17
Age Restriction: 14+PG
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