Front Row Comedy

Ricky Gervais's favourite stand-up — meticulously crafted jokes, no wasted words.

Manchester MC who came up alongside Johnny Vegas and Peter Kay, and writes for 8 Out of 10 Cats on the side.

Spent two decades as a police sergeant before swapping the beat for the mic — real cop stories, properly funny.

One of only seven comedians ever to perform at Banksy's Dismaland — and Michael McIntyre's arena tour support.

Metalhead, occultist and one of British comedy's most distinctive alternative voices — Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle and Good Omens.

Looks like the shy one at the back — then picks up a guitar and ambushes you with cheeky comic songs.

Circuit favourite on the clean comedy and church circuit — warm, sharp, never a cheap laugh.

The Weakest Link win that became a five-star Fringe show — deadpan one-liners into loud physical comedy, all in one set.

Hull's darker, drier answer to the standard circuit set — an offbeat voice with a decade behind it.

Dressed like a funeral director, tells jokes with a five-line wind-up and not a swear word in sight.

Phoenix Nights' Kenny Dalglish Senior, live and doing stand-up.

Been going to the Edinburgh Fringe nearly every year since 1977 — comedy's dry-witted elder statesman.

Peter Kay discovered her at a Manchester talent night in 1997 — now a Britain's Got Talent semi-finalist with 8 million watching.

Co-creator of The Parapod, the paranormal podcast turned feature film — and one of the circuit's most decorated MCs.

The go-to host who can run an entire night — MC, comedian and auctioneer all in one.

Fronted his own primetime sketch shows in the 80s and 90s — now bringing the impressions back to the club stage.

Surreal songs, freewheeling improv, and a cult following that's followed him for over 30 years.

Performed for British troops on the front line in Afghanistan — thick Liverpudlian charm, anywhere in the world.

English Comedian of the Year — fast, funny, self-deprecating stories straight off a Manchester council estate.

His Star Wars impressions on Russell Howard's Good News went properly viral.

Romesh Ranganathan's verdict: "this dude has funny bones."

Amanda Holden's Golden Buzzer pick, watched over 200 million times — comedy with a genuinely global perspective.

Once warmed up 12,000 people for The Doves — a Manchester storyteller who's held huge crowds and tiny club rooms alike.

David Walliams calls him "brilliantly funny"; Alistair McGowan rates him the best impressionist doing stand-up — "apart from me, of course."

Winner of the Victoria Wood Award at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards — sneaky puns wrapped in fast, funny storytelling.

Turned his own experience of anorexia into a Fringe show recognised at the Houses of Parliament — funny and honest in equal measure.

His name is on the Blackpool Comedy Carpet alongside comedy legends — cheeky, honest, family-first material.

Twenty-five years on stage across fifteen countries — family chaos, a difficult cat, and a knack for winning any room.

Ten million-plus views online for painfully honest dating-disaster material — now taking it out on his first solo tour.

The Sunday Times calls him the UK's master of observational comedy — over three decades of proof.

Nearly 2,000 shows deep, and still trying to break the world record for speed balloon modelling mid-set.

The only comedian ever to land two separate jokes in the same top ten of Dave's Funniest Jokes of the Fringe.

Only the second comedian ever to win the Comedian's Comedian award — voted for by fellow professionals, not critics.

One of the few openly right-leaning voices on the UK circuit — and he's earned an Operational Service Medal entertaining troops in Afghanistan.

Took the stage on a dare and won the Comedy Store's King Gong title — now a headliner at the Store itself.

Stand-up who's toured 30+ countries and still turns up at your local

Started comedy in memory of his late mother in 2018 — now a veteran of ten Edinburgh Fringes.

Six solo tours mining marriage, parenthood and middle age — a Live at the Apollo regular who's never lost his edge.

Spent fourteen years behind a bank counter before comedy — now Everton FC's matchday hospitality MC.

Joint winner of the Comedians' Comedian of the Year — an award voted for by the industry itself, not critics.

Chortle Award-winning circuit comic who's shared the screen with Steve Coogan, Peter Kay and Ricky Gervais.

One of the very few magicians to have actually fooled Penn & Teller on their own show.

Creator of Danny Pensive, the gently surreal character who's toured his own Map of Britain.

Britain's Got Talent semi-finalist whose audition clips have racked up 50 million-plus views on YouTube.

The official voice of TalkTalk, and a Midlands favourite for material on ageing disgracefully.

Young Kenny in Phoenix Nights — now a Countdown Dictionary Corner regular and Celebrity Mastermind winner.

Started at Hot Water Comedy Club as a newcomer — now headlines the very same room.

The first stand-up comedian, and first person with cerebral palsy, ever to win Britain's Got Talent.

Trained as an actress before turning to stand-up — now rated one of the circuit's best MCs.

The only woman ever to receive the Magic Circle's Carlton Award — magic and stand-up in one act.

Played King Arthur in the UK tour of Spamalot — a satirist who's been sharpening topical wit for 25+ years.

An award-winning Hollywood radio copywriter turned stand-up — clubs on five continents to prove it.

Son of Catchphrase legend Roy Walker — and he's earned his own stripes with impressions and stagecraft.

The Scotsman calls him "criminally funny" — a storyteller who's toured Australia five times over.

Shared a Daily Telegraph Open Mic final bill with Mark Watson and Gary Delaney back in 2002.

UK Circuit Comedian of the Year 2013 — appeared in Ken Loach's Cannes-nominated Looking for Eric.

The voice of Viz comic's Sid the Sexist — and resident compere at one of the Telegraph's top ten comedy clubs.

Simon Cowell compared his Britain's Got Talent set to "watching Liam Gallagher ad-lib" — laid-back Manchester swagger, sharp script.

Sharpened his improv chops in Comedy Store Manchester's Men at Work troupe — dry Northern wit, quick on his feet.

Thirteen of his own BBC Radio 4 series — and still one of the fastest joke-rates in British comedy.

His Britain's Got Talent guitar routine ended in a surprise cover of Baa Baa Black Sheep.

Holds the world record for the longest hug — set on stage at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2013.

GQ named him Comedian of the Week and called his material "wickedly funny and astute."

BAFTA-nominated writer for Not Going Out and Miranda, now bringing the jokes to the stage himself.

Performed for the Armed Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan — physical, theatrical, and built to command any room.

One of the Chasers on ITV's The Chase since 2011 — and a genuine British Quizzing Champion off screen too.

A founding member of the Comedy Store's legendary Cutting Edge show, since 1990.

Builds entire songs live with a loop pedal on stage — and has run over twenty marathons for Parkinson's UK.

Traded geography teaching for stand-up within days of qualifying — now championed by Greg Davies.

Voted Best Compere by his fellow comedians in 2016 — a skill few on the circuit can match.

Hosted ITV's Catchphrase for thirteen years — and once held Northern Ireland's hammer throwing title.

One of the first black comedians to appear on BBC's The Stand-Up Show — over three decades on, still sharp.

Named Best UK Compere in 2019 — a regular host of the comedy stages at Glastonbury.

Toured with Motorhead and Ice-T as a teenage rock musician before turning to comedy about parenthood.

Trained as a classical actor before turning to stand-up — Yorkshire's MC of the Year, 2022.

A former welder who swapped the factory floor for the comedy circuit — direct, honest, no surreal detours.

Runs his own chain of comedy clubs, Kill For A Seat — and The Guardian calls him "massively engaging."

Steve Jameson's fully committed alter ego — an elderly Catskills-style stand-up who's clocked nearly a thousand gigs.

Hosts Live at the Apollo for the BBC — camp, quick-witted, and unmistakably Mancunian.

Stewart Lee names him among his favourite comedians working today.

Winner of the World One Liner Championship — comparisons to Milton Jones and Gary Delaney aren't far off.

The Guardian calls him "revelatory and very funny" — comedy about navigating a hearing world without full hearing.

Reached the semi-finals of BBC New Comedian of the Year within six months of starting — welcome to Stevie World.

The first woman ever to MC Decompression gigs for the British Army.

Picked by BBC Writersroom for a new writers programme — dry, deadpan, toe-curling true stories.

A former goalkeeper for Southend United, now known for sound effects most comedians wouldn't dare attempt.

Holds the Guinness World Record for most jokes told in an hour — 499, and counting since.

Got arrested for rescuing a fellow passenger from a ticket inspector — the story became an award-winning Fringe show.

Played DJ Troy in cult BBC sitcom Ideal — and writes for Steve Coogan and John Bishop on the side.

Founder of The Comedy Agency — walks on stage and has the room on side within thirty seconds.

Went from car mechanic and lorry driver to BAFTA Cymru winner — bilingual Welsh and English stand-up.