Film maker Matt Holt, has been crowned the winner of Leicester Comedy Festival’s Stand Up Challenge 2021. The live show took place last night and featured 7 people performing stand-up comedy for the very first time. Matt, from MGL Media and Spoon Jar Films, was the overall winner with Adam English (Union JACK Radio) coming second and Laura Hailstone (De Montfort University) was in 3rd place.
The event hasn’t taken place for the last 2 years due to Covid but it has been a regular fundraising event for registered charity Big Difference since 2015. Big Difference produce the annual comedy festival, alongside The UK Kids’ Comedy Festival, each February. Further details about the Stand Up Challenge can be found by visiting www.standupchallenge.co.uk
A sell-out crowd watched the comedy show, hosted by award winning comedian Sikisa, at The Y Theatre, East Street, Leicester. The performers were Adam English (Union JACK Radio), Laura Hailstone (De Montfort University), Matt Holt (MGL Media & Spoon Jar Films), Mike Dalzell (Leicester City Council), Gary Pitt (Howes Percival), Sarah Thomson (De Montfort University) & Jon Ashworth (Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care).
Previous contestant Carl Mifflin (Howes Percival) entertained the audience whilst the judging panel met in secret to decide on the overall winner. The judging panel was Pete Miller (The Miller Partnership), Eileen Richards MBE (Eileen Richards Recruitment) and Geoff Rowe BEM (Leicester Comedy Festival).
On winning the competition Matt said “it’s been fantastic and brilliant doing the Stand Up Challenge. It’s great to be able to support Big Difference charity and Leicester Comedy Festival, although I think we all found it a nerve racking experience at time. The support we got was amazing and to perform to a sell out crowd at The Y was incredible.”
The event was supported by main event sponsors, The Miller Partnership and De Montfort University, alongside associate partners, University of Leicester, and media partner, Crosscut Media. Geoff Rowe, Founding Director of Leicester Comedy Festival, said “I’m so in awe of the contestants who take to the stage and perform stand-up comedy for the very first time. We are all incredibly grateful to them all, and the audience who come to support their colleagues and friends on the night and all those who sponsored the contestants. In total we hope the project this year will have raised in excess of £10,000. The routines are now available online so if you couldn’t make the show, you can still watch them.”
All proceeds from the Stand Up Challenge will support local Leicester charity Big Difference (registered charity 1135167), which runs Leicester Comedy Festival and The UK Kids’ Comedy Festival each February; and aims to improve the health & well-being of communities across the UK. Recent projects have included engaging and working with older people and children & young people.
Leicester Comedy Festival is the longest running comedy festival in Europe and has an annual economic impact to Leicester & Leicestershire of £3 million every year. The main February festival offers exciting ways for local businesses to associate themselves with “one of the leading brands in the UK public arts” (The Times) and the Stand Up Challenge has become a key date in the annual business calendar.
Pictured: Matt Holt and host Sikisa.
