Just For Laughs has announced the latest slate of programming ahead of the inaugural Just For Laughs LONDON festival, which is taking place from 2nd - 5th March 2023 at The O2. Tickets, including the newly-introduced 4-day festival pass, go on general sale Friday 20th January at 10:00am (GMT) and are available from www.jfllondon.com.
Comic Relief has added a second show across the festival with Proud Every Day hosted by the glorious Sue Perkins. This exclusive panel event is a celebration of what Comic Relief does best – tackling the most important issues while putting a smile on people’s faces. Sue Perkins will be joined by a smorgasbord of amazing LGBTQ+ comedians making waves on the comedy circuit and across multiple broadcast platforms.
Comedian, podcaster and Mock the Week regular, Ed Gamble (pictured), who is also well-known as the co-creator and co-host of the hugely successful mega-hit podcast Off Menu with James Acaster will be joining Katherine Ryan and Friends.
British singer, songwriter and star of Eurovision 2022, Sam Ryder, is joining the nation’s most loved TV and radio host, Graham Norton, on The O2 arena’s illustrious stage. Sure to be a highlight of the star-studded four-day comedy event, Graham has invited some of the biggest stars of stand-up comedy, music and drag to join him for a night of entertainment, laughter, and surprises. Sam will be joined by previously announced stand-up star Joe Lycett, American drag queen, comedian, actor, costume designer and winner of the sixth series of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Bianca Del Rio, star of last year's Strictly Come Dancing (BBC One) Jayde Adams and winner of the fourth series of Drag Race UK, Danny Beard. More comedians to be announced in the coming weeks!
The Fortuna Spiegeltent, located outside The O2, is set to be home to some of the best talent in comedy followed by late night hangs. JFL London is excited to announce the following additional comedians to the venue’s programming slate - one of the most in-demand comedians working today, Brad Williams, is joining the line up. Williams started doing stand-up comedy as a teenager and has been touring successfully ever since, routinely selling out prestigious venues all over the country and world. He has parlayed his live performances into a multitude of stand-up television appearances, including The Tonight Show, Dave Attell’s Comedy Underground and Jimmy Kimmel Live. Also joining the stellar lineup at the Fortuna Spiegeltent is American comedian, writer, producer and television host, Michelle Wolf, Michelle has worked as a contributor and writer for Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. Also delighting audiences with a show full of fun and cabaret will be Dave's Edinburgh Comedy Awards nominee, Jordan Gray.
More names have been added to Max & Ivan’s The Wrestling. Calling the action at ringside will be the all-star commentary team of Aisling Bea, Nish Kumar, and Greg James! Your MC for the evening is Suzi Ruffell! Making their wrestling debuts are Alex Horne, Ed ‘The Gambler’ Gamble, Phil ‘Phil Wang’ Wang, Glenn Moore AKA 'Glenn Morgue’ who will be managed by none other than ‘The UK’s Foremost Rightwing comedian’ Joe Lycett, and ‘The Ringfluencer’ Abi Clarke! The Wrestling’s creators Max & Ivan will be appearing in tag team action, and Rosie ‘Daddy’ Jones will be defending her championship belt. Hot scoops and reportage will come from the fearless Olga Koch and the fearful Matthew ‘The Pacifist’ Crosby, with epic music from Jazz Emu, Nick Helm and Flo & Joan. More names to be announced soon, until then, let’s get ready to rumble.
Just For Laughs is also hosting New Faces of Comedy showcases giving audiences a chance to watch some of the best up-and-coming standup comics try out for the prestigious Just For Laughs MONTREAL comedy festival. For over 20 years, the Montreal festival’s New Faces of Comedy showcases have given the most promising new talent a platform to further their careers internationally. Some of the many comedians who have previously performed on the New Faces showcases in Montreal include Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer, Ali Wong, John Mulaney, Jack Whitehall and Michael McIntyre. Catch some of the best new talent before they become international stars! Lineup to be announced in due course
Fest-goers can now experience a variety of great shows and maximize their time at the festival with the JFL London Festival Pass. Fans can hop from show-to-show with the “Festival Pass” that gets you into all shows (excluding The O2 arena shows) —that’s lots of great comedy for the low price of£50 or £30 if you purchase a ticket to one of the festival’s shows in The O2 arena.*
Taking place in various venues covering the full campus of The O2 - from club shows at indigo at The O2 to the installation of Fortuna, an intimate wood and mirror Spiegeltent as an additional performance space, as well as the world-famous arena - and featuring a mix of notable headliners, multi-comic shows, live podcast recordings, ‘In Conversations’ and more, Just for Laughs LONDON promises to deliver larger-than-life laughs as it unites today’s funniest UK and international comedy stars.
More details on Just For Laughs LONDON, a four-day festival being held between March 2-5, 2023, inclusive at The O2 can be found below.
*Access is granted on a first come, first served basis and subject to availability; seats at shows are not guaranteed.
JUST ANNOUNCED / UPDATED SLATE PROGRAMMING
The Graham Norton Variety Show I Friday 3rd March I The O2 arena I 8:30 PM - NEW, UPDATED LINEUP
Just For Laughs LONDON is thrilled to announce that for the first time in many years, Graham Norton will be taking the stage to host a special curated variety show. Graham will be joined by some of the best-loved performers in the UK including stand-up star Joe Lycett, American drag queen, comedian, actor, costume designer and winner of the sixth series of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Bianca Del Rio, star of last year's Strictly Come Dancing (BBC One) Jayde Adams winner of the fourth series of Drag Race UK, Danny Beard as well as British singer, songwriter and star of Eurovision 2022 Sam Ryder.
Katherine Ryan and Friends I Thursday, March 2, 2023 I indigo at The O2 I 9:30 PM - NEW, UPDATED LINEUP
Join the Creator, Writer, Star and EP of Netflix Original hit series, The Duchess (along with two global Netflix comedy specials: In Trouble and Glitter Room) comedian Katherine Ryan as she hosts a very special line-up of brilliant comedians. As seen on Live At The Apollo, Would I lie To You (BBC), 8 Out Of 10 Cats (Channel 4), and hosting Backstage with Katherine Ryan (Amazon Prime).
Joining Katherine will be the Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee and star of Mock The Week and Live At The Apollo (both BBC) Darren Harriott as well as the charmingly straight-talking, quick-witted Kerry Godliman is one of the country’s best performers and has just been added to the line-up. An incredibly talented comedian and actor, Kerry is best known for her appearances on Mock The Week, Live at the Apollo, Michael McIntyre’s Big Show, Taskmaster, Hypothetical, Ultimate Worrier, The Jonathan Ross Show, The Royal Variety Performance and 8 Out of 10 Cats.
Completing the lineup is comedian and podcaster Ed Gamble who is well-known as a regular on Mock the Week and for being the co-creator and co-host of the hugely successful mega-hit podcast Off Menu with James Acaster. As seen on Live at the Apollo, The Royal Variety Performance, The Russell Howard Hour, and on the US TV show Conan, Ed was crowned as the series nine champion of the award-winning television show Taskmaster. Other television credits include 8 out of 10 Cats, Roast Battle, The Apprentice: You’re Fired, Richard Osman’s House of Games, Hypothetical, and he is now a judge on Great British Menu.
Comic Relief: Proud Every Day with host Sue Perkins I Sunday, March 5, 2023 I O2 Blueroom I 6:00 PM - NEW, UPDATED LINE UP
For more than 30 years, Comic Relief has proudly supported the LGBTQ+ community, funding numerous projects both here in the UK and around the world. This exclusive panel event is a celebration of what Comic Relief does best – tackling the most important issues while putting a smile on people’s faces. The legendary Sue Perkins will be joined by a smorgasbord of amazing LGBTQ+ comedians making waves on the comedy circuit and across multiple broadcast platforms. They’ll be shooting the breeze about the business they call show, sharing the highs, lows and lols of their LGBTQ+ experience and offering up some juicy morsels of backstage banter.
Max and Ivan’s ‘The Wrestling’ I Sunday, March 5, 2023 I indigo at The O2 I 8:00 PM - NEW, UPDATED LINE UP
The Wrestling is a death-defying, Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning, sell-out mega-show - the grandest, most outrageous spectacle in the comedy universe. Stemming from Max’s misspent youth as the UK’s youngest professional wrestler (Max Voltage, the Human Dynamo), it’s a world of spectacular high-flying action featuring your favourite comedians as you’ve never seen them before. Since The Wrestling began, Aisling Bea has been hurled over the top rope, Sara Pascoe has been carried in on the back of an entire semi-nude team of acrobats, and Max & Ivan has done battle atop a ladder - all in front of a feral live crowd. Good versus evil. Clotheslines versus punchlines.
Taking part in this year's wrestling are comedians Ed Gamble, Rosie Jones, Olga Koch, Matthew Crosby, Phil Wang, Suzi Ruffell, Alex Horne, Glenn Moore and Jordan Gray.
Brad Williams I Thursday, March 2 I Fortuna Spiegeltent at The O2 I 7:00 PM - JUST ANNOUNCED
Pound for pound, Brad Williams has become one of the most in-demand comedians working today. Williams started doing stand-up comedy as a teenager and has been touring successfully ever since, routinely selling out prestigious venues all over the country and world.Williams has parlayed his live performances into a multitude of stand-up television appearances, including The Tonight Show, Dave Attell’s Comedy Underground, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. His first one-hour special, Fun Size, was the highest rated special on Showtime, and a year later, he followed that up with his second one, Daddy Issues, which was even more successful than the first. His third special in three years was an uproarious one, hosting some of the edgiest comedians in the country from the prestigious Montreal Just For Laughs Festival. His last groundbreaking special on Netflix, The Degenerates, garnered more huge ratings and rave reviews.
Michelle Wolf I Thursday March 2 I Fortuna Spiegeltent at The O2 I 9:00pm - JUST ANNOUNCED
Wolf has quickly become one of the most influential voices in the comedy landscape with the Village Voice calling her “the voice comedy needs right now” and The Daily Beast declaring, “Michelle Wolf is the future of stand-up comedy.” Her most recent Netflix special, MICHELLE WOLF: JOKE SHOW received high praise and her first hour-long stand-up special, “Michelle Wolf: Nice Lady”, which premiered on HBO in 2017, garnered rave reviews and a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special. In 2018, she made international headlines as the much buzzed-about headliner of the 2018 White House Correspondents Dinner. Wolf’s other television credits include being an on-air contributor and writer for “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” and a writing supervisor and performer on “Late Night with Seth Meyers.”
Jordan Gray’s Extrajordanary Cabaret I Saturday, March 4 I Fortuna Spiegeltent at The O2 I 9:00pm - JUST ANNOUNCED
Jordan Gray brings some of her favourite pals to join her for an ExtraJordanary Cabaret show at the Fortuna Spiegeltent! Fresh off several sell-out London runs and a Best Comedy-nominated Edinburgh Fringe run with ‘Is It A Bird’, Jordan Gray is one of THE most exciting voices in comedy at the moment – her 2022 appearance on Friday Night Live attracted huge praise as well as controversy (hence being nominated for Broadcast’s TV Moment Of The Year!), her upcoming series Transaction is the first British sitcom to feature a transgender lead actor since 2016 and she is the host of the Transplaining podcast. Don’t miss her stand-up and music at this one-off event featuring a host of very special guests TBA!
Just For Laughs Montreal New Faces Showcase (2 shows) I Sunday, March 5 I All Bar One at The O2 1:00pm and 3:00pm - JUST ANNOUNCED
Watch some of the best up-and-coming standup comics try out for the prestigious Just For Laughs Montreal comedy festival. For over 20 years, the Montreal festival’s New Faces of Comedy showcases have given the most promising new talent a platform to further their careers. Some of the many comedians who have previously performed on the New Faces showcases in Montreal include Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer, Ali Wong and John Mulaney. Catch some of the best new talent before they become international stars! Line-up TBC.
