The nominees for the 2025 Leicester Comedy Festival Awards have been announced, celebrating the incredible talent showcased during the Leicester Comedy Festival and the UK Kids’ Comedy Festival. This year’s events saw record-breaking attendance, with over 23,880 tickets sold directly from the festival’s box office to 753 shows county wide.
This year’s nominees span both the Leicester Comedy Festival and The UK Kids’ Comedy Festival, showcasing an incredible array of talent. The awards ceremony will take place on 31st March in Leicester, where the winners will be celebrated. A full list of nominees is included below and the festival will also recognise on the night the Lifetime Contribution and Legend of Comedy awards.
Michael Harris-Wakelam, CEO of Big Difference, said: “2025 has been another outstanding year for our festivals, and the quality and diversity of the shows this year is evident in this list of nominees. Our fantastic community come together to help make three weeks of laughter across Leicestershire possible, supporting our charity and making the festivals a reality. The funds raised go back into supporting a range of community initiatives, workshops, and more. We look forward to celebrating the successes of this year’s festivals with all of the nominees."
Leicester Comedy Festival 2025 featured 1017 performances, with 753 shows taking place in 76 venues across Leicester and Leicestershire.
This year saw a number of sell-out performances, including Jen Brister, Josh Pugh, Rosie Jones, Nina Gilligan, John Smith, Michael Odewale, Mike Wozniak, Jessica Fostekew, Celya AB, Tony Law and Seann Walsh.
The winners of major competitions include:
- UK Pun Championships: Will B Found
- Silver Stand Up competition: Samantha Day
- Leicester Comedian of the Year: Louise Atkinson
Charlotte Laidet, Festivals & Programme Director, commented: “We’re incredibly proud of this year’s festival, which once again showcased the best of comedy in all its forms. Over the past three weeks, Leicester has been alive with comedians from all over the country—both new and established. It's been truly rewarding to see audiences having a great time, enjoying more comedy at more venues than ever, and with a diverse choice of shows available. We truly believe the festival has something for everyone. A huge thank you to our venues, promoters, staff, performers, volunteers, and partners who all play a vital role in making these festivals a success. We’re already excited about next year!”
Meanwhile, the UK Kids’ Comedy Festival 2025 featured over 65 events across 30 venues, with performances from stars like Marcel Lucont, The Mighty Kids Beatbox, Iszi Lawrence, Britain’s Got Talent finalist Abi Carter-Simpson, Olaf Falafel (winner of Leicester Comedy Festival’s Best Kids Show in 2024), and many more.
The festival also worked with five local schools as over 100 students performed comedy for the first time at The Y Theatre as part of its Loving Laughing initiative.
The festival delivered eight joke spots, attracting hundreds of young participants, and 22 young people (aged 11-18) spent their half-term at Laugh Academy workshops developing their stand-up and performance skills.
Chris Butler, Producer of The UK Kids’ Comedy Festival, said: “We’re delighted to be able to present The UK Kids’ Comedy Festival, bringing the best in children’s and family comedy to Leicestershire each year. Thousands of families enjoy the shows, make memories, and laugh together. Through initiatives like Loving Laughing, Joke Spot, and Laugh Academy, we gave hundreds of children and young people their first taste of comedy performance. And of course, we made sure to embarrass plenty of dads along the way! The festival would not be possible without the support of our acts, venues, promoters, volunteers, facilitators, partners, and audiences, and we remain incredibly grateful for their contributions. We can’t wait to see what next year brings!”.
The full list of awards nominations are below:
- Best Small Venue
Black Horse Laughter Loft
- Duffy’s
- Firebug
- Phoenix
- Real Ale Classroom
- The Big Difference
- Best Large Venue
- Curve Studio
- De Montfort Hall
- Harborough Market Hall
- Just The Tonic at Hansom Hall
- Sue Townsend Theatre
- The Y Theatre
- Best New Venue
- Inside No9
- Leicester Cathedral
- The International
- The Old Plough
- The Wheatsheaf Inn
- Tonne
- Best Kids Show
- Benny Shakes: Slugageddon!
- Christiaan Hendriksen: Treeeeee
- ComedySportz UK
- Dr Jones Funny Bones
- Mr Sleepybum's Dream Machine
- Robin Morgan: Cool Story Bro (A Family-Friendly Comedy Show)
- Best Variety Show
- Improv Comedy from Box of Frogs
- Katie Pritchard: I Kiss The Music
- Lucy Pearman: Lunartic (WIP)
- Pull My Goldfinger
- Steffen Haanes and Greg Lass: The Ritual
- The Great Divinator: Touched By The Spirits
- Best New Show
- Amy Annette: Work In Progress
- Andy Barr The Rising Star's Hotly-Anticipated 4th Debut Hour
- Barry Ferns: My 7 Years as Lionel Richie
- Bilal Zafar: New Show
- Helen Bauer: Work In Progress
- Jon Wagstaffe: Look at The Council Estate Of Him
- Best Debut Show
- Hasan Al-Habib: Death to the West Midlands
- Kyrah Gray: Work in Progress
- Max Fulham: Work In Progress
- Mike Keenan : Impossible Dream
- Omar Badawy: Culture Cuck
- The Mayor and His Daughter: A Genuine Appreciation of Comedy
- Best Show
- Andrew White: Young, Gay and a Third Thing
- Christian Dart: GUMSHOE!
- Katie Norris: Farm Fatale
- Michael Shafar: Well Worth the Chemo
- Ray O'Leary: Your Laughter Is Just Making Me Stronger
- Sam Nicoresti: Baby Doomer
- Audience Choice
- 14/48 Takeover
- A Very Serious Detective Play
- Accident Avoidance Training for Cutlery Users: Advanced & Improvers
- Laura Monmoth: Diary of A Wimpy's Kid
- Lucas Jefcoate: Will He Won't He, Can't He Auntie?
- Olaf Falafel’s Stupidest Super Stupid Show So Far
- Best Poster
- Graeme Rayner: KrowdWerk
- Jake Donaldson: Spectacle
- Katie Davison: 60 Minute Millionaire
- Keep It Clean: Family Comedy Club
- Sikisa: Lady Justice
- Liberty Award
- BBC Radio Leicester
- BID Leicester
- The Worst Record Cover of the World Exhibition
- Welly’s Work Place & Sunny Skies Community Café
- Best Promoter
- Den of Laughs
- Foxy Comedy
- Jokes on Us
- Just the Tonic
- TripleCeePee
- Tracey Miller Community Award
- Leicestershire Archeological & Historical Society
- Menphys
- Pedestrian
- Soft Touch Arts
- Warning Zone Life Skills Centre
- Welly’s Work Place & Sunny Skies Community Café
- Student of the Year
- Abbie Bishop
- Dillan Hawes
- Lavinia Durea
- Livy Mularczyk
- Paige Billings
- Zak Hayter
- Business Contribution
- Arriva
- BID Leicester
- Everards
- Howes Percival LLP
- The Rowleys Partnership
- Versatile
- Contribution to LCF25
- Attenborough Arts Centre
- Broom Leys Primary School
- Cool As Leicester
- Juice Creative Design
