Update: 30/11: full line-up now announced. See below.
Romesh Ranganathan & Josh Widdicombe are to headline a major gig to mark 25 years of the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year. Both have previously won the competition.
The show will be a highlight of the Leicester Comedy Festival which will be launched on Thursday 1st November with the publication of the main brochure and website. The 25thAnniversary show will take place on Tuesday 19th February at De Montfort Hall, Leicester, and tickets priced £25 will go on sale on 1st November at 10am from www.comedy-festival.co.uk
Joining Romesh & Josh for the 25th anniversary show will be previous nominees and winners. The show is a fundraising show for both the festival and the charity Big Difference Company, which produces Leicester Comedy Festival and a number of community projects throughout the year. The charity use comedy and humour to engage with individuals and communities across the region, and past projects have focused on improving health & wellbeing.
The Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Competition has taken place each February since 1995 and has been called “the barometer of the UK comedy scene”. The show has always taken place at The Y Theatre, based in Leicester city centre. The first ever winner of the competition Stevie Knuckles disappeared without trace after being crowned back in 1995. In previous years the Festival has tried to track him down, but have failed to find him, or find out whether he ever performed stand-up comedy after winning the title.
Since then, the nominees and winners read like a “who’s who” of the UK comedy circuit. Winners have included Johnny Vegas, Jo Enright, Jason Manford, Rhod Gilbert, Kate Lucas, Tom Lucy and nominees have included Jimmy Carr, Greg Davies, Reg D Hunter, Jack Whitehall and Rob Beckett. The 1999 winner is now a Leicester City Councillor; Patrick Kitterick won the competition after competing against 10 comedians including a young Darrell Martin, comedian and promoter of Just The Tonic Comedy Clubs.
Geoff Rowe, founding Director of Leicester Comedy Festival, said “we’re really excited to mark the 25th anniversary of Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Competition with this massive show as part of Leicester Comedy Festival 2019. To continue to have the support of past winners, including Romesh and Josh, is fantastic and we’re really grateful to them for agreeing to come and headline the show which will feature past nominees and winners and a few additional special guests! We’re delighted to be presenting the show in partnership with Leicester Mercury who have supported the competition since the very beginning. To continue to have their 100% support after such a long time is fantastic and this show will be a real celebration of us supporting comedy talent over the past 25 years. Leicester Comedy Festival 2019 is going to be massive and we will announce the full programme on 1st November when the brochure will be published and tickets for all shows go on sale.”
The Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year is unique in that comedians are not able to enter themselves to the competition. Nominees are invited to enter by a network of UK comedy promoters who put forward their suggestions for comedians, narrowed down by Festival producers. The competition is judged each year by a panel of industry professionals including agents, journalist, managers and the Editor of the Leicester Mercury.
The Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Competition 2019 will take place on Saturday 23rd February at The Y, East Street, Leicester. Tickets will be on sale when the full festival programme is launched on 1st November. Further details are available by visiting www.comedy-festival.co.uk
Full line up joining Romesh, Josh and host Charlie Baker on the night:
Henry Paker – 2008 Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year winner
“One of the funniest men on the planet” The Guardian
Seann Walsh – 2009 Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year winner
“Unquestionably the best observational comic of his generation” The Guardian
Suzi Ruffell – 2011 Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year nominee
“Full of energy, charm and well-told stories” www.chortle.co.uk
Matt Rees – 2012 Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year winner
“Comedian to watch" The Times
Grainne Maguire – 2013 Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year nominee
As seen on The News Quiz, 8 Out of 10 Cats, The Last Leg
Kate Lucas – 2014 Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year winner
“Delightfully crude, gleefully nasty” www.chortle.co.uk
Tom Little – 2015 Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year winner
“Hilarious” The Mirror
Tom Lucy – 2016 Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year winner
“The best new comedian I've seen in ages. Believe the hype, this guy is hilarious.” Jack Whitehall
Jack Gleadow – 2018 Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year winner
“An absolute natural” www.chortle.co.uk
Click here for a list of previous Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year winners.
