National digital radio station Union JACK has announced a collaboration with NextUp Comedy; widely billed as “the Netflix of UK stand-up comedy” as a result of its comedy-focused streaming service. Driving Comedy, which launches next Monday, 5 October and will broadcast daily from 4pm to 7pm every Monday to Friday, will offer listeners nationwide the chance to hear vintage and contemporary stand-up comedy from some of the country's most acclaimed comedians.
On Driving Comedy, listeners can expect to hear original stand-up content recorded at renowned comedy club Jongleurs by comedians including Andy Parsons, Rhona Cameron, Omid Djalili, Marcus Brigstocke (pictured) and Ed Byrne; alongside contemporary content created by NextUp Comedy and featuring new talent such as Maisie Adam, Scott Bennett, Daliso Chaponda, Laura Lexx and Kiri Pritchard-McLean (pictured). Some of Union JACK radio’s original content, such as Brian Blessed’s Bedtime Stories – a range of off-the-wall fairytales recreated by the legendary actor Brian Blessed – will also be interwoven, providing listeners with a completely original and hugely entertaining comedic experience during the traditional drivetime period (4pm to 7pm).
The launch of Driving Comedy is a build on Union JACK’s #StandUpToCorona offering, which was created to entertain listeners in the midst of the national lockdown earlier this year whilst also giving comedians a national platform to broadcast their content at a time when gigs, events and tours were tragically cancelled.
Giles Gear, Programme Manager at Union JACK radio, said: “The comedy industry is having to adapt to the new normal, with many turning to pop up ‘drive in’ shows – so we thought we’d join in the fun with Driving Comedy! NextUp Comedy has helped to revolutionise the way that stand-up comedy can be consumed, so we’re very excited to collaborate with them to bring their hilarious comedy content to Union JACK radio.”
Union JACK Radio has quickly cemented its reputation as the ‘Home of Great British Comedy on the Radio’ with a sustained investment and a strategic focus on British comedy, playing clips of classic comedy and investing in up-and-coming talent and formats, whilst also extending the reach of some of the nation’s most-loved comedy events, including Leicester Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The station became the fastest growing commercial radio station in the UK in 2019, and today boasts 180,000 weekly listeners.
