The annual Silver Stand-Up competition for more mature comedians made its return to Leicester Comedy Festival on 13 February with a night of laughter. 

Samantha Day was crowned winner. The other finalists were:

Julie Metcalfe

Kevin Hudson

Kevin O’Brien

Lubna Kerr

Mark Ahier

Mark Vincent

SJ Wyatt

Since 2012 the Silver Stand-Up competition has become a fixture of Leicester Comedy Festival, celebrating the sharp wit of comedians aged 55+, both established and up and coming.

The final was hosted Mrs. Barbara Nice, who gained national attention with her appearance on Britain’s Got Talent, with the judging panel including Kevin Daniel (winner of Silver Stand Up 2024), Susanna Clark (Ingenious Fools) and Liam Deacy (LAMP -Leicestershire Action for Mental Health Project).

The Silver Stand-Up competition is an important platform for older comedians. British comedy legend Alexei Sayle, who has long been an advocate for diversity in comedy, hailed the event as “A good thing – providing an antidote to all the young upstarts taking over the comedy scene.”

This year’s event was another reminder that comedy knows no age limits.

Winner Samantha Day said, “The night was lovely, the audience was supportive, and I was really surprised that I won. I have been doing comedy for five years, and while I qualified for the Silver Stand-Up last year, I didn’t have the courage to go through with it. It took me 12 months to build up the confidence!”. 

Charlotte Laidet, Festivals and Programme Director at Big Difference, the charity behind Leicester Comedy Festival, said, “Comedy is often perceived as an industry for young people, and older comedians frequently face challenges in accessing the same opportunities, whether they've just started later in life or have been performing for years. For Big Difference Company and Leicester Comedy Festival, it is very important to show that comedy is for everyone, at any age, and to support and highlight the talent of these brilliant acts aged over 55.”