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The Â鶹Éç Comedy Festival took place in Liverpool on Wednesday 13 - Thursday 14 May 2026. Find out more about the sessions and events below.

**Wednesday 13 May

Royal Court Theatre, 1 Roe Street, Liverpool, L1 1HL

5pm: Arrivals

5.15-5.25pm: Â鶹Éç Comedy Festival Welcome

Cue trumpeters! Cue fireworks! Cue dry ice! Cue dancing Beefeaters! A spectacular opening ceremony sees Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy at the Â鶹Éç, don his traditional garb to welcome everyone to this year’s Â鶹Éç Comedy Festival, kicking off a packed programme of sessions, screenings and conversations celebrating the very best of UK comedy.

5.25 – 6.15pm: Diane Morgan in conversation

Revered for her razor sharp wit, deadpan delivery and unmistakable comedic perspective, Diane Morgan - best known for her iconic characters such as Philomena Cunk, Mandy, Liz from Motherland, Kath from After Life, and the voice at the end of the Zoopla ads - is joined by Gavanndra Hodge for a conversation about her creative process, career journey, and the craft of building unforgettable characters.

6.30-7.30pm: Ann Droid episode one screening + Q&A with Diane Morgan and Sue Johnston

Take a step two weeks into the future into the world of Ann Droid with an exclusive first look at episode one of this brilliantly offbeat new comedy created by Diane Morgan, who, if all is going well, will still be on stage from the last session. After the screening, stick around for a special Q&A with Diane Morgan and co star/national treasure Sue Johnston as they chat about making the show and building its wonderfully eccentric characters - with a particular focus on how cold it was when they were filming it, and what great comic actors do to keep warm.

This screening will not be subtitled. Live captioning is available if requested by email in advance.

8-9.30pm: Â鶹Éç Comedy Festival Stand-up!

Join us for an evening of world class stand up featuring a line up of incredible comedians from across the UK including MC Adam Rowe, Fatiha El Ghorri, Sam Nicoresti, Michael Odewale, Emer Maguire, Eli Hart, Alana Jackson and Mike Bubbins. 

8.30-9.45pm: Â鶹Éç Comedy Festival Short Film Night

FACT 88 Wood St, Liverpool L1 4DQ

We’re back again for the fifth year in a row. Why not ease yourself into the festival with a night of top tier comedy short films? Stick around afterwards for drinks, the perfect chance to mingle, chat and give the filmmakers your uncensored opinion on aspect ratios. 

Short films will not be subtitled. Live captioning is available if requested by email in advance.

**Thursday 14 May - Main stage

Royal Court Theatre, 1 Roe Street, Liverpool, L1 1HL

10-11am: Â鶹Éç (Commissioning) Breakfast

Wake up and smell the Kate Phillips offee! Â鶹Éç Chief Content Officer Kate Phillips is joined by the Commissioners of Comedy across the Nations and English regions, and teams from Audiences and Audio, to share key insights into Â鶹Éç Comedy’s current priorities, commissioning approach and upcoming opportunities. This session will provide a clear overview of how the Â鶹Éç is developing and supporting comedy talent nationwide, and how creators can best connect with commissioning teams working across all platforms. 

11.30am-12.15pm: Comedy: The Good News

The world might be on fire, but comedy is having a moment and it’s time to celebrate how brilliant this creative community is. Join Heads of Comedy Alex Moody (Sky), Charlie Perkins (Channel 4), Jon Petrie (Â鶹Éç) and Nana Hughes (ITV) as they discuss the hits, the breakthroughs, and what’s actually cutting through right now. It’s part panel, part news desk, part group therapy but fun. Hosted by the consistently insightful and charismatic Ash Atalla.

12.45 – 1.30pm: Double Vision

Step inside the creative engine room as Director Christine Gernon hosts a lively and revealing conversation with Ruth Jones and James Corden about how writers and directors bring stories to life together. From first drafts to final cuts, this session delves into the alchemy of collaboration - how ideas evolve, how vision is shared (or challenged), and how the best comedy emerges when three creative minds push, question and inspire each other. Expect insider anecdotes, practical wisdom, and a candid look at what really makes a writer–director partnership thrive.

2-2.45pm: Characterland: Making Comedy Ensembles Work

How many funny characters do you need for a comedy to succeed? One seems the bare minimum, 396 is probably too many - there just aren’t enough names for them all. Somewhere in the middle of those two extremes is the right number and here to work the sweet spot - and reveal the secrets of making them all be funny in a room near each other - are three writers with a strong track record in comedies with lots of funny characters: Holly Walsh (Amandaland, Motherland, The Other One), Larry Rickard (Ghosts) and Helen Serafinowicz (Motherland, Amandaland) to explore the creation of comedy characters that people will love, and love laughing at.

3.15-4pm: From Sketches to Sting Operations

From sketch comedy roots on Famalam to undercover operations on Black Ops, Akemnji Ndifornyen and Gbemisola Ikumelo are two comic voices who’ve helped push the dial and won BAFTAs in the process. They take to the stage to unpack their comedy journeys so far, discussing building characters, creating their own work, and navigating an industry that increasingly rewards those who make things happen for themselves. Hosted by John Macmillan.

4.30-5.30pm: Lee Mack: Still Going Out

Lee Mack is one of Britain’s foremost comedians, known for entertaining the nation in Would I Lie to You? and, of course, his sitcom Not Going Out, which has been running for 20 years this autumn. He talks to Boffola supremo Shane Allen about how he writes Not Going Out, and how he has periodically reinvented it to keep it fresh over two decades.

6-7pm: Alison Steadman in Conversation

Alison Steadman has been at the heart of British comedy and drama for over five decades. From the gloriously awkward genius of Abigail’s Party to beloved roles in Gavin & Stacey, Nuts in May and beyond, her performances have helped define the nation’s sense of humour. In this special in conversation session hosted by Ruth Jones, Alison reflects on an extraordinary career spanning stage, screen and radio. Expect candid stories, sharp observations and behind the scenes insights - a rare chance to hear from one of the UK’s most cherished performers.

7.15-8.15pm: Sir Michael Palin in Conversation

Monty Python. Ripping Yarns. Time Bandits. The Missionary. Brazil. A Fish Called Wanda. Small Prophets – no one has a comedy CV as long and as illustrious as Sir Michael Palin. Even though he has taken several gap years to go travelling. Talking to Sir Michael this evening - it’s The Bishop! John Bishop. Together they’ll delve into Palin’s remarkable career - from his iconic work with Monty to his acclaimed travel documentaries and writing. Expect laughter, insight and, yes, for once, the Spanish Inquisition.  

**Thursday 14 May - Studio stage

Royal Court Theatre, 1 Roe Street, Liverpool, L1 1HL

11.20am-12.05pm: Casting: The Insider’s Guide

What makes the perfect comedy cast? And how do you find them? Comedy casting experts lift the lid on the world of casting - if a world can be said to be under a lid. Host Ngunan Adamu is joined by Casting Director Emma Garrett, Open Call Founder and Actor David Mumeni, Producer Extraordinaire Hannah Moulder and Special Agent Isaac storm as they dig into the art, the chaos and the sheer joy of finding the right people to make funny things even funnier.

12.35-1.20pm: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (It’ll Be On YouTube)

This panel explores how a new generation of comedy talent is bypassing traditional routes like broadcast TV and the Edinburgh Fringe, breaking through and building their own models. Bringing together platform‑native creators, fan‑funded comedians and independent producers including Jimmy Mulville, Max Fosh, Jake Bhardwaj and Kelly Van Valkenburg, we’ll look at how these artists grow audiences first and develop new revenue models outside traditional commissions. What can commissioners learn from creators already succeeding online? The panel will also touch on one of the biggest challenges for producers entering this space: funding!

1.50-2.35pm: Stand-up Storytelling: From Stage To Sound

In this session, join the commissioner of Â鶹Éç Radio 4 and Â鶹Éç Sounds Stand-Up Specials, Julia McKenzie, Social Media manager for Â鶹Éç Radio 4, Michael Pearson and comics Scott Bennett, Kiri Pritchard McLean and Slim as they explore what happens when live comedy leaps into your headphones and what it takes to convey a twinkle in the eye when no one can see you. They will dig into structure, rhythm and crafting stand‑up for the listener, as well as a few tips on getting this sort of work commissioned. Expect sharp insights, behind‑the‑mic secrets, and some laughs.

3.05-3.50pm: Just Enough Cooks

What’s a good button for this scene? How can we punch up this dialogue? And most importantly, where shall we go for lunch? These are the crucial questions asked in every writer’s room. In this session, host Jessica Knappett is joined by Thara Popoola, Shannon Welby, Charlie Coombes and Michael Odewale to demystify the theory and practice of the writers’ room. Perfect for emerging writers and performers.

4.20-5.20pm: Three Page Comedy Challenge

Can you judge a script from the first three pages? Three writers are about to find out. Each writer performs the opening of their script in front of three industry gurus - Amandaland’s Holly Walsh, Simon ‘Funboy’ Mayhew-Archer and Â鶹Éç Studios’ Maddy Addy. The panel then give live, constructive feedback on the three pages: would they like to see more? Hosted by the firm but fair Â鶹Éç Comedy Commissioner Navi Lamba.

5.45pm: Comedy and Climate Change. Wait! Keep Reading!

OKRE have spent the last year talking to writers, performers, commissioners, producers and scientists about how comedy can take on climate without bumming everyone out - and they’re here to share this red-hot intel with YOU.

Drop by our stall 9:30am-1:30pm, learn the secret of climate comedy, and pitch us an idea in our Legends of Comedy Climate Tombola Challenge.

Then, join us in the Studio from 5.45pm to see the ideas everyone’s submitted throughout the day.

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