© Rachel Sherlock Blessed by fests
Events announced in London, Blackpool, Shrewsbury and more
30/04/2025 … A number of UK towns and cities have announced comedy festivals in the run-up to the Edinburgh Fringe.
2025 Archives
Wed 30 April 2025
© Rachel Sherlock 
© Associated Press / Alamy Stock Photo Bradley Cooper’s new film is based on John Bishop's life
All about the night he first tried stand-up while recoiling from a divorce
30/04/2025 … Bradley Cooper’s new film is based on the life of John Bishop, one of its stars has revealed.
Lou Sanders: I've spent £20k a year on my cats
30/04/2025 … Lou Sanders has revealed she spends up to £20,000 a year on her cats – including a pet psychic.
Comic Strip Presents… comes to the Edinburgh Fringe
Peter Richardson holds retrospective shows
30/04/2025 … Peter Richardson is reviving his Comic Strip Presents… brand for a series of gigs at the Edinburgh Fringe.
© BBC Fatiha El-Ghorri heads new series of BBC comedy pilots
Others feature the likes of Elaine C. Smith and Ladhood’s Karan Gill
30/04/2025 … The BBC are to release a new series of comedy pilots featuring the likes of Fatiha El-Ghorri, Elaine C.
Simon Bird to direct a wartime comedy
About a couple hiding a Jewish salesman from the Nazis
30/04/2025 … Simon Bird is to direct a comedy film about a couple who offer refuge to a Jewish perfume salesman during the Second World War.
Tue 29 April 2025
Which comedian's voice was sampled on the EMF hit song Unbelievable?
29/04/2025 … Test your comedy knowledge with our weekly multiple-choice trivia quiz, compiled – as always – by broadcaster and comedy historian Hayden Parker.
New agent for Samira Banks
29/04/2025 … Samira Banks has signed up to the Blue Book comedy agency.