Samantha Day has been crowned winner of the Silver Stand-Up competition at Leicester Comedy Festival.

The event, established in 2021, aims to celebrate comedians aged 55+, both established and up and coming.

Day was a tax accountant for 30 years before turning to stand-up in 2020

She said of today’s gig: ‘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!’

Also taking part were Julie Metcalfe, Kevin Hudson, Kevin O’Brien, Lubna Kerr, Mark Ahier, Mark Vincent and SJ Wyatt, all hosted by Barbara Nice

Charlotte Laidet of 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 us, 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.’