Four stand-up competition finals in five days

The week's best live comedy

The best of the week's live comedy. Use Chortle's search panel to check out our full listings of 5,555 events by date and region.

Sunday December 12

GLASGOW: The Scottish Comedian Of The Year will be crowned at the Rotunda tonight. Only one woman, Icelandic-born Bylgja Babylons, pictured, is in the running for the £2,000 prize. The contest is open to comedians at any level and the other finalists are MC Hammersmith, Darius Davis, Iain Hume, Richard Pulsford, Mark Black, Ralph Brown, Liam Farrelly, Thomas Elvin and Ross Leslie.

PLYMOUTH: Bill Bailey is back on the road with his new show En Route To Normal – a title he apparently came up with even before Covid. As the show’s evolved, he now considers such subjects as human resilience during tough times and isolation, which has given him a better appreciation of the sounds of nature. He’s at the Plymouth Pavilions tonight and tomorrow, and Bournemouth Cardiff and Leeds over the rest of the week. Bill Bailey tour dates

Monday December 13

LONDON: The second new act competition of the week will see the Leicester Square New Comedian of the Year crowned at the theatre of that very same name. Taking part are Andrew Nolan, Ania Magliano, Ashish Suri, Chelsea Birkby, Chris Nelson Dan Tiernan, Dee Allum, Freya Mallard, Karen Hobbs, Matty Hutson, Michael May, Sachin Kumarendran, Sam Nicoresti, Sergi Polo, Tamsyn Kelly. It’s also being streamed if you can’t get to Central London. Tickets

LONDON: And not so far away in The Carpenter’s Arms, near Marble Arch, the West End New Act Of The Year final will be contested by Caroline Kennedy, Steve Mclean, Victoria Shortley, Lily Rose Grant, Bez Ely, David Wilder, Will Cannon, Nate Sloan, Will Davies, Tim Reeves, Charlie Bowers.

LONDON: What says Christmas more than an idiot smashing loads of eggs? Natalie Palamides returns to the Soho Theatre for a reprise of her gloriously messy and silly 2017 Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning show Laid. It runs through to January 8. Review

Tuesday December 14

LONDON: Bridget Christie performs her multi-layered new show, Who Am I? - all about the menopause, sexism and politics - at the Leicester Square Theatre every night until Saturday. Review.

LONDON: Darren Harriott, Iain Stirling, Maisie Adam, Suzi Ruffell and Tom Allen perform a benefit at the Comedy Store in aid of Spread a Smile, the charity which brings joy and laughter to seriously ill and hospitalised children and their families during long hospital stays.

BIRMINGHAM: A big gig at the Town Hall boasts the very impressive line-up of Phil Wang David O'Doherty Lou Sanders and John Robins, all of whom are familiar figures on TV and radio. Tickets. And the same team are at the Bath Forum tomorrow. Tickets

Wednesday December 15

LONDON: Streaming service NextUp host another of the nights at the Comedy Store. Subscribers can tune in from home for free, but for a tenner it’s excellent value for an in-person gig as Thanyia Moore introduces Felicity Ward, Jack Barry, Nigel Ng, Noise Next Door and Tom Ward

Thursday December 16

HAVANT: Yet another new act final! The South Coast Comedian Of The Year will be decided at The Spring, and it’s between James Ellis, James Danielewski, Daniel Foxx, Nicholas Everritt, Kate McGann, Jack Abela, Ashish Scientist Suri and Graeme Collard. Another male-dominated line-up, it must be noted…