Comedians' programme dropped over poor ratings

GB News has officially axed Headliners, its late-night newspaper round-up fronted by comedians.

A number of the comics who regularly appear on the daily programme have confirmed that it has been pulled with immediate effect – with last night’s show being the final one.

Regular host Leo Kearse claimed it was ‘too anarchic’ for the broadcaster – while Josh Howie said it was simply a case of not attracting enough viewers. 

The channel has always haemorrhaged money, losing more than £33million in the last year’s accounts.

Chortle first revealed Headliners' demise last month, with several of the contributors alluding to the decision on air ever since. 

Howie posted last night: ‘I was informed earlier today that with immediate effect Headliners is over. I'm gutted. I've done my best behind the scenes to argue for its continuation, but it's not my call.’

He denied the move was connected to the channel’s frequent run-ins with regulator Ofcom and all about the ratings. The watchdog is investigating complaints that Howie linked the LGBTQ community with paedophiles in one gag earlier this year.

Howie posted: ‘Ostensibly it's about numbers, and even though on radio we jumped 31% this last quarter, the TV ratings weren't increasing enough. Time will tell if this is the right direction.’

 And he also revealed that his outspoken views aired on the channel have led to his stand-up career drying up.

He added: ‘I'm going to shut up now because ironically I don't want to jeopardise [his other GB News programme] Free Speech Nation, which I consider one of the most important shows on television. It's also now my only regular employment. My advocacy against Jewhate and a spurious campaign by far-left activist groups have led to my acting agent firing me, and comedy gigs I've worked at for more than two decades not returning emails. Bring on the lawsuits!’

‘What upsets me most is my genuine love for the Headliners format. It could've worked on any channel, but it was at GB News where it found a warm home with the channel's dedication to dealing with the news in a fresh open manner, unbeholden to the accepted narratives of legacy media. I believe that the media landscape, and even public discourse will be lesser for Headliners' absence.

‘For many, we were the last show they watched at night, or the first they watched in the morning. It has a dedicated and vocal fanbase, and even with those who disagreed on various subjects, I've always been appreciative of your mutual passion for the show.’

Kearse also confirmed the news, posting: ‘I guess the cat has been some distance from the bag for a while now but it's official - Headliners is no more. 

‘I'm really proud to have helped GB News shift the Overton Window until it looks out over the green fields of Albion instead of glum communist concrete.  And I'm proud that we had conversations other channels shied away from - grooming gangs, gender ideology, anti-white racism, two-tier policing, Renaud Camus and Lucy Connolly.

‘I know there are some hysterical claims about GB News flying around but honestly, they've always treated me incredibly well, and what a privilege to be paid to have a laugh with my friends.

‘Headliners is perhaps too esoteric and anarchic for a news channel that's moved from radical upstart to  the respected mainstream.  I'll still be appearing on the channel (I'm on tonight!) and who knows what the future holds. Headliners may come back online-only.’

The preceding show on GB News – Patrick Christys Tonight – is being given an extra hour and run from 9pm to midnight to cover Headliners’ slot… and even book some of the same comedians. The new additional hour is being scheduled as a separate programme, Patrick Christys Tonight Late Edition.

Lewis Schaffer posted: ‘#Headliners has been cancelled. I loved it, I'll miss the comedians and you. Thank you for fighting for me.  I've been asked to guest on  @PatrickChristys's new hour show - tomorrow Tuesday - at 11pm on  @GBNEWS. I'm not dead!’

Another regular host, Simon Evans,  posted on X: ‘Very proud to have hosted the first and, last night, what turns out to have been the last of this great show.  It fizzed throughout with wit, robustly expressed opinion, occasional sparks of genuine friction, the lurking possibility of anarchy and good old fashioned Bantz right up to the wire. 

‘There are always many considerations facing channel controllers but for my money, the axe never fell on a greener bough. A pleasure and an honour.’

Other comedy regulars on the show, which goes out at 11pm nightly,  have included Nick Dixon, Dominic Frisby, Sajeela Kershi and Steve N Allen.

Headliners started in late 2021 and was the brainchild of comic Andrew Doyle, who was the regular host but left the channel last year to pursue new projects, including a planned new US sitcom with Father Ted creator turned anti-transgender campaigner Graham Linehan.

When the show was launched, Doyle said: ‘The difference with comedians is we tend to look at the world through a different lens. We don’t see everything as a joke or a gag, but we do look at things sideways so we often spot the irony, the paradoxes and even the absurdity of serious things.

‘Comedians are well-informed on politics and current affairs – it’s the source of a lot of our material - but critically, we’re not journalists commenting on journalism. This is the  key to making Headliners a fast-paced and witty riff on the traditional paper preview format.’

Plenty of viewers mourned the show on social media. One said: 'What a nonsense decision by GB news to abandon headliners! The news is so diabolical every day but one thing that brought a shard of daylight into my life was a news review through a comedic prism. Yet another hour of Patrick Crustys is what a golfer might call over-clubbing it.’

Another said: ‘Thanks GB News, I’m going to sleep at 11pm from now on. No more waiting up for a few giggles with the laid back Headliners crew. Why would I stay up for more of the same that you already dish up 23/7? Headliners was our only light relief & you’ve taken it off air, IDIOTS!’

And another posted: ’Totally gutted!  Loved Headliners.If ever there was a time when we needed some humour with the News, it’s now!  A very bad decision on the part of GB News management imho. Can only wish you Good Luck Josh and the same to all the others who have kept us entertained on Headliners.’

GB News – whose presenters include Nigel Farage, Jacob Rees Mogg, Lee Anderson and Eamonn Holmes - reaches just over 3million viewers a week and  is owned by a consortium including hedge fund millionaire Sir Paul Marshall  and investment firm Legatum.

Published: 10 Jun 2025