Reb Day and Joel Walker also placed

 Madeleine Brettingham has become the 38th winner of the So You Think You're Funny? comedy newcomer competition. 

Reb Day and Joel Walker came second and third place respectively, coming out top from over 435 initial applications..

 Brettingham, who lives in London, is a writer-turned-performer who, after years of avoiding the spotlight, tried stand-up when a famous comedian appeared in a dream and told her to.

Also taking part in tonight’s final were:  Noni, Oro Rose, Peter Josip, Qasim Akhtar, Rachel Porter, Sean Chalmers and Valeria Vulpe

Katy and Karen Koren, artistic directors of  the Gilded Balloon which runs the competition said in a statement:  ‘Huge congratulations to Madeleine Brettingham - 2025's fantastic winner of So You Think You're Funny?

‘This year's competition was extremely competitive with over 435 applications, so it's an outstanding feat for these 10 finalists from across the UK to have made it this far and perform in front of our sold out crowd tonight.

;A massive thank you to every comic who entered the competition this year, and all our esteemed judges who joined us at heats across the UK to ensure we could provide a platform to some of the very best new up-and-coming comedians in the country. We've all been blown away by the talent on display tonight and we're sure they will go on to do wonderful things!’

Celebrity guest judge Doon Mackichan, pictured above with Brettingham, said, ‘I'm absolutely bowled over and amazed at the talent tonight - it was a really difficult decision and such a high standard. I laughed at every single person, but we had to make a decision. This is brutal - it's worse than The Voice and X Factor!’

Other judges included journalists Arusa Qureshi and Bruce Dessau, plus Katy and Karen Koren.

Since it began in 1988, So You Think You're Funny? has kick-started the careers of dozens of the country's top comics including Dylan Moran, Peter Kay, Maisie Adam, Rhod Gilbert, Tommy Tiernan.

Published: 21 Aug 2025