Will Arnett comes to Liverpool for Is This Thing On?

John Bishop was reunited with the team behind the comedy club where he made his first stand-up performance on Saturday.

The comic posed with Dave Perkin, founder of Manchester’s Frog And Bucket, and his daughter Jess Toomey, who now runs it, at a red-carpet screening of Is This Thing On? in Liverpool. 

Dave Perkin, John Bishop, Mick Ferry and Will Arnett

Fellow stand-up and Frog regular Mick Ferry was also in the picture and they were joined by the film’s star, Will Barnett, for other shots.

The movie, directed by Bradley Cooper,  is based on Bishop’s story of wandering into the venue on a whim while his marriage was falling apart – and agreeing to go on stage at the open mic night to avoid paying the entrance fee. 

A year later his estranged wife Melanie happened to go to the club and saw him on stage, which served as a pivotal moment in their reconciliation, now Bishop had reinvigorated their life.

John and Melanie Bishop with their sons Joe and Daniel, and Arnett

Saturday’s special screening at the Liverpool Everyman came after  Arnett and Bishop watched Liverpool beat Burnley at Anfield. Both are lifelong supporters of the club.

Saturday's screening drew a mix of footballers and entertainers, with former Liverpool players John Barnes and Jamie Carragher joining comedians Jason Manford and Johnny Vegas.

John Bishop and Jason Manford

Johhny Vegas and guest

John and Andrea Barnes

Co-writer Mark Chappell and producer Kris Thykier were also there.

Is This Thing On? opens in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on January 30.

Bishop and Arnett

Published: 19 Jan 2026