Would-be acts raise sponsorship for charity instead...

Comedian Tom Short has launched a series of free stand-up training sessions in aid of charity.

Comedy Train for Charity will give complete beginners eight weeks of professional coaching before they perform in a charity showcase. The course is free, with participants instead asked to raise sponsorship for good causes.

It launches first in London, Manchester and Birmingham, with applications now open. The first charity showcases are planned for later this year.

Short, who is from Salford, came up with the idea after a similar training programme run by Ultra Comedy  came to an end.  

He said: ’Comedy changed my life, and I want to make it easier for other people to discover what it’s capable of. Comedy Train for Charity is about giving people the confidence to do something they never thought possible while raising money for fantastic causes. 

‘At the same time, Gig Train is about giving comedians practical tools to help them build sustainable careers. Both projects come from the same place: making comedy more accessible.’

Short has taught hundreds of aspiring comedians over the past decade. working with the University of Salford and Ultra Comedy.

He has also just launched Gig Train, an app intended to help comedians manage their careers, keeping track of gigs, opportunities and career development.

Applications for Comedy Train for Charity can be made at www.comedytrain.lol.

Published: 2 Aug 2026