Broadcaster to host fundraising interview with Graeme Garden

Broadcaster Samira Ahmed has become a patron of Bristol’s Slapstick festival of classic screen comedy.

She joins comics Rob Brydon and Michael Palin, Aardman animation founders Peter Lord and Dave Sproxton and animator Nick Park, plus  Suzanne Lloyd, granddaughter of the silent movie star Harold Lloyd.

Ahmed’s first appearance at a Slapstick event since accepting the role will be at St George’s Bristol on Sunday October 4 when she opens a trio of back-to-back festival fund-raisers by interviewing Graeme Garden about his six decades long comedy career.

Graeme Garden: Still Clueless After All These Years show will be followed by keyboard legend, Rick Wakeman, also a patron, sharing anecdotes from his years as a rock star and playing live to a favourite Laurel & Hardy film.

The day concludes with Rick joining his friend Griff Rhys Jones for a chat.

Festival director Chris Daniels says: 'Running a festival like ours, combining film, live music and special guests, becomes more expensive year on year due to increased venue hire costs and higher payments for film/TV rights, insurance, specialist kit and so on. 

‘This means we’re delighted our patrons are rallying to help us fund-raise for Slapstick 2027 and thrilled, too, for audiences as these will be unique events, repeated nowhere else ever.'

Tickets for all three shows are on sale here, priced from £10.

Published: 7 Sep 2026