Manford's Comedy Festival

Jason Manford has today announced that Joel Dommett will host the Sunday night of the highly anticipated second ever Manford’s Comedy Festival, joined by top comedians Bill Bailey, Suzi Ruffell, Reginald D. Hunter and Dan Nightingale. The festival will take place at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens between Friday 1-3 May 2020.

Manford’s Comedy Festival kicks off on Friday 1 May and will see Jason Manford host with sets from Jasper Carrott, Angelos Epithemiou, Tez Ilyas and Rich Hall.

Saturday 2 May opens with a fun afternoon comedy show suitable for all the family, featuring juggler, unicyclist, magician and comedian Martin Mor, comedian and musician Duncan Oakley and one-man variety show Jack Gleadow.

Russell Kane will host the Saturday evening show, joined by Dara O’Briain, Sara Pascoe, Zoe Lyons and Marlon Davis.

After the great success of the first ever New Act of the Year Competition in 2019, Manford’s Comedy Club will once again be searching the country for the next big star and hosting the 2020 semi-final at the festival.

For tickets: www.manfordscomedyclub.com  /  www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk

JOEL DOMMETT

 ‘Excellent storytelling comic’ – The Guardian

‘Young, sharp and clever’ – The Sunday Times   

‘Simply hilarious and highly recommended’ – ThreeWeeks

Joel burst onto the comedy scene in 2007 and quickly established himself as one of the most energetic and exciting comedians. He has become a regular face on TV, from being a finalist in 2016’s ‘I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!’. After his success on the show, he went on to host the spin off show ‘I’m a Celebrity Extra Camp’ on ITV2.  Joel presented the show for 3years.

The last few years have seen Joel host shows as diverse as ITV2 dating show ‘Singletown’ and Celebrity quiz show ‘Hey Tracey’!

Most recently Joel has taken on the hosting duties for the UK version of the worldwide smash hit ‘The Masked Singer’ on ITV1.  It has already become a huge hit attracting audiences of over 6 million each Saturday night.

Joel also released his first book ‘It’s Not Me, It’s Them’ in 2018, which recounts his past relationships in pursuit of love. The book quickly went on to become a Sunday Times Bestseller.

BILL BAILEY

“Bailey cuts a world-beating swathe all of his own…absolutely genius on so many levels”
– Evening Standard

Bill Bailey is a multi-award-winning British comedian, songwriter, musician, actor, presenter and animal welfare campaigner. His extensive career ranges from international stand-up comedy tours to performing on television, film and radio, duetting at HRH Prince Charles’ 60th birthday with Robin Williams, and performing at the Royal Albert Hall with a full BBC Concert Orchestra. He played Manny in the BAFTA award winning ‘Black Books’, and was, for many years, team captain on the popular BBC music panel show, ‘Never Mind the Buzzcocks’. He is a regular panelist on the hit BBC panel show ‘QI’, writes and presents numerous TV wildlife documentaries, and has recently filmed the comedy drama ‘In The Long Run’ created by Idris Elba.

Expect to be entertained by Bill's trademark blend of satire and surrealism, stories and dismantled jokes, crowd sing-alongs, weird instruments and musical showstoppers.  

SUZI RUFFELL

Regarded as one of best up and coming acts, Suzi won Best Club Comic at the 2019 Chortle Awards.  It has been a busy few years for Suzi with four sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Festival resulting in her recording her show Keeping It Classy for Live From The BBC which was released last summer and a

clip racking up over 16 million views on Facebook. Her shows receive critical acclaim and have nabbed her the working-class comedy crown of her generation. Suzi has most recently appeared on Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, Roast Battle, Ultimate Worrier, Hypothetical, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, The Comedy Bus, Stand Up Central, Harry Hill’s ClubNite and Suzi Ruffell Live From The Comedy Store.

Suzi is also a regular on BBC Radio 4 including News Quiz and The Now Show as well as co-hosting the hit podcast Like Minded Friends with Tom Allen.

Last year also saw Suzi tour Australia as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow.  She is back on the road touring her brand-new show Dance Like Everyone Is Watching which was in the top ten best reviewed shows of the Edinburgh Festival in 2019.

REGINALD D HUNTER

“Reginald D Hunter joins the top rank of stand-up comedians working today…a comedian going for broke, flying in the face of received opinion in a way that is simply exhilarating……this is comedy of a rare scope” **** - Times

“Compelling onstage charisma…a towering presence in absolute control” **** - Evening Standard

Since his arrival in the UK, Reginald’s searingly honest observations both onstage and on TV have garnered him a cross-generational fan base. His TV appearances have included ‘Have I Got News For You?’, and two series of the BBC2’s hugely popular ‘Reginald D Hunter’s Songs Of The South & Songs of The Border’, documenting Reginald’s epic road trip through 150 years of American popular song. 

Reginald’s career in Comedy comes of age this year as he enters his twenty-first year of performing in the UK. During that time he has become one of the Comedy industry’s best-known performers for his distinctive take on the most diverse range of subjects.  His work can be brutally honest and is often considered to be controversial but it is always meticulously thought out and he has never been afraid to face challenging issues head on even when the focus is on his own principles or beliefs.

 DAN NIGHTINGALE

“Magnetic, entertaining and wonderfully friendly” – Three Weeks

“It is his powers of observation that make him so entertaining. Outrageously funny” – Keeping up with NZ

Dan Nightingale is widely regarded as one of the best performers working on the comedy circuit today. He headlines all the major comedy clubs in the UK, won Best Act at North West Comedy Awards 2018 & 2019 and is a regular at the Edinburgh Fringe. Both a storyteller and an observational comedian, his stand-up is playful, honest, clever and creative. Astute, even acerbic social satire within a set of hilarious real life anecdotes, brought to life by big characters and engaging performance.

Dan began his comedy career in Newcastle in 2002, and is now one of the most recognisable faces on the North West Comedy circuit. He founded the Frog and Buckets ‘Beat the Frog’ amateur night,

which quickly became the best new comedy night in the North. As well as his reputation as a top-class circuit headliner and in-demand MC and host, he has also performed TV warm up for the likes of Jonathan Ross, John Bishop and Celebrity Juice, and has received critical acclaim for his numerous Edinburgh shows and appearances at the New Zealand Comedy Festival.

He is also a podcaster and has a hit weekly comedy podcast available for download called ‘Have a Word’ with Adam Rowe.