News
May McFettridge: Panto legend says his jokes helped save a life
3+ hour, 58+ min ago Across 34 years of playing the pantomime dame at Belfast's Grand Opera House, John Linehan, aka May McFettridge, has performed to hundreds of thousands of theatre-goers, and poked fun at a sizeable proportion of them. But it was a chance encounter…...
Zak Douglas swaps front-of-house gig for Wolverhampton panto turn
4+ day, 9+ hour ago An actor who used to work a front-of-house job at a theatre is now starring in the same venue's pantomime - oh yes he is. Zak Douglas began shifts at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre following the Covid pandemic, working his way up…...
Primary School Assembly Bangers go festive
5+ day, 4+ hour ago It's not often a performer will fire up the crowds on stage at Glastonbury and delight TV audiences on Songs of Praise, but James B Partridge has done just that. The Dorset-born creator of Primary School Assembly Bangers became an…...
Comedy on 'prescription': Why performing stand-up is good for your health
1+ week, 56+ min ago In the UK, new schemes to support mental health are introducing to people an unexpected skill: stand-up comedy. Mohan Gupta had never dreamed of becoming a comedian. Born in India and educated in the UK, he trained as engineer and,…...
Comedy duo create Band Aid parody inspired by Matlock
1+ week, 3+ hour ago A comedy duo have teamed up with local businesses to release their third Derbyshire-themed Christmas single. Mark Page and Craig Webb have asked if Santa will remember the people of Matlock this Christmas, in an adaptation of the 1984 Band Aid…...
Comedian Jimmy Carr 'nervous' ahead of new film's first weekend
1+ week, 1+ day ago Comedian Jimmy Carr says he is "nervous" ahead of some news he is set to receive on Monday regarding his foray into film. Carr told Radio Manchester: "I don't get to be nervous a lot of the time, but I'm…...
Stanley Baxter: Scottish comedian with a gift for sketches, mimicry and song
1+ week, 2+ day ago Stanley Baxter was for decades one of the biggest stars on British television. His huge talent for comic sketches, mimicry and song was awarded with similarly huge budgets by grateful commissioners. His lavish productions for ITV and the BBC brought…...
Beyond Paradise Christmas Special cast tease a festive surprise for Humphrey and Martha fans and "a very Christmassy story that warms the cockles"
1+ week, 3+ day ago Can the team juggle it all and still be ready for a life-changing reveal? At the same time, with the help of Anne, Zoe and a special guest, Martha races to pull off her secret plan while Kelby tries to…...
Harry Potter to Eyes Wide Shut: 12 of the best alternative festive films - as chosen by BBC journalists
1+ week, 4+ day ago Fancy a change from The Muppet Christmas Carol? BBC journalists pick the films that get them in the holiday mood. Santa's official hometown, Rovaniemi, on the edge of the Arctic Circle, has a dark past rooted in World War Two....
BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Comedy Gala returns hosted by Eddie Kadi
1+ week, 5+ day ago Eddie Kadi and a brilliant line-up of comedians will return to the Hackney Empire in February 2026 Following a successful comedy gala in 2024, BBC Radio 1Xtra will host an exciting live show at the iconic Hackney Empire, London on Thursday 5 February 2026, 7pm, hosted…...