They don’t call it the ‘January blues’ for nothing. Come post-Christmastime, we’re all looking for a reason to smile, and the Bristol Comedy Festival is on course to become that reason every year. Having established itself at the start of 2025, it’s returning to the city from January 15 to 31, 2026, for more laughs.
Run by a small team from the local comedy scene, a successful inaugural festival brought together hundreds of comedy fans, performers and venues in the city. The second edition of the Bristol Comedy Festival will only crank up the humour—with an expanded programme of shows and events across Bristol.
More than 150 comedy shows will take over Bristol in January, with a new wave of headline names and festival favourites announced. Among them is Maisie Adam, one of the UK’s most in-demand comedians and the recent winner of Taskmaster, known for her sharp observational humour and energetic live shows.
Also recently announced is a standout mix of nationally-recognised performers and rising stars, including Jonny Pelham, Harriet Dyer, Fatiha El-Ghorri, Sara Barron, Bella Hull and Stuart Goldsmith, alongside international acts such as Sam See and Celya AB. The announcement also shines a light on emerging talent and festival favourites, including Chelsea Birkby, Ben Pope, Rosalie Minnitt, and JoJo Maberly (winner of the Bristol Comedy Competition 2025).
This January’s festival also sees big names like Bristol’s Jayde Adams, author and stand-up Mark Watson, critically-acclaimed podcaster Milo Edwards and breakout winner of So You Think You’re Funny, Finlay Christie, take to venues such as Bristol Folk House, Basement 45, Strange Brew, The Gaffe Comedy Club, and St George’s.
“This next wave of shows really captures what we’re trying to do with the festival,” said co-organiser Jacob Burley. “Bringing someone like Maisie Adam to Bristol at this moment in her career is huge for us, but just as important is creating space for brilliant emerging acts and showcasing the depth of talent coming through the comedy scene right now.”
Alongside headline performances, the King Street Takeover returns on Tuesday, January 20, transforming the street into a night of donate-what-you-want shows across multiple venues. Plus, the Bristol Comedy Competition also returns for the chance to discover the next generation of stand-up talent as performers, with semi-finals at The Comedy Box and a final at The Bristol Folk House on Friday, January 30.
In addition, attendees will be able to add an optional donation to TAP for Bristol when purchasing tickets, which raises funds for local charities that support people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness, like Caring in Bristol, Emmaus Bristol and SLEEC, at a time of year when many are experiencing the hardest times.
To learn more about the Bristol Comedy Festival, including details, updates and tickets, head here.
