Comedy News Round Up
Edinburgh, Tours and TV. And Andrew Lawrence.
Free speech has reared its head again in comedy this week. Following the tragic events in Liverpool, stand-up contrarian Andrew Lawrence cracked a joke online that many deemed unacceptable. He has now been banned from Liverpool’s Hot Water Club. Others, however, defended Lawrence’s right to make jokes even if they offended people, suggesting that it was the thin end of the wedge that comics were having their material censored. Read more about Hot Water’s response here.
Elsewhere the countdown to the Edinburgh Fringe has well and truly begun, with the official printed programme being launched this week. A number of superb comedians have announced Edinburgh runs and also tours afterwards. Josie Long is one of them. She returns to the Fringe with Now Is the Time Of Monsters and then hits the road afterwards. Details here. Picture by Stephanie Gibson.
Janine Harouni, who picked up an Edinburgh Comedy Award with her last show is back with a brand new hour, This Is What You Waited For. After the Fringe there’s a two-week run at Soho Theatre in October 2025, before she takes it out across the UK and Ireland in 2026, touring 11 dates from 22nd January – 27th March 2026.
Harouni said: “After my last two shows took on the heavy subject matter of miscarriage, grief and a near-fatal car accident, I’m excited to be back with my most joyful hour yet. I nearly titled it Everyone’s Okay and Janine Doesn’t Go To The Hospital but I didn’t want to tempt fate.” Details here. Picture by Matt Stronge.
Oh, and if you need a Scottish comedy fix but can’t get to the Fringe, a raft of stand-up specials featuring Scottish funny men (there are some Scottish funny women too, just not here) is being released over the summer months. Find out more here.
There is also exciting news for Nick Mohammed fans. As well as touring, the Ted Lasso star is one of the Celebrity Traitor and is also in a new Prime Video movie, Deep Cover, out this week. He has also just been confirmed as a guest in the next season of Slow Horses, starring Gary Oldman as the world’s scruffiest spy. Beyond The Joke has heard unconfirmed rumours that he plays London Mayor. The picture released by Apple TV+ certain seems to back this theory up. More details here.
And finally, if you need some TV cosiness, can we recommended Death Valley on Sunday nights on BBC One (and, of course on iPlayer whenever you feel like it)? Timothy Spall stars as a retired actor with a knack for sleuthing. Read our review here. Picture: BBC.
Though if that’s not cosy enough for you, U&Gold is making a documentary about The Good Life. More here.
