New comedy festival for city after firm folds

A new comedy festival has been set up in Leicester by artists who said they were still owed money from organisers of the city's original event.

Stand-up comedian Alex Hylton and promoter Colin Bowles said the Independent Comedy Festival would take place in February 2027.

They said the Independent Comedy Festival would feature hundreds of shows across dozens of venues in the city and the wider county.

The Big Difference Company - which ran Leicester Comedy Festival - announced this month "with great sadness" that it had become insolvent and ceased trading.

The directors of the original festival, which started in 1994, cited "increasing costs, a difficult funding environment, and significant pressures within the live comedy sector" as factors in its decision.

In May, it emerged that hundreds of comedians had been unpaid following this year's festival, and in July an arts venue managed by the charity was repossessed due to the "non-payment of rent and insurance".

Directors said they "worked tirelessly to avoid this outcome", including looking at reducing costs and seeking new funding, but said it was "not possible to secure a sustainable future".

Harry Hill, Matt Lucas, Graham Norton and Sarah Millican are among the well-known names who have performed at the event over the past three decades.

Organisers of the new event said it would feature rising talent and "top TV names" and would be held at venues including The Y Theatre, Firebug, Real Ale Classroom and Oadby Royal British Legion.

Hylton said: "Leicester deserves a brilliant comedy festival, artists deserve to be treated fairly, and audiences should know that their ticket money is going to support the show they have paid to see.

"Hopefully comedians can trust that with one of their own kind at the helm, the Independent Comedy Festival will treat artists with the respect they deserve.

"Let me be clear, this is definitely not the Leicester Comedy Festival, this will be the Independent Comedy Festival."

Bowles said the Leicester Comedy Festival had been part of his life for the past 10 years and he wanted to "try to continue the legacy with all the great things about having a huge festival of comedy in the city".

Comedian Mark Watson added: "Leicester as a city has supported a unique, hugely valuable festival for many years now, and it would leave a huge gap in the comedy calendar.

"I'm excited to see what comes next, and look forward to being part of it for years to come, unless I stop being funny."

Organisers said further announcements about the festival would be made in "the coming days via their Instagram page" and appealed for potential partners to get in touch.

The Live Comedy Association - set up to support people working in grassroots live comedy - has been crowdfunding to raise money to support those affected by non-payments.

The association said it welcomed the news of an independent comedy festival for Leicester.

"The city has a massive reputation for supporting live comedy and we wish the producers of the new festival all the best," a spokesperson said.

"We hope many of our members will get behind the new festival to help ensure it's a massive celebration of UK comedy.

"We are excited to offer our support to the new producers and hope to get involved in any way we can."

The BBC approached The Big Difference Company for comment.

Listen to BBC Radio Leicester on Sounds and follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.