Absolute Radio Comedy Live to launch
Absolute Radio has announced that it will be running a brand new live comedy night at venues around the country. 'Absolute Radio Comedy Live' debuts next Tuesday (15th February 2011) as part of the Leicester Comedy Festival.
The station says: "This regular comedy night bolsters Absolute Radio's already extensive comedy programming including weekly shows from high profile broadcasters and comedians Frank Skinner and Dave Gorman as well as Iain Lee's daily late night show. Absolute Radio Comedy Live will be a regular monthly comedy night held at venues around the UK featuring high profile comedy legends as well as emerging comedy from the stand-up circuit as Absolute Radio invests in talent of the future."
Absolute Radio Comedy Live launches at The Y venue in Leicester with a line-up of comedians who have all had a very high profile 2010. Jarred Christmas is the MC, and he will be introducing Isy Suttie from Peep Show, Josh Widdicombe (Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2010 and FHM Stand-Up Hero 2010 winner), Mock the Week regular guest Carl Donnelly, and headliner Brendan Burns (pictured).
Comedy is steadily becoming more important to Absolute Radio. Last year, it reunited Frank Skinner and David Baddiel for their infamous World Cup podcasts; whilst Matt Berry, comedian and star of the Mighty Boosh and The IT Crowd, has been signed as the voice of the station and regularly hosts podcasts for the broadcaster. Other comedians with audio on demand programming in the Absolute Radio Podcast channels include Lee Mack, Rhod Gilbert, Mark Watson, Bill Bailey and Harry Hill. Absolute Radio had its first foray into live comedy at the Edinburgh Festival last year with Frank Skinner and Dave Gorman both presenting their shows from the festival, as well as hosting a music and comedy gig with Mancunian indy band The Courteeners and rising star comedian Daniel Sloss. The station also partnered with the Greenwich Comedy Festival in 2010.
Clive Dickens, Absolute Radio's Chief Operating Officer, tells us: "Comedy is an integral part of our brand strategy. It has joined music and football as our third brand pillar. Live comedy is truly in the nation's hearts - who'd have thought that comedians would be selling out arena tours & the O2?"
Tickets to Absolute Radio Comedy Live, priced from £10, are available via the Absolute Radio ticket store
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