Ava Vidal

This show finds comedian Ava Vidal on the trail of the lonesome joke, arguing that there are no laughs left in Westminster now devolution has left a hole at the centre of the mirth. Stay tuned for gales of merriment from Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

Comedian Ava Vidal looks at how devolution has changed the way we laugh at our politicians. Now that power has moved from Westminster to Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff, she explores whether comedy has followed it and whether politicians are viewed in any way differently in each place. And as Westminster adapts to a new government, is the content of political comedy there due for a change too? Is there such a thing as national political satire anymore? Including contributions from political comedian Jeremy Hardy, producer Bill Dare and comedy club manager Tommy Sheppard.

Now in its eighth year, the annual Brighton Comedy Festival has a line-up that reads like a Who's Who of contemporary comedy talent. Here Russell Kane introduces some of the hottest young acts who haven't quite made it to household name status yet, including Andrew Lawrence, Ava Vidal, Micky Flanagan and Andrew Maxwell.