The Comedy Network

Avalon Presents The Comedy Network…..Upstairs at the Embassy in 2024

07 March: Headliner – Rich Wilson | Opener – Bella Hull | MC – Ryan Mold

*Line Up for 07 March 2024*

Headliner: Rich Wilson

Rich Wilson’s “tour de force” (Leicester Mercury) performances have earned him a win for Best International Guest at the 2016 New Zealand Comedy Awards, followed by a sell out run in 2017 which saw him nominated for the same award again. He’s performed at sellout shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, Melbourne Comedy Festival and the New Zealand Comedy Festival. An extremely in demand writer, Rich Wilson has also contributed on shows for BBC Three, Sky Arts and Channel 4.

Rich was nominated for Best MC at the 2023 Chortle awards.

Rich is also the host of the wildly popular insane in the: podcast series. Rich talks to funny and interesting people about their experiences with mental health. In the last year the podcast has been nominated for an award with Podbible and in 2019 won an award with JOE for best podcast with the likes of; Guilty Feminist, Off Menu and Films To Be Buried With.

Rich is also the co-host alongside Rachael “Wellsy” Wells of the hugely popular new podcast But Please Don’t Panic! which is all about their shared love B-Movies

Guests have included; James Acaster, Scroobius Pip, Heston Blumenthal, GBBO’s Tom Allen, Romesh Ranganathan, David Baddiel, Jen Brister, Simon Evans, Dane Baptiste, Darren Harriott and many more.

Opener: Bella Hull

Bella Hull is a London-based stand-up comedian and writer and one of the UK’s most exciting young comedians.

In 2022, Bella brought her debut hour, Babycakes, to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and subsequently to London’s Soho Theatre to wide acclaim. She regularly plays to sell-out crowds across the UK and her TV appearances include BBC’s Stand Up for Live Comedy, ITV’s The Stand Up Sketch Show and Comedy Central Live. She also co-hosts the Last Night Ever podcast with Jacob Hawley.

As a writer, Bella is working on a script commission with the BBC and her writing has been featured on BBC Radio 4’s Newsjack, Flux Magazine and she is the advice columnist for Quadra magazine.

MC: Ryan Mold

A fun loving, engaging comedian, Ryan is a regular compère up & down the country.

‘Great stage presence and a very likeable quality, which is huge, it comes natural.’ – Frog & Bucket Comedy Club, Manchester

‘Brilliant. Very funny jokes. Ryan Mold is fast rising up the comedy ranks with his likeable comedy and ability to appeal to all audiences.’ – Andy Stedman (The Stand-Up Club, London)

‘Warm, Welcoming & really bloody great!’ – Diane Spencer (Professional Comedian)

*Line Up for 04 April 2024*

Headliner: Russell Hicks

Russell Hicks is one of the UK’s most razor-sharp and exciting comic talents. An American based in London, he is a provocative and exuberant comedian with a rockstar edge, and has appeared on some of the UK’s biggest TV networks, including Channel 4, BBC and ITV. His masterful weaving of improvisation with material has earned him a devoted following, with hundreds of thousands of followers across social media.

Russell starred in the Prime Video series Lovestruck High, which was narrated by Lindsay Lohan, as the loveable Texan Coach Hughes.  He’s written for and starred in ITV’s Stand Up Sketch Show and won the Channel 4 competition series Captive Audience with his fully improvised stand-up. Russell regularly entertains studio audiences at Have I Got News For You, The Last Leg, and As Yet Untitled.

Opener: Farah Sharp

Farah is an English-Egyptian comedian based in London. She has performed around the UK as well as in Sydney, Australia. Her standup is a mix of quirky opinions and anecdotes, often based around her upbringing or relationships and what she has (or hasn’t!) learnt from them.

MC: Danny Deegan

With the confidence and swagger that you might expect of a North-West comedian at the very top of his game, Danny Deegan is a comedian, writer and actor who has become a regular at most of the major comedy clubs in the UK since he began performing in 2003.

Danny’s tales of mischief and the characters he creates have kept audiences all over the country enthralled as he weaves in and out of the people he has met traveling. His talent and likability coupled with his confidence make him one of the most popular acts in the North and a master at dealing with a tough crowd. Danny has also provided tour support for Chris Ramsey, Mick Foley, Dave Spikey & Paul Sinha as well as performing in Switzerland.

*Line Up for 02 May 2024*

Headliner: Scott Bennett

Scott is a stand-up comedian and writer whose star is most definitely on the rise. His last two shows Leap Year and Relax were nominated for ‘Best Show’ at the Leicester Comedy Festival and has been named by Chortle as One To Watch for 2018 and 19.

In 2021 he recorded his debut for Live at the Apollo BBC1. You will have heard him as a regular guest on BBC Radio 4’s The News Quiz, The Now Show, The Likely Dads and Elephant in the Room with Sarah Millican. In 2018, he also featured on the BBC One show, Live from The Edinburgh Fringe.

Tour support for Rob Brydon, Jason Manford, John Bishop and Michael McIntyre.

Opener: Dom Hatton-Woods

Hailing from the north, TikTok favourite Dom Hatton Woods is a hit both online and in person, with 72.7K followers and over 10 million views on his online videos.

“One of the fastest rising young stars on the circuit” – Funhouse Comedy

MC: Lew Fitz

Winner of the prestigious Amused Moose National New Comedian of the Year Award, 2020 and tipped as one of the most unique and vibrant young talents to hit the comedy circuit in years, Lew Fitz mixes a blend of originality and intrigue with Northern charm to excite audiences up and down the country.

He was selected for the prestigious BBC New Comedy Award, 2018 before that he was voted Dave TV’s Top 5 Jokes of the Fringe, 2017. In 2018 he graduated from the Soho Theatre Advanced Comedy Lab.

“As a newcomer, he’s ticking lots of boxes.” – Steve Bennett, Chortle

*Line Up for 06 June 2024*

Headliner: Shazia Mirza

Shazia’s TV appearances include; ‘QI’ (BBC), ‘Would I Lie To You?’ (BBC), ‘The Jonathan Ross Show’ (ITV), ‘The Hit List’ (BBC), ‘House of Games’ (BBC), ‘Celebrity MasterChef’ (BBC), ‘Rhod Gilbert’s Growing Pains’ (Comedy Central), ‘Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls’ (C4), ‘Travel Man’ (C4), Top Gear (BBC), ‘The One Show (BBC), ‘Celebrities v Child Genius’ (C4), ‘Celebs In Solitary’ (C5), ‘Loose Women’ (ITV), ‘The Late Late Show’ (RTE) ‘Have I got News for You’ (BBC) and ‘The Wright Stuff’/’Jeremy Vine’ (C5) as well as the ever popular ‘F*** Off, I’m a Hairy Woman’ (BBC).

Shazia’s new ‘Coconut‘ show has been nominated for ‘Best Stand Up Tour’ in Channel 4’s National Comedy Awards. Her previous stand-up shows have toured internationally, been critically acclaimed and completed four sell out runs at London’s Soho Theatre.

Opener: Stephanie Laing

Stephanie started performing in April 2007 on the Scottish comedy circuit. She quickly established herself as one of the most promising acts of her generation on the circuit, and in 2015 appeared as a finalist in the prestigious Leicester Mercury Comedian Of The Year competition.

Stephanie is best described as goofy and peculiar, and her comedy is partway between the needy oddness of Maria Bamford and the upbeat affability of Josie Long. Her material is a mix of silliness, filth and unusual observations, underpinned by a disarming honesty which makes her seem charmingly vulnerable.

MC: Mike Cox

Mike has been performing comedy since 2011 and quickly made his mark on the comedy scene with his sharp-witted observational style which saw him crowned South Coast Comedian of the Year in 2014 and the Not So New Comedian of the Year in 2022. Mike also made the final of the prestigious Amused Moose Laugh Off in 2016.

“Like an Everyman, if that Everyman had delicious cynicism and razor sharp wit.” – Romesh Ranganathan

Book your Tickets in Advance to secure your Seat!

Tickets £15 | Doors 6:30pm | Laughter Starts 7:30pm 

Adult Humour 18+ Only