It's Manic Monday

17 stand-up DVDs out today

An incredible 17 stand-up DVD titles have all been released today.

Titles from the likes of Alan Carr, Jason Manford, John Bishop, Russell Howard and Tim Minchin are among those jostling for sales.

‘Manic Monday’ is the biggest date in the calendar for live comedy releases, with DVD companies reckoning it’s the optimum time for maximum pre-Christmas sales.

A handful of discs have already comedy out – most notably Peter Kay, who is at No 2 in the top 40 after a week of release. Another 11 are out next week, and in all, at least 38 stand-up DVDs will be released between late October and late November.

Despite fears of saturating the market, stand-up DVDs are attractive to publishers as they are relatively cheap to make: normally recorded in one night, involving just one performer, and at an event which people have already paid to attend.

Exact sales figures can be hard to find, but in Christmas 2008, bestseller Lee Evans sold 1million copies of his Life At The O2 disc, with the likes of Dara O’Brian or Russell Howard – not as well-known then as he is today – coming in at around 100,000.

Pippa Simmons, an A&R executive for 4DVD, whose artists include Sarah Millican and Micky Flanagan, said: ‘Generally speaking, stand-up DVD sales have been on the up over the last few years.

‘Last year saw a slight decline, but with so much strong talent, this year is set to be a very strong year.

‘While the DVD market is seeing a slight decline year-on-year, there is still a high demand for quality stand-up, and DVD can provide a platform for many of the comedians on the circuit to find their way into people’s homes.

‘Both Micky and Sarah have become household names this year and we are hoping that the mainstream appeal they have will reach far beyond just a comedy fanbase.’

Here is a list of all the titles out today – and see our Coming Soon page for future releases.

Alan Carr: Spexy Beast Live
Andy Parsons: Gruntled Live 2011
Billy Connolly: You Asked For It
Chris Addison Live
Dylan Moran: Yeah, Yeah
Greg Davies Live: Firing Cheeseballs at a Dog
Jason Manford Live
Jethro: The Cornish Ambassador
Jim Jefferies: I Swear To God / Contraband
John Bishop: The Sunshine Tour
Micky Flanagan Live
Neil Delamere: Implement of Divilment
Reginald D Hunter Live
Ross Noble: Headspace Cowboy
Russell Howard Live: Right Here, Right Now
Stephen Merchant: Hello Ladies...
Tim Minchin and The Heritage Orchestra - Live at The Royal Albert Hall