Boost for comedy's hip-hop improvisers

Comedy hip-hop improvisers Abandoman are to support chart-topper Ed Sheeran on his 2012 tour.

The former winners of the Hackney Empire New Act Of The Year will be the main support for Sheeran’s sold-out eight-day tour, which kicks off in Aberdeen next week.

It’s not the first time they have appeared on stage together, as Sheeran, whose debut album + is currently Britain’s No 1 bestseller, previously made a guest appearance with Abandoman at the opening gala of the Brighton Comedy Festival in October. However, the 20-year-old struggled to keep up with Abandoman frontman Rob Broderick in improvising rhymes.

Broderick will be joined by James Hancox on guitar, Sam Wilson on drums and Phil Donnelly on drums for the tour.

Abandoman – who won both the Hackney Empire New Act Of The Year and The Musical Comedy Awards in 2010 – are festival regulars, and have also played at model Daisy Lowe's 21st birthday party.

Here they are at Chortle’s Fast Fringe in 2010:

Published: 4 Jan 2012