A tight 5: April 12

THE GLASGOW International Comedy Festival has announced that it sold 78,177 tickets for this year's 18-day event, a slither (0.2 per cent) up on the 78,033 sold last year, but below the 81,933 record of 2011, when the festival was six days longer.

ELIS JAMES and John Robins have sold out London's 1,200-seat Shepherds Bush Empire in three days, based only on tweets and one plug for the October 28 show on their Radio X  podcast.

FIVE-STRONG group The Jest, pictured, won the inaugural Sketch Off competition run by the Leicester Square Theatre in London last night, Kit Sullivan came second as the Silent Mmmmm, and quartet Laughing Stock third.

PAV Thiruchelvarajah, who performs under his first name alone, won the new act competition run by the Bath Comedy Festival.  Mark Dennett was the runner up, with Faye Treacy third.

LIVERPOOL-based Hot Water Comedy Club has expanded into Manchester with two new weekly shows – a big club night at the Renaissance Hotel on Saturday and a try-out night at the Bierkeller on Sundays. 

Published: 12 Apr 2016