Primetime break for Northern Irish stand-up

Northern Irish comedian Ryan Hand is to be one of the presenters of ITV’s new primetime Saturday-night show Cannonball.

The show – in which teams tackle obstacle courses in a swimming pool – will be fronted by Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff, with Hand as one of the poolside reporters.

Frankie Bridge, Radzi Chinyanganya and Maya Jama are also on the presenting team.

Filming is currently under way in Malta, and Hand has posted images from the island on his Twitter account.

Flintoff said: ‘What’s not to love about this show? Gallons of water and giant great inflatable slides are the perfect recipe for some spectacular comedy moments but also throw into the mix some truly incredible feats from the contestants.  I can’t wait to get started.’

The format has already been a hit in Australia and The Netherlands, and the ten episodes are being made by production company Potato, who also make The Chase and  Ninja Warrior UK.

As well as his stand-up work,  Hand has been a presenter on BBC Radio Ulster and Q Radio. he moved to London last year to try to grow his showbusiness career.

Published: 13 Apr 2017