Jimmy Carr and Katherine Ryan to return

Comedy Central has renewed its Roast Battle for a second series.

Host Jimmy Carr and judge Katherine Ryan will return for a new series of five half-hour episodes which will air this autumn.

The pair – who co-host Your Face Or Mine for Comedy Central – have also just landed a Netflix panel show The Fix, as Chortle reported last night. 

Series one of Roast Battle, which aired in January, was Comedy Central’s highest-rated UK commission, attracting more than four times the average audience in its 10pm slot. It played over five consecutive nights, averaging 450,000 viewers and peaking at  600,000.

Russell Brand was a judge in the first series, but is not set to return. His replacement has not been named, nor have the comedians taking part.

 Louise Holmes, vice president of programming for Comedy Central UK said: ‘The British version became an overnight hit and audiences can prepare themselves for plenty more laughs and gasps as we let comedians loose on each other in a no-holds-barred round two.’

The recommission is one of a number of global versions of Roast Battle announced today, including the new Duelo de Comediantes in Mexico; a third season of Jeff Ross Presents Roast Battle in the US and a second series of  Roast Battle South Africa with John Vlismas as roastmaster, Tumi Morake and Kagiso Lediga as judges and Daily Show correspondent Loyiso Madinga as referee.

The UK version is made by James Corden’s company Fulwell 73 and Ideasatron.

• Katherine Ryan has announced a one-off performance during the Edinburgh Fringe. She will be performing her Glitter Room stand-up show at the Playhouse on August 16. Tickets go on sale on Friday.

Published: 13 Jun 2018