First names for The O2 festival also include Graham Norton, Katherine Ryan and Aisling Bea

The first shows have been named for London’s new Just For Laughs comedy festival, including performances from Ryan Reynolds, Graham Norton, Katherine Ryan, Reggie Watts and Aisling Bea.

For four days from March 2, the event will take over spaces across The O2 site in Greenwich and will be staged in conjunction with Comic Relief, whose founder Richard Curtis will be staging a show all about the charity behemoth.

The festival will close with new incarnation of The Wrestling, with double act  Max And Ivan again putting together a roster of comedians to take on real-life comedy stars.

Alex Horne and the Horne Section, Adam Buxton, Elis James & John Robins, and The US Office’s Craig Robinson will also have shows.

A number of stand-up tours will also pass through, including Shaparak Khorsandi’s It Was the 90s!, Jessica Fostekew’s Wench and Luisa Omielan’s Ten while line-up shows include Stamptown hosted by Zach Zucker and Foc It Up! hosted b Kemah Bob

Podcasts also make a strong showing with live versions of James Acaster’s Springleaf with guest Nish Kumar, Rachel Fairburn and Kiri Pritchard-McLean’s All Killa No Filla, A Gay and a Nongay  and The Receipts.

Bruce Hills, president of Montreal-based Just For Laughs: ‘Every year, without a doubt, the British contingent of comedians at JFL Montreal are one of the highlights of our event, which I credit to the comedians’ distinctiveness, originality and a point of view unlike any other.

‘Now is the perfect time for us to bring our festival to shine the international spotlight on the incredible UK scene, while also bringing global comedy stars to join forces in producing one epic comedy celebration.’

Graham Norton – who is hosting a gala showcase at a date yet to be announced –  said: ‘I can't wait to be a part of this amazing comedy event. I can guarantee people a night of big names and even bigger laughs. London in 2023 just got a whole lot funnier’.

And Richard Curtis said of his celebrtation: ‘At Comic Relief, we believe in the power of comedy and entertainment to drive positive change across the world. That’s why I’m delighted to be hosting this special show. 

‘I am incredibly excited about sharing the stage with some of the superstars who’ve helped us raise more than £1.5billion in the last 35 years…and dropping some juicy morsels of backstage gossip into the open mouths – and/or ears - of our lovely audience of diehard comedy fans.’

Here’s the programme of events so far announced. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Thursday.

Thursday March 2

7pm: Adam Buxton Best of Bug. Indigo
8:30pm: Luisa Omielan: Ten. Cineworld
9:30pm: Katherine Ryan and Friends. Indigo

Friday March 3

6pm: Randy Feltface. Cineworld
7.30pm: The Horne Section. Indigo
9pm: Stamptown hosted by Zach Zucker. Fortuna Spiegeltent
11pm; Craig Robinson and The Nasty Delicious. Indigo

Saturday March 4

2pm: FOC It Up! Comedy Club. O2 Blueroom
4pm: Shaparak Khorsandi: It Was The 90s! O2 Blueroom
4pm:  Craig Robinson In Conversation. Cineworld
5pm: The Receipts Podcast Live. Indigo
6pm: Springleaf: James Acaster & Nish Kumar. Cineworld
6pm: Jessica Fostekew: Wench All Bar One
7pm: All Killa No Filla Podcast. Cineworld at The O2
8pm: Aisling Bea and Friends, Indigo at The O2
8.30pm:  Ryan Reynolds Maximum Effort, moderated by Rob Delaney. The O2 arena
11pm:  Reggie Watts. Indigo at The O2

Sunday March 5

4pm: A Gay and a NonGay Podcast. Cineworld
4pm: Comic Relief – The Truth & Everything Except the Truth, hosted by Richard Curtis. Indigo
7pm: Elis James and John Robins Live. Cineworld
8pm: Max and Ivan: The Wrestling. Indigo

Published: 21 Nov 2022