Massive rise in the number of female comics especially

The number of big comedy events has risen by more than a third in the last decade.

Ticketmaster has reported that the number of stand-up shows they handle has risen by 34 per cent since 2014.

The ticketing company also notes an explosive rise in the number of female comedy headliners, expanding five-fold in the last five years, to now number 100.

The comedy sector is also less dependent on just a few massive acts. In 2014, when Ticketmaster last compiled a Comedy State Of Play report, the top five comedians were responsible for half of all the ticketing platform’s comedy sales, In 2024, that figure has fallen to 35 per cent.

In an associated survey of 2,000 people, the company found that social media is a major force behind the UK comedy boom, with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok helping fans discover new comedians and book tickets quickly.

This year, 64 per cent of those seeing comedy reported booking shows after finding a comedian online, compared to just 8 per cent in 2014.

But there’s a catch for stand-ups without a social media presence: nearly a third of Gen-Zers admit they wouldn’t pay to see a comedian live without first watching them on TikTok.

The survey also found that comedy was much more likely to be a date night experience than a decade ago.  Nearly one in five Brits said they would take their date to a live comedy show, up from just 2 per cent in 2014.

And it found that audience from the North West of England were most likely to heckle.

Ticketmaster had no figures for the number of male comedians now and how it compared to five years ago.

Published: 29 Oct 2024