£5,000 first prize – and a support slot at Wembley Arena

Ricky Gervais’s vodka company is launching a stand-up competition with a £5,000 cash prize.

The winner of the Dutch Barn Vodka Spirit of Comedy  competition will also be invited to open for Gervais when he plays the Ovo Arena Wembley in London later this year. 

The comic, who co-owns the brand, said: ‘As well as trying to make Dutch Barn a billion-dollar global brand, we thought we might as well try to find Britain’s second greatest comic.’

The  competition  will involve 20  heats across the UK between May and July, followed by five regional semis and a final in London on October 1. Highlights of the shows will be broadcast on the Dutch Barn YouTube channel, with judging to include a combination of audience voting and expert panels.

Chris Fraser, founder of Dutch Barn’s owner  Ellers Farm, added, ‘We’re building a brand that loves to have fun and want Dutch Barn to be at the heart of comedy for a long time to come, with plans to take The Spirit of Comedy around the world. 

‘We also know Ricky won’t live forever, so we thought we should start trying to find the next big thing."

Hopefuls must be over 25 and can apply by submitting a short clip of their comedy here.

Published: 9 Apr 2025