Absolute Radio is launching a new live comedy night next week – to work alongside the comedy programmes it has on air from the likes of Frank Skinner and Dave Gorman.
Absolute Radio Comedy Live makes its debut at the Leicester Comedy Festival with performances from Brendon Burns and Peep Show's Isy Suttie, before becoming a monthly comedy night at venues around the UK.
The station tell us they don't have plans at the moment to broadcast or podcast any of the content from their new live stand-up shows, but will be interviewing the line-up on the Geoff Lloyd Hometime show ahead of the gig on 15th February.
Absolute's association with comedy already extends beyond the live radio programming, with the likes of Lee Mack, Rhod Gilbert, Mark Watson, Bill Bailey, Harry Hill and station voiceover Matt Berry contributing for Absolute branded podcasts. The station also did shows from the Edinburgh Festival last summer, and partnered the 2010 Greenwich Comedy Festival too.
“Comedy is an integral part of our brand strategy – it has joined music and football as our third brand pillar,” says Clive Dickens, Absolute Radio’s Chief Operating Officer, “Live comedy is truly in the nation’s hearts – who’d have thought that comedians would be selling out arena tours and the O2?"
Absolute Radio Comedy Live launches at The Y in Leicester next week, introduced by Jarred Christmas and featuring Isy Suttie from Peep Show, Josh Widdicombe (Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2010), Carl Donnelly (a Mock the Week regular) and headline act Brendon Burns.