LGBTQ+ New Comedian of the Year 2026 Lands at Manchester’s Frog and Bucket
Manchester’s comedy circuit is gearing up for a massive night of queer talent as the LGBTQ+ New Comedian of the Year 2026 brings Heat 6 to the stage at the Frog and Bucket Comedy Club.
Now entering its fifth year, the competition has become one of the UK's leading platforms for emerging LGBTQ+ stand-up comedians. Previous finalists and winners have gone on to secure comedy agents, perform at major comedy clubs and festivals, appear on television and radio, and build significant online audiences.
This year's competition will once again bring together some of the most exciting new voices in LGBTQ+ comedy from across the UK, with performers competing through heats and semi-finals for a place in the Grand Final at the legendary Comedy Store in London. Who will walk away with the £1,000 cash prize and the title? Join the audience, cast your vote for your favourites, and help decide who makes it through.
Alex Stringer
hysterically sarcastic material and brilliant dead pan delivery has audiences howling with laughter
Sean Barnham
LGBTQ+ New Comedian of the Year 2025 finalist serving big laughs, bold vibes, and pure queer comedy magic
🎤 Competitors
Audience Vote Decides Semi-FinalistsCheer them on and cast your vote on the night for who deserves a spot in the semi-finals:
- Alex Duffy — Songs you didn’t know you needed to hear
- Becky Cheatle — "Trying to shake things up in Irish comedy, and succeeding"
- Caitlin Jones — finds hilarious magic hiding inside life’s wonderfully weird everyday moments
- Eden Voss — A gay and autistic comedian with a darkly optimistic view
- Jack Wilkens — ADHD, First Queer relationship.... I've been more confused than most
- Jamie-Diane Rajaram — "tourette-sprinkl’d trans woman with a bullet-spitting spitfire of a ... set"
- Jen TR — Awkward moments. Expertly delivered.
- Kit Allen — Joyful, offbeat, energetic and a knack for the unexpected
- Kimia Etemadi — Iranian-British, bisexual comedian who survived stage-4 cancer
- Matt Male — A cross between a toddler and a tacky mom
- Ushiku Crisafulli — Comedy and hip hop from a neurodivergent lens
- Willow Marler — JK Rowling's Sleep Paralysis Demon
- Zuza Ritt — Making people laugh in my third language. Am I confusing?
Event & Ticket Details
Everything you need for a legendary night out in Manchester.
102 Oldham Street, Manchester, M4 1LJ
Doors 6:30 PM | Showtime 7:30 PM prompt
Tickets are available on the door, but booking advance tickets on OutSavvy is strongly advised to guarantee entry.
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