Aberdeen International Comedy Festival returns with a bang in October with a line-up of gut-busting comedians set to grace the granite city for 11 days from Thursday 6 to Sunday 16 October.

The festival, which has been organised and promoted in its entirety by Aberdeen Inspired since 2016, today released its full programme adding a further 19 shows to the star-studded line up. With around 50 shows taking place at venues across the city centre, comedy fans will find something for everyone in this year's packed line-up with rising talent on the Scottish scene rubbing shoulders with international stars fresh from the Fringe and several legends of comedy.

Opening the festival at the cities iconic Tivoli Theatre on Thursday, October 6, for two nights, is legendary Irish funny man David O’Doherty who promises lots of talking, some apologising, and some songs played on a glued together plastic keyboard from 1986.

View the full line up here.

Commenting on this year’s festival Shona Byrne, Festival Manager told us “It is hugely exciting to announce the full line-up for what truly will be our biggest, funniest and best festival yet. Whether you’re considering catching some live stand-up for the first time or are a comedy stalwart keen to enjoy the next big thing, then Aberdeen truly is the best place to be this October.

“From family friendly entertainment to comedians a bit closer to the bone, there is something for everyone. We’ve got a fantastic comedy line-up for the festival this year taking place in city centre venues big and small, so check it out, get booking and enjoy all that the city has to offer as part of the festival”.

The festival has secured funding and sponsorship from Event Scotland and North-east radio station Original 106 for the first time which it is using to try and encourage and attract an audience from the wider region and beyond into the city for the 11-day event.

New city centre venues hosting shows for the first time include The Priory on Belmont Street where MC Hammersmith (11 Oct) will deliver his hilarious improvised raps and Union Kirk who will showcase two exclusive festival shows titled Supernova (8 Oct) featuring rising star Connor Burns, the whimsical Gareth Waugh and JoJo Sutherland, the teller of many a saucy story. Then, on the following night, (9 Oct) the Supernova line-up includes 2021's Scottish Comedian of the Year Award-winner Liam Farrelly, Scot Squad’s Chris Forbes and the delightfully crude Kai Humphries (a Geordie, but an honorary Scot) on the bill.

Local charity Mental Health Aberdeen (MHA) have been named the official charity partner for the second time running giving them a presence across all the shows during the festival providing an opportunity to raise awareness and much needed funds. Commenting on the partnership Graeme Kinghorn, Chief Executive said “MHA are doubly delighted to again be the official charity partner for this year's Aberdeen International Comedy Festival. Laughter does you good, is a bona fide proven form of stress relief and personally, I can't wait to see as many of the acts as possible. I hope that everyone makes a real effort to support the festival and takes part in our unofficial survey to measure the "feelgood factor" of attending."

The festival will close in Impossible style with the glorious fast, funny, and absurd Milton Jones bringing down the house at the Music Hall on Sunday, October 16. Organiser Aberdeen Inspired expect that its return will see audiences flock to the city centre in their thousands to enjoy the blisteringly funny line-up of comedy that the granite city will showcase over its 11 day run.

Tickets for all the new shows go on sale today (Thursday, August 25). Ticket prices (including booking fee), dates and performance times are:

For more information and to buy tickets, click here.

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