Comedy Store hosts final of UK's only LGBTQ+ comedy competition

Top comedians Chloe Petts, Tia Kofi, Josh Jones and James Barr to crown the UK's LGBTQ+ New Comedian of the Year 2026

• The UK’s only dedicated LGBTQ+ comedy competition heads to London’s legendary Comedy Store for its live final on 10 November 

• More than 140 comedians from across the country entered this year’s competition, with material spanning drag, dating, disability, trans life and migration

• Finalists compete for the title and £1,000 cash prize, with their performances available to watch for free on YouTube after the final for the first time

The search for the next big name in LGBTQ+ comedy reaches its final stage this autumn, as the Comedy Bloomers LGBTQ+ New Comedian of the Year 2026 heads to London’s legendary Comedy Store on Tuesday 10 November.

Now in its fifth year, the competition has attracted more than 140 comedians from across the UK. The finalists will battle it out for the title of LGBTQ+ New Comedian of the Year 2026 and a £1,000 cash prize, with audiences and judges Chloe Petts, Tia Kofi, Josh Jones and James Barr helping decide the winner at the Grand Final, hosted by Ciara O’Connor and featuring last year’s winner Sydney May as headline act.

This year’s comedians are bringing a broad mix of experiences and comic perspectives to the stage, with material spanning drag, dating, disability, trans identity, migration and the everyday absurdities of LGBTQ+ life.

The competition is the UK’s only dedicated showcase of its kind, giving emerging LGBTQ+ comedians a chance to develop their material, find audiences and get their comedy in front of the wider industry.

That opportunity matters. A survey of more than 100 comedians conducted by Comedy Bloomers recently found that just four per cent said access to agents and managers was accessible, while 76 per cent identified a lack of industry connections as a barrier to career progression.

Chris Smith, founder of Comedy Bloomers, said: “In the comedy world, talent alone isn’t always enough to get your foot in the door and this is particularly true in queer comedy. We created this competition to give emerging LGBTQ+ comedians the platform, audience and connections they need to take that next step.”

Chloe Petts said: “It is an incredible privilege to see the outstanding talent our community has to offer. I feel so proud watching people exist fully as themselves. And mainly I can’t wait to have a big laugh.”

Tia Kofi said: "What I love most about queer comedy is that our stand-up sets can be political, filthy, silly, absurd, vulnerable, or completely ridiculous - and often all those things in the same five minutes! There are hundreds of emerging queer comedians out there who embody this spirit, and I cannot stress enough just how important it is to give them the platforms and opportunities to express themselves.”

Josh Jones said: “Being a good comedian is a skill you have to work at, and ultimately the job is to be as funny as you can. You can make assumptions about an act before they’ve even started, but they might completely surprise you. For me, that’s what I’ll be looking for as a judge – who can really make a room laugh.”

James Barr said: “Comedy has helped me turn my darkest experiences into something powerful - Queer voices have power, and making people laugh is a brilliant way to make them listen. I can't wait to judge LGBTQ+ New Comedian of the Year. After all, judging is what gay people do best. Finally I can put my talents to good use.”

More than 70 performers have already taken to the stage across six heats in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. Two London semi-finals will follow at 21Soho on 14 October and Queen of Hoxton in Shoreditch on 21 October, before the

finalists head to The Comedy Store.

There is already a strong track record of comedians using the competition as a springboard to bigger stages. Marty Gleeson, the 2024 winner, will perform her solo show at Soho Theatre for a six-night run this October following strong reviews at Edinburgh, while Dom McGovern, the 2025 runner-up, is also heading to Soho Theatre for six nights and returns this year as MC for the London semi-finals. His latest show was directed by judge Chloe Petts.

Elsewhere, Dane Buckley, a 2022 finalist, has toured with Tom Allen, Rosie Jones, Joanne McNally and Josh Widdicombe. Sean Barnham, runner-up in 2025, has supported Jess Fostekew on tour, while 2024 finalist Fab Goualin has signed to PBJ Management.

More than 400 comedians have entered the competition over the past five years, while its live events attract around 1,000 audience members each year. Clips from the competition have also reached more than 10 million viewers on Instagram.

And the opportunity doesn’t end when the final curtain falls. Comedy Bloomers’ new YouTube channel will professionally produce and host all of this year’s finalist performances, giving them an opportunity to reach audiences well beyond the live comedy circuit. Their performances can continue to be discovered and shared long after the competition itself is over, putting their comedy in front of potential new fans and industry audiences around the world.

The competition will also raise funds for charity partner Rainbow Migration. Audiences will be able to watch the final performances for free on YouTube, with the option to donate what they can around the live final and when the film launches online.

LGBTQ+ New Comedian of the Year 2026 will be available to watch for free on Comedy Bloomers YouTube Channel from mid-November. For more information and tickets to the live, final visithttps://www.comedybloomers.com/competition2026