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Russell Hicks
Bring guaranteed laughter to any event with Russell Hicks, award-winning comedian, improviser, and compère. Russell headlines the UK's top comedy clubs and hosts awards ceremonies, festivals, and private parties, as seen on the BBC, Channel 4, and ITV.
Russell Hicks is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer who brings sharp improvisation skills and a cross-cultural perspective to stages across the UK.
Now based in the UK after relocating from San Diego, Russell won Channel 4's Captive Audience with fully improvised stand-up and claimed the 2024 Prague Fringe Festival title. He is a two-time Leicester Comedy Festival Best Show nominee and headlines at The Stand, Glee Club, and Up the Creek while holding a residency at London's Top Secret Comedy Club. On screen, he starred as Coach Hughes in Prime Video's Lovestruck High and appeared in Edgar Wright's The Running Man.
Russell connects with audiences through quick-thinking improvisation and observational humour that draws from his experience navigating life between America and Britain. His 'Dear Diary' Instagram series has generated millions of views and built a following of over 100,000 people. Whether headlining comedy clubs, hosting awards ceremonies, or performing after-dinner sets, he adapts his material to each room while maintaining the spontaneity that won him national television recognition. His stand-up special streams on ITVX, and he works across multiple formats, including comedy writing for ITV's Stand Up Sketch Show.
Audiences leave Russell's shows energised by his ability to turn everyday cultural observations into unexpected punchlines. His improvisation skills mean no two performances are ever the same.
Russell is currently touring 'This Time It's Personal' across the UK. Book him for comedy that feels fresh, immediate, and genuinely unpredictable.
Russell Hicks delivers award-winning improvised comedy that transforms corporate events into dynamic, unique experiences. He draws on his Channel 4 success and cross-cultural insights to connect with diverse audiences through sharp observational humour. Book Russell to energise your team with spontaneous, tailored entertainment that guarantees fresh material and genuine engagement at every performance.
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frequently asked questions
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To book Russell Hicks, email russell.hicks@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Russell's availability and speaking fee. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and about your audience.
Russell Hicks performs fully improvised stand-up, structuring each set around in-the-moment audience interaction and observational material drawn from his cross-cultural experience of living between America and Britain, meaning no two performances follow the same format. His improvisation credentials are competition-verified, having won Channel 4's Captive Audience with a fully improvised set, which provides a reliable indicator of his ability to hold a room without scripted material.
Russell Hicks performs stand-up, hosting, awards ceremonies, and after-dinner sets, drawing on improvised comedy and cross-cultural observational humour suited to comedy club audiences and corporate or private events. He won Channel 4's Captive Audience with fully improvised stand-up and holds a stand-up special on ITVX, with screen credits including Prime Video's Lovestruck High and Edgar Wright's The Running Man.
No. PepTalk adds no booking fee, so you pay the speaker's fee and nothing beyond it. The service, from shortlist through to contracts and event-day logistics, is included. For repeat or multi-event bookings, PepTalk can agree preferential rates with your procurement team.
Share your event date, audience, format, objectives and budget, and PepTalk sends a hand-picked shortlist within 24 hours. Each suggestion comes with a profile, a fee and a recommendation on the strongest fit. Once you choose, PepTalk handles contracts, travel and logistics through to event day.
The typical fee range is the speaker's standard in-person fee in their home market, shown in their local currency. It moves with format, location, date and session length: virtual sessions and shorter slots usually cost less, while international travel and peak dates cost more. Send your brief to PepTalk and the team will confirm the exact fee in your currency.
Not all of them, and it makes no difference to your booking. PepTalk's network of 15,000+ speakers covers talent the team works with directly alongside speakers represented by agents and agencies worldwide. PepTalk approaches the speaker, negotiates the fee and handles contracting either way.
Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most events, and 12 months is better for large conferences, peak-season dates or one specific in-demand speaker. Shorter timelines are workable, and PepTalk regularly fills last-minute and replacement bookings within days. Availability is the constraint, so get in touch as soon as you have a date.
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