Booking a comedian outside London gives your event something the London circuit cannot: an act whose material and accent match the room. For a regional conference, a Scottish awards night or a Midlands staff event, that recognition does more work than a bigger name flown in for the evening.
It usually costs less as well. The seven comedians below are based across Scotland, the North, the Midlands and beyond, or build their material from those places, and several sit in the £2,000 to £5,000 band.
Why book a regional comedian?
Audiences respond to specificity. A comedian talking about their own city, in their own accent, to a room from that city gets a different reaction than a generic corporate set. The references land without explanation, and the audience feels the booking was made for them rather than pulled off a national list.
There is a budget argument too. Booking locally removes travel, accommodation and often an overnight from the cost, and regional acts of real quality are priced below their London equivalents. For an event outside the M25, that combination is usually the better value.
Susie McCabe
Book Susie for
A Scottish audience who will spot a booking made from London.
Susie McCabe is a Glasgow-based stand-up, an Edinburgh Fringe headliner and a regular on BBC comedy panel shows and Frankie Boyle's New World Order. Her material works everyday observation and personal adversity into sets that connect rather than only entertain.
She worked in construction before starting comedy at thirty, which gives her a register that lands with a workforce rather than an arts crowd. For an event in Glasgow or Edinburgh, she is the obvious first call. Fees on enquiry.
Learn more and book Susie McCabe →
Daliso Chaponda
Book Daliso for
A difficult subject handled with warmth rather than avoided.
Daliso Chaponda is Manchester-based, a BBC Radio 4 host, published author and Britain's Got Talent finalist. He works with organisations on bringing wit to conversations they find awkward, which is a specific and unusual offer.
His Radio 4 series Citizen of Nowhere covers migration and belonging, so he has form handling material that could go wrong in a corporate room. For an inclusion event or a company navigating change, he gives you humour without trivialising the subject. From £2,000 to £5,000.
Learn more and book Daliso Chaponda →
Dr Kwame Asante
Book Kwame for
A healthcare or NHS audience who will recognise every reference.
Kwame Asante is a Birmingham-based stand-up and a practising A&E doctor, and he has won awards on the comedy competition circuit. The two careers run alongside each other rather than one having replaced the other.
For a healthcare organisation, a trust away day or a medical conference dinner, that combination is difficult to beat. He knows the working life of the audience, so the material comes from inside the room. Fees on enquiry.
Learn more and book Kwame Asante →
Four more comedians from outside the London circuit
These four cover the East Midlands, the Edinburgh club scene and two distinct Scottish voices.
Scott Bennett
A Yorkshire comedian based in Nottingham who writes for BBC radio and television, and created the viral Stand Up from the Shed. Relatable material on the absurdities of family and working life, which suits a broad staff audience. From £2,000 to £5,000.
Learn more and book Scott Bennett →
Liam Withnail
A Scottish Comedy Award winner and resident MC at Edinburgh's Monkey Barrel, so he hosts as readily as he performs. He also hosts the Enjoy an Album podcast. A practical pick for an Edinburgh event needing both roles. From £2,000 to £5,000.
Learn more and book Liam Withnail →
Christopher Macarthur-Boyd
A Scottish comedian working the intelligent, melancholy end of stand-up, with a debut special Oh No!, a popular podcast and television writing credits. For an audience that prefers wit to volume. Fees on enquiry.
Learn more and book Christopher Macarthur-Boyd →
Marjolein Robertson
A Shetland comedian, storyteller and improviser who brings folklore into contemporary stand-up. Named 2022 Scots Speaker of the Year, a BBC New Comedy Awards finalist, with BBC and Comedy Central appearances. Fees on enquiry.
Learn more and book Marjolein Robertson →How much does a regional comedian cost?
Daliso Chaponda, Scott Bennett and Liam Withnail all sit at £2,000 to £5,000. Susie McCabe, Kwame Asante, Christopher Macarthur-Boyd and Marjolein Robertson are priced on enquiry.
Booking an act based near the venue removes travel and accommodation, and for a late-finishing evening it removes an overnight stay as well. On a £3,000 booking those costs can be a fifth of the fee again, so location is a genuine budget lever rather than only a relevance one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a regional comedian work for a national audience?
Yes, a regional comedian will work for a national audience. Every act here headlines clubs and festivals across the UK, so the material is built for audiences who do not share their postcode. The local angle is a bonus when the room happens to match.
Is a strong regional accent a problem for international guests?
A strong regional accent can be a problem for international guests. If a large share of your audience is not British, flag it when you brief the act and factor it into your shortlist. Most performers will adjust their pace and reference points accordingly.
Can regional comedians host as well as perform?
Some regional comedians host as well as perform. Liam Withnail is a resident MC in Edinburgh, so hosting is part of his regular work. Ask about the others individually, since hosting experience varies more at this level than among television names.
Do we still pay travel for a local comedian?
Travel costs for a local comedian are usually small, and often nothing at all. Confirm at the point of booking, because travel and accommodation terms vary by act and are easier to agree upfront than afterwards.
For more options, see our guide to top UK female comedians, or the Katherine Ryan alternatives piece for comparable acts at lower fees.
Tell us the city and the audience and we will send acts who already know the room. Tell us about your event.
