The Best New & Up-and Coming Stand Up Comedians in 2023

There's no shame in wanting to see the biggest names in the comedy scene, your Acasters to your Kumars, your Millicans to your Ryan's, your Manfords to your Flanagan's; but at the end of the day, these lot are well-known for a reason. Yet, much like going to see that small band you love that you just know is going to blow up, the thrill of the hunt for the funniest smaller names in the comedy scene can be thrilling and just as rewarding; especially when the reward is a belly-rumbling chuckle.

However, we here at Skiddle know that not everyone has the time, or endeavour, to traverse the UK comedy club scene to check out those who are bubbling beneath the mainstream surface. So, we've done your work for you! In this list, we've curated our favourite of the up-and-coming comedians from around the UK, who we are certain will be gracing our TV screens or social media feeds with hilarity for years to come. 

So, scroll down and make sure to check out clips and content on each of the comics' socials, humour is subjective of course, and we've selected a wide array to try and combat this, but you need to do a bit of work to find out who suits you best. Oh, and if you're feeling like you're in need of a good laugh at a live comedy venue, check out the listings below the comics with events on sale on Skiddle, and get yourself down!

Without further ado, let's check out the best new stand-up comedians in 2023!

 

 

Dan Tiernan

Nominated for best newcomer at last year's Chortle Awards, a year after he was named breakthrough act at the North West Comedy Awards, Dan Tiernan is a gay Mancunian with dyspraxia, whose nervous yet high-energy act, filled with gag-heavy anecdotes that reveal all about his weird and chaotic life; gags that can range from to-the-bone inappropriate to downright absurd, and his chaotic presence on stage plays into this excellently. He's been a massive hit on the club circuit for a few years now and has started gaining traction on TV too, appearing on shows like Rosie Jones’s Disability Comedy Extravaganza (Dave), Comedians Selling Jokes to Gordon Ramsey (BBC), Jokes Only A… Can Tell (Channel 4), Hard Sell (Dave).

Dan's career is ready and set to explode, and we can't wait to be there to witness it. His sets always leave a sea of laughter crashing against the walls of whatever club he's in, and you quite simply have to go and see it unfold.

 

If you fancy catching Dan live, you can see him on July 4th performing a warm-up show for his run at this year's Edinburgh Fringe at Blush Rooftop Gardens in Liverpool; find tickets below:

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Horatio Gould 

Horatio Gould is a London-based comic who also works as a writer for a number of established comics, whilst also being one of the most exciting new voices on the comedy circuit himself. Horatio is best known for his natural blend of absurdist observations and bone-dry social commentary, which comes part-in-parcel with his wicked-sharp crowd interaction and ability to play with funny bones through a cacophony of excellent riffing.

He is a major part of the writing side of Fin Taylor's hit youtube series 'Fin vs The Internet', he directed Seann Walsh's comeback special 'Kiss', and has even helped out on the writing team on a couple of episodes of 'Frankie Boyles: New World Order.' Basically, some of the biggest names in the game trust his comedic judgement, and we believe 2023 will be the year that everyone else catches on!

 

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Lorna Rose Treen

What better new comic to recommend than the one that has just won the year's coveted Chortle Best Newcomer Award? Acts like Joe Lycett, Sean Walsh, Sarah Keyworth, and Holly Walsh have lifted the prize, and the next name on that list is Lorna Rose Treen, aka the greatest thing to come out of Redditch since the fishing tackle. The Birmingham-based comic operates on the character side of the art form, embodying a multitude of different characters, and digging down to their inherent humour effortlessly.

She is bringing such character to her debut Edinburgh Fringe show, Skin Pigeon, this year, and we reckon that there's a good chance she's going to be up for an award for it. make sure to catch her if you're heading up to auld reekie this August, but if not, then just make sure to see her content, you won't regret a thing.

 

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Josh Jones

Arguably the most famous on this list, but worthy of inclusion in our opinion down to the fact that he is simply that good, and will probably (no offence) be the biggest out of them all; his ceiling is truly that high. With a smattering of excellent and endearing TV appearances, alongside being a previous finalist in the prestigious BBC New Comedy Award, which he subsequently went on to judge, Josh feels like he's at the start of a monumental climb to the top, and becoming a household name.

With a natural charisma and openness, all without a shred of embarrassment, Josh quite simply just wants people to laugh, and he does so with an almost effortless charm, where the stories he's telling are expertly crafted to be peppered with punchlines, without feeling he's looking for a laugh. It feels like he's on the tipping point of stardom, and to say the sky is the limit for Josh would be doing him a disservice, and we can't wait to sit back and watch his career grow to what it deserves to be.  

  

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Nina Gilligan

Although Nina Gilligan has been at the game for over 10 years and the hard graft she's put in has made her easily among the most complete comics on this list. Sometimes outrageous, always hilarious, Nina has been tearing up the northern club scene for a while now, and is ready and primed to make her break to the next level; in our opinion, there are few that deserve it more. 

On stage, she is charming, lovable, relatable, and has a razor-sharp wit that is almost custom-built for the clubs. Described as ‘A Gem of the Circuit’ and with an ability to ‘Transcend age barriers effortlessly’ she continues to rise through the comedy ranks, and we can't wait to see her name in lights.

 

If you want to catch Nina Gilligan live this year, then you can catch her, with three other comics, at Just The Tonic Comedy Club in Nottingham, on Saturday 10th June; find tickets below:

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Jacob Nussey

Delivering sharp jokes and ill-fated anecdotes with clever punchlines, Jacob Nussey is one of the hottest comic properties to come out of Nottingham in some time. His deadpan style is entrancing in its mundanity, as his straight face delivers lines that many of us would struggle to maintain a straight face just thinking about. 

Having won the West Didsbury Comedy Festival New Act of the Year and being a finalist of Leicester Square Theatre New Comedian of the Year in 2022, critics and fans alike are more than taking notice. He's simply just an insanely funny dude, who always kills his sets. Consistency is key to his success, and if he continues on this consistent, upwards trajectory, he'll be a household name before you know it.

 

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Dee Allum

Shortlisted for best newcomer at the Chortle Awards 2022, trans comedian Dee Allum is one of the very best storytellers in the game. Since starting her comedy career through sketches as a part of the Cambridge Footlights, as well as writing the prestigious Footlights Pantomime in 2018, Dee has evolved into a unique attraction for comic fans. 

Her on-stage persona is calm and enticingly dry, she keeps you hanging on every word and always delivers killer punchlines, yet, her funniest moments oft come through the acting out of other characters within the anecdotes she tells. It's a light yet still sensational comedy, one that isn't trying too hard, and one that is effortlessly side-splitting, go and see her wherever you can.  

 

If you want to catch Dee Allum live, then grab tickets for her appearance alongside three other comics at 21Soho Presents... Comedy night this July, ticket on sale below! 

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Dane Buckley

Self-proclaimed as the world’s ONLY left-handed, Irish, Indian, gay comedian (I mean, we'll take your word for it), Dane Buckley is on the warpath through the UK club circuit, and it's starting to feel like no one will be getting in his way. Hailing from a council estate in Harrow, he has been dealing with 'hecklers' since he was a child, experiences that have fuelled his on-stage presence which is unnervingly high-energy, self-deprecating, sarcastic and full of mischief; and quite frankly... we can't get enough of it.

Last year he was nominated for LGBTQ+ New Comedian of the Year, was a finalist in the 2Northdown New Act Competition and won the famous Beat The Frog World Series. Whilst his act arguably could do with some polishing, there's a cocky assurance that is essential for any comic of his style, and his ceiling is sky-high. Make sure to check out some of his live dates, just be warned, do not sit on the front few rows lightly! 

 

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Omar Badawy

Egyptian born, yet Cambridge-raised, Omar Badawy is a comic that has a truly unique experience of the world; experiences that feel custom-made and tailored for a comedy stage. Whether he's talking about his 'favourite racist experience', or how due to being Egyptian born but with an RP accent, schoolboys labelled him a 'posh terrorist'; Omar doesn't hold back and always has an army of zingers and punchlines to accentuate the experiences and bring them together.

He's a relative baby on the scene but already winning awards like the coveted Chortle student comedy award in 2021, and gaining a Chorlte best newcomer nomination last year, his start has been trailblazing, and if he can keep it up, he'll be heading up lineups and appearing on the telly before you know it. 

 

If you want to catch Omar live this year, then you can catch him on the bill at Just The Tonic Comedy Club in Reading on the 8th of July; find tickets below:

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Anna Thomas

With her aloof nature and comedically strict adherence to her own rather puzzling logic, Anna Thomas is a Welsh delight on stage, with a distinctive style and presence that undoubtedly led to her winning the prestigious BBC New Comedy Award back in 2021. Since then Anna has been on a gradual and admirable climb to funny fame, and we think that 2023 is going to be the year in which this finally comes together and she gets the recognition she deserves.

 

 

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If this list is inspiring you to stop watching comedy on a screen and instead get down to one of the sensational comedy shows happening up and down the country, with tickets now on sale on Skiddle! If this sounds like a bit of you, you can check out our UK Comedy Guide by clicking, or tapping - HERE

Or, you can check out our monthly Last Laugh feature, which selects ten of the best new comedy events announced each month and puts them all in one place for you, find this month's by clicking, or tapping - HERE

Or, if you think we have some incredible opinions on comedy, then you can find some more of our comedy pieces below:

Our Favourite Comedians - HERE

Best Comedy Venues - HERE

Best UK Comedy Podcasts - HERE

 

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Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.