New names added to Shrewsbury's own Live At The Apollo-style summer comedy festival

The line up now includes Tom Wrigglesworth, Jessica Fostekew and Adam Rowe, already booked to perform, taking on the role of MC. The current line up also includes Clinton Baptiste and Paul Sinha.

It is due to take place on the evening of Sunday, July 16 in a Live At The Apollo style format.

Yorkshire funny man Tom Wrigglesworth became a national have-a-go-hero when he rescued a little old lady from the jaws of Virgin train bureaucracy, only to be arrested for begging.

His subsequent sell-out show, Tom Wrigglesworth's Open Return Letter To Richard Branson, bagged him the Chortle Award for Best Show 2010.

He is also the winner of Channel 4's So You Think You're Funny? competition and his BBC Radio 4 comedy Tom Wrigglesworth's Hang Ups ran for five series.

Jessica Fostekew’s acting roles include the films Greed and Official Secrets, as well as Motherland and The Trouble With Maggie Cole on TV.

As a comedian she has appeared on Live At The Apollo, QI and Sara Pascoe’s BBC Two series Out Of Her Mind.

She hosts her own podcast Hoovering, which in less than a year has racked up half a million downloads and is a regular host of BBC R4 Extra’s Comedy Club, as well as a co-host of The Guilty Feminist podcast.

Beth McGowan, SICF co director, said: “Jessica is new to the festival, Tom has performed before but not at the Gala and we are delighted that Adam has agreed to be an MC – which means the audience will get to see much more of one of the fastest rising stars on the circuit. It’s all shaping up very nicely with a few more exciting announcements in the pipeline.”

Tickets for the SICF Gala Show on 16 July are £33.50 and available through the Theatre Severn box office 01743 281281 or online here: https://theatresevern.co.uk/shows/whatson/shrewsbury-international-comedy-festival-gala-2023

Established in 2016, Shrewsbury International Comedy Festival is the brainchild of Kevin Bland and Beth McGowan.

Kevin is a former stand-up comedian who has promoted comedy in Shropshire and beyond for over a decade.

Beth holds over 20 years’ experience in sound production and event management.

Neville Street was appointed as the third partner in 2022 and brings over two decades of arts-based public relations experience to the team.

The festival aims to promote up and coming comedians as well as present well-established artists to compere the Gala Show, which have previously included Greg Davies, Russell Kane and Lee Nelson and Dan Nightingale.