After more than 500 entries and a nationwide search spanning five cities, just five comedians remain in the running to become Magners’ next breakthrough comedy star, with the grand final set to be hosted by comedian Joey Page and judged by Irish comedy star Emma Doran.
The finalists will battle it out live at Underbelly Boulevard Soho on 30th June, where one comedian will win a month-long, funded Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026 run and take a major step towards launching their comedy career.
The Magners ‘Share The Craic’ competition was created to spotlight emerging stand-up talent and provide a platform for new voices in comedy. Following regional heats across Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Glasgow and London, the final five comedians have now been selected:
Tim Biglowe – Birmingham heat winner
Adam Jones – Bristol heat winner
Murph – Manchester heat winner
Catriona Patterson – Glasgow heat winner
Ashlee Bentley – London heat winner
The five comedians will go head-to-head at Underbelly Boulevard Soho, London, on Tuesday 30th June at 7:30pm, performing in front of a live audience and judging panel for the chance to win a coveted funded run at Underbelly’s Wee Coo venue during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026, alongside mentoring support to help bring their show to life.
Comedy fans are invited to attend what promises to be a standout night of live entertainment, offering the opportunity to discover the next generation of stand-up talent before they hit the big time. The evening will feature performances from all five finalists before host Joey Page, known for appearances on Never Mind the Buzzcocks and BBC Comedy Presents, takes to the stage for a headline set. Emma Doran will join the judging panel to help crown the winner.
The competition builds on Magners’ commitment to supporting grassroots comedy and creating opportunities for new talent to progress from local stages to some of the biggest platforms in live entertainment.
Phoebe Small, Head of Brand at Magners, said: “To receive more than 500 entries has been incredible and shows just how much exciting comedy talent is out there waiting to be discovered. We’ve been blown away by the quality of performers we’ve seen throughout the heats and are thrilled to be bringing our final five together for one last showdown.
“This is a chance to see some of the most exciting emerging comedians in the country performing for a genuinely career-changing opportunity. With a funded Edinburgh Fringe run on the line and an incredible line-up including Joey Page and Emma Doran, we’re expecting a fantastic night of comedy and would encourage people to grab a ticket and join us.”
Marina Dixon, Underbelly’s Head of Programming, said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming the five finalists to Underbelly Boulevard Soho and watch them battle it out on stage for the coveted spot. It’s been brilliant to see the quality of the talent entering the competition and we can’t wait to help support the winner as they take that all-important next step in their career on stage at the Edinburgh Fringe.”
Tickets for the Magners ‘Share The Craic’ Grand Final are available now via https://underbellyboulevard.com/tickets/magners-share-the-craic-comedy-final/. With just five comedians remaining and a career-defining Edinburgh Fringe opportunity on the line, comedy fans are encouraged to secure their seats and witness the winner being crowned live.
