Saturday 20th February 2021
THE EVENT
After a sensationally successful 21 online shows, The Covid Arms returns with our trademark raucous, interactive online comedy night from the brightest and best of the UK comedy scene, hosted by Kiri Pritchard Mclean.
The Covid Arms has become a rare success story of 2020, starting off life as a Whatsapp group of friends, and turning into a popular internet pub that has welcomed everyone from Frankie Boyle to Nish Kumar, Harry Hill to Lolly Adefope. In total, the gigs have raised over £110,000 for the food bank charity The Trussell Trust.
Expect big laughs, signature competitions and a smorgasbord of excellent comedians, including some of your favourites from TV.
The event will take place on Saturday 20th February 2021 at 7pm (UK time).
Kiri and Callum will be performing live from Pontio in North Wales, and the other acts are streaming from their homes all over the UK.
Throughout the evening we’ll be giving away beer as part of our themed competition which anyone can take part in. Those in the ‘virtual front row’ will also be able to join a dance off with the winner getting a slab of delicious Beavertown beer!
Finally – please be warned that strong language will be used from the beginning and this may not be suitable for children.
THE CHARITY
The Trussell Trust support a nationwide network of food banks and together provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, and campaign for change to end the need for food banks in the UK.
In the UK, more than 14 million people are living in poverty – including 4.5 million children. TT support more than 1,200 food bank centres in the UK to provide a minimum of three days’ nutritionally-balanced emergency food to people who have been referred in crisis, as well as support to help people resolve the crises they face. Between April 2018 and March 2019, food banks in their network provided a record 1.6 million food supplies to people in crisis, a 19% increase on the previous year.
We know it takes more than food to end hunger. That’s why we bring together the experiences of food banks in our network to challenge the structural economic issues that lock people in poverty, and campaign to end the need for food banks in the UK.
YOUR TICKET
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THE ACTS
KIRI PRITCHARD MCLEAN
Your host is Welsh Comedian Kiri Pritchard-Mclean – a double Chortle Award winning stand up comedian, writer and satirist. Recent television appearances include Have I Got News For You, The Russell Howard Hour (which she writes on) and Stand Up Central. Kiri hosted both Stand Up at BBC Wales and Wales at the Edinburgh Fringe for the BBC where she introduces a throng of the most exciting comics in the UK. She will be in upcoming episodes of Hypothetical, Roast Battle and the Comedy Central Specials.
A regular on BBC radio, Kiri has appeared many times on The Now Show and the News Quiz. She often co-hosts on Rhod Gilbert’s radio show and guest hosted Newsjack Extra. Kiri is a writing/ directing member of Foster’s Comedy Award nominated sketch group Gein’s Family Giftshop who have a third installment of their radio series in the pipeline.
Kiri is a co-creator and co-host of both the All Killa No Filla podcast and the live juggernaut Amusical. All Killa No Filla is a podcast about serial killers that has a gigantic following worldwide. Co hosted with Rachel Fairburn, the podcast’s live adaptation sold out The Leicester Square Theatre in minutes and toured the United States. Amusical is a phenomena that started in Backyard Comedy Comedy and has run monthly for just over a year. Comedians sing their favourite songs from the musicals, hosted by Kiri with Jayde Adams and house band Dave and the Quavers. In the short time since it’s conception it has sold out the Pleasance Grand in Edinburgh twice and been made into a pilot with Burning Bright for Comedy Central.
AL MURRAY
Once a humble publican, the multi-award winning Al Murray – The Pub Landlord – has risen to the honourable position of British comedy royalty, following the continuing success of his hit prime time ITV1 show Happy Hour and A Second Audience With Al Murray The Pub Landlord (ITV1). ‘A national treasure’ (The Daily Telegraph) ‘Al Murray has become a bona fide British institution’ (The Independent) ‘Murray’s interaction with the crowd remains one of the wonders of the comedy world’ (The Times).
FLO & JOAN
Flo & Joan are the multi-award winning British musical comedy duo, and sisters, Nicola and Rosie Dempsey. The piano/percussion pair have headlined and played to sold-out audiences across the UK, North America and Australia, and their hour-long special is now streaming in over 200 countries on Amazon Prime. In 2019 they debuted at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the JFL Montreal Comedy Festival. The pair have had high-profile television appearances on Live at the Apollo (BBC2), The Royal Variety Performance 2019 (ITV), Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club (ITV) and The Russell Howard Hour (Sky)
CALLUM OAKLEY
Callum Oakley is a British comedian famous for his appearance on Britain’s Got Talent. The Scouse comic began performing as a stand-up comedian in 2010 at the age of 14, and just two years later he was given a shot at stardom courtesy of his appearance on the famed talent contest. Callum earned a place in the semi-finals through his hilarious performances. Fellow comedian and worldwide star David Walliams told him: “I’ve never seen a stand-up comic so young and so brilliant!”
RHYS JAMES
Rhys James is an accomplished comedian, writer and actor. At 28 he has already made numerous TV appearances, on shows such as Mock The Week (BBC Two), Roast Battle, Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central (Comedy Central) and most recently, Live At The Apollo (BBC Two). He has performed six solo shows at the Edinburgh fringe to sell-out audiences and critical acclaim, with his 2019 show ‘Snitch’ being one of the best reviewed comedy shows at the Edinburgh Fringe. His first BBC Radio 4 series, ‘Rhys James is…’ was met with great acclaim and his second series ‘Rhys James Isn’t…’ will air this December. He is also known for his prolific Twitter feed which has been recommended in The Telegraph, The Sun, Huffington Post, The Poke and The Gentleman’s Journal among others.
“Very funny.” The Scotsman ★★★★
” A cut above his humdrum peers.” The Independent ★★★★
“Charismatic, clever and self aware… Destined for great things.” Brian Logan, The Guardian
“Very much a thinking stand up… On the cusp of greatness.” Evening Standard ★★★★
MUSIC FROM YEMI BOLATIWA
Recently featured on BBC Radio 1 in January 2021, Yemi Bolatiwa is a Manchester based singer and songwriter. This black British soul artist was born and bred in south London, and has a huge affinity to electronic bass music. You can hear Yemi featured on some of the underground club scenes’ best DJs or as the lead singer of her 7 piece soul, hip hop and electronic outfit. Her music spans themes of empowerment, independence, social justice and of course love. After being long-listed for Glastonbury’s emerging talent competition in 2020, you can be sure that when live music is back on Yemi will be gracing stages across the UK and beyond.“A versatile vocalist, at home on an infectious pop song or a confessional soul track.
There’s an effortlessness and smoothness to her delivery.” – Crack Magazine