National digital radio station Union JACK has signed up as one of the sponsors of the forthcoming Leicester Comedy Festival, with the sponsorship delivering live, on-air broadcasts from some of the festival’s greatest occasions. 

Leicester Comedy Festival takes place from the 6 – 24 February 2019, featuring a record number of shows and events which are to be staged at over 70 venues in Leicester. The festival will feature some of the biggest names in comedy, such as Arthur Smith, Johnny Vegas, Zoe Lyons, Jason Manford, Jo Brand, Tom Allen, Dave Gorman, Russell Howard and Nish Kumar, as well as some of the best new and emerging comedians.

Union JACK, which can be heard on digital radio across the UK, will broadcast the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year competition live on Saturday 23 February 2019 from 7.30pm – meaning that comedy fans who haven’t been able to get a ticket for the sell-out event can listen to the entire gig only on Union JACK. One of the longest running comedy competitions in the UK, previous performers have included world-renowned comedic talent Jimmy Carr, John Bishop, Russell Kane, Jack Whitehall and Romesh Ranganathan. Last year's winner Jack Gleadow is pictured here. 

Union JACK will also broadcast live from Circuit Breakers 2019 – a programme which supports new and emerging comedy acts, providing a supportive place for them to perform and develop their network and contacts. Six up-and-coming comedians have been chosen to participate in the programme, performing live on Saturday 16 February, with the undoubtedly hilarious output able to be heard almost as-it-happens on Union JACK from 7pm.  

Ian Walker, CEO at Union JACK, said: “As a radio station that celebrates the very best of British comedy and music, we are delighted to be supporting Leicester Comedy Festival 2019.  

“Union JACK has created a home for comedy on the radio, where listeners can enjoy established acts and new talent, alongside classic comedy and original content. This partnership reinforces our position as the only commercial radio station to provide such a strong editorial commitment to comedy, and we’re excited to bring our listeners the opportunity to enjoy live performances from one of the greatest comedy festivals in the world.”

Geoff Rowe, Director of Leicester Comedy Festival, added: “We’re thrilled to be working with the team at Union JACK radio to extend the reach of the festival and allow more people from across the UK to experience the biggest comedy festival in Europe. Leicester Comedy Festival has always been a place where new and emerging acts perform alongside the biggest names in comedy. Newer acts visit the festival to develop their material and shows in front of hugely comedy savvy audiences, and now more and more people will be able to enjoy the festival from the comfort of their own homes.   

“Over the past 25 years we have supported hundreds of new comedians, as well as exclusive and one-off shows from some of the biggest names in comedy. We’re hugely proud of our commitment to new talent and our competitions, and the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year Competition and Circuit Breakers showcase will hopefully continue to provide a helping hand to comedians. The acts taking part are amongst the cream of the crop of British live comedy and help demonstrate the strength of the comedy circuit.”

Union JACK has made its name as a pioneering radio brand, playing exclusively British music and comedy, and operating without a DJ at the helm. Every song played on air is voted for by the station’s audience via an app which offers the most extensive playlist ever in UK radio; more than 16 million votes have been received for songs since Union JACK launched in late-2016.  

As well as broadcasting classic British comedy, it invests in original comedy too.  Geoff Lloyd’s Hometown Glory sees British icons (including Peter Shilton & Phill Jupitus) interviewed; Josh Berry’s Fake News is an impressions-sketch show; and Underdogs is an award-winning new music show with a comedic twist. 

Union JACK is available across the UK on digital radio, online at unionjack.co.uk and via the Union JACK app.

*There will be a one-hour delay to the live broadcasts of both the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year competition and Circuit Breakers 2019, to allow Union JACK radio to comply with necessary broadcast regulations and to censor material that could be deemed inappropriate. The live build-up to the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year competition can be heard from 7.30pm on Saturday 23 February, while the competition itself will be broadcast at 8.30pm. The live build-up to Circuit Breakers 2019 can be heard from 7pm on Saturday 16 February, with the performances then starting at 8pm.