Robin Ince has quickly organised a festival that fans can enjoy online.
From Monday, 23rd March (previews from 19th March) you will be able to go online to watch your favourite entertainers live via the internet.
Each show will be free to watch but with a pay what you can option with any profits going to help performers and venues that are in the most need in these difficult times.
Robin Ince says: "It is stating the obvious to say that strange days have got a hell of a lot stranger with many people facing confusion and anxiety. Artists have nowhere to play and audiences have nowhere to go to be distracted. Trent Burton, Cosmic Shambles Network producer is a bit of a technical whizz, so he has managed to work out a way that we can do shows from our home and people can watch them in theirs as they wipe their brows in their toilet paper castles.
Every day, sometimes twice per day, Josie Long and Robin Ince (that's me typing) will host shows mixing the best of what would have been at the Melbourne Comedy Festival as well as the best comedians, writers, scientists and artists around. We'll be mixing music, poetry, science, comedy and conversation with astronaut Chris Hadfiled, Stephen Merchant, Ian Rankin, Bec Hill, Mark Gatiss, Katy Brand, Brian Cox (the professor one), Angela Barnes, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Alex Horne, Andy Zaltzman, Lucy Porter, Russell Kane, Ed Byrne, Jo Brand, Stewart Lee, Tanita Tikaram, Sara Pascoe and Natalie Haynes plus cooking demos from George Egg and lots more to be announced. It will be free to access but you can pay something towards it if you want to and any profits made will go to acts and artists who have been hit hardest by having their livelihood taken away."
It's harder to "only connect" when we are all in quarantine, but hopefully this will go some way to bringing some happiness and helping out artists too."
Confirmed shows so far. The list of events and guests will be updated regularly at cosmicshambles.com/stayathome
Preview Shows
Thursday 19th March 8.30pm – Book Shambles with Robin Ince and Josie Long
Saturday 21st March 3.00pm – Science Shambles with Robin Ince, Helen Czerski plus – Miranda Lowe and Matt Watson
Sunday, 22nd March 9.00pm – Comedy Night with Josie Long, John Luke Roberts and guests
Full Shows
Monday, 23rd March 10.00am – Mark Gatiss, George Egg and Grace Petrie
Tuesday, 24th March 10.00am – Brian Cox, David McAlmont and Bec Hill
Wednesday, 25th March 10.00am – Jo Brand
Thursday, 26th March 10.00am – Sara Pascoe and Natalie Haynes
6.00pm – Chris Hadfield with JB Morrison (formerly Jim Bob from Carter USM)
