A panel of people working in the UK live comedy sector have signed up to support the Live Comedy Association (LCA) membership organisation. The LCA Advisory Panel, announced today, includes producers, comedians, journalists, agents and academics who will meet regularly with the LCA team to help support the 1800 members from across the UK. The full membership of the panel can be found by visiting www.livecomedyassociation.co.uk
Members of the panel include Adnan Ahmed (Sky Studios), Donald Taffner Jnr (DLT Entertainment), Mick Perrin (Mick Perrin Worldwide), Janice Connolly BEM (comedian), Lee Martin (Gag Reflex), Dr Sharon Lockyer (Centre for Comedy Studies Research) and Lynne Parker (Funny Women) and the Chair is Katy Koren (Gilded Balloon). Additional members will be recruited to support the founding panel members and help the Directors of the Community Interest Company continue to represent members.
The LCA was set up during the pandemic to support and connect people working in live comedy sector across the UK. It was refreshed in 2023 when Jess Toomey & David Elphick became co-Chairs and gave the organisation a new focus and energy. Since then, the LCA has been lobbying for support for the sector, as well as carrying out the first Live Comedy Survey (published in February 2025), delivering members workshops and forming strategic partnerships with organisations such as Music Venues Trust and Night Time Industries Association.
In April 2025 it was announced that following a submission from the LCA, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee will be hosting a Parliament meeting to examine the economic, cultural and social impact of live comedy performance on the UK, and the challenges faced by the sector.
Katy Koren, Chair of the Advisory Panel, said “I’m thrilled to have been asked to Chair the panel and support the work the LCA is doing. In a relatively short amount of time, the organisation has made significant progress in getting politicians, policy makers and decision makers to understand more about what we do, the impact that live comedy can make and the support needed to help the sector grow and sustain itself. I believe it's important we work together in order to achieve all of this and more and I look forward to working with colleagues as part of the Advisory Panel.”
Jessica Toomey, co-Chair of the LCA said “we are delighted that so many of our colleagues have agreed to be members of the Advisory Panel and help us continue to champion all those who work in the UK live comedy sector. The expertise on the panel is incredible and we look forward to hearing from members about what we should be focusing on. It’s exciting times for us all, especially given the forthcoming Parliament meeting where we will be able to speak to MPs about the impact live comedy has on the UK.”
David Elphick, co-Chair of the LCA said “these first members of the Advisory Panel are just the start. We’d love to hear from other members who might want to contribute to our conversations and join the panel. We hold regular meetings with the entire LCA membership and the Advisory Panel will be able to further ensure our work is of direct benefit to everyone working in the live comedy sector.”
Membership of the Live Comedy Association continues to be free and open to anyone currently working in any aspect of the live comedy sector across the UK. The Advisory Panel will meet 3 times a year to help guide the work of the organisation and help advocate for everyone working in the sector.
