Double British Comedy Award winner, co-writer and star of Phoenix Nights, ex-team captain on 8 out of 10 Cats, and host of classic gameshow Bullseye. The Bolton comedian tackles the old adage ‘Laughter is the Best Medicine’. It’s proven to boost the immune system, reduce blood pressure and burn calories - so come along and have a laugh! This is Dave Spikey’s small contribution to improving the health of the nation. [back to top]

The regular host of BBC’s Mock The Week and occasional host of Have I Got News For You, who has also appeared on Parkinson and Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, comes to Salford. One the most charismatic, fast talking and down right funny live performers working today – Dara is a big man with a big personality, who exudes warmth and spontaneous good humour. Book early to avoid disappointment. [back to top]

American comedian, actress, author and singer who first gained attention in the late 1970s with her stand-up comedy which often bitterly critiqued celebrity culture and political figures. She is also famous for her close friendship to Madonna during the late 1980s and performs classic pop music, jazz, and blues tunes, having released several albums. [back to top]

A brand new show from the Perrier award-winning Daniel Kitson, better known for his portrayal of Spencer in Phoenix Nights. The world is a saddening mess, of unfathomable complexity and the simplest cruelty and yet, rather than raging or weeping, most of us still manage to eat snacks, do crosswords and occasionally wash. An angry, frustrated and beautiul new show about wanting the world to change but not doing enough to change it. [back to top]

A veteran of 100 films with a career spanning across 3 decades, director and lead actor Paresh Rawal, along with talented co-stars, bring alive this play by the minute. Marriage is no laughing matter or is it? If the answer is yes, if you happen to be watching Paresh Rawal in Shaadi@barbadi.com. An uproariously entertaining comedy on the lighter side of matrimony…. A tribute to Paresh Rawal's immense acting talent. The Hindi play, which was originally produced in Marathi, is about couple whose marriage is tested by husband's conniving mother. The husband is the scapegoat in the war of attrition between the wife and mother-in-law. Through ups and downs, the play provides insightful commentary on relationships and the importance of compromising by the narrators. Apart from Paresh Rawal who plays Manoj Dudhwala, the cast of the play includes renowned television and theatre actress Hetal Patel as the wife, Vaishalee Thakkar as mother and Umesh Shukla as a father. Shaadi@barbaaadi.com is a wonderful treat for those who have bitten, or are about to bite into the proverbial 'shaadi ka laddu'.Its something that they will remember for a long time to come. The significance of the title is to bring contemporary flavour to the play while making fun of relationships. [back to top]

Paul Merton and his highly talented Impro Chums are wonders of nature. Impro Chums take audience suggestions and create cascades of fantastic tumbling laughter. Most of the time. Paul's Impro Chums are the delightful Richard Vranch, Lee Simpson and Suki Webster. Special guest Impro Chums will also appear. [back to top]

Whatever happened to the golden age of flying? When the ladies always wore a heel, donned their finest couture and had hairdo’s so big they could barely get on board. In those days passengers would sit in the cockpit drinking champagne with the captain en-route to LA. The only exciting thing about flying these days is the thought that we may not all get off the plane alive! Where’s the glamour? Where’s the fun? It’s here – Pam Ann, the A-list air-hostess to the stars is back with a brand new show, 'Terror At 41,000 Feet', which she promises will bring the thrill back to flying. [back to top]

Simon Amstell made his name presenting music shows on Channel 4 and Nickelodeon before taking over as host on BBC’s anarchic music quiz Never Mind The Buzzcocks. He quickly stamped the show with his own unique and irreverent personality and went on to collect two prizes at the British Comedy Awards. His stand-up material is challenging and playful – delivered with enormous charm and just a little of the trademark sarcasm we’ve come to expect. Brilliantly sharp and criminally funny. [back to top]

Russell has been busy cementing his place as one of the hottest properties in comedy with his BBC6 Music show every Sunday, loads of Mock The Week and Never Mind The Buzzcocks on BBC2, Would I Lie To You? and Live At The Apollo on BBC1, Law of the Playground on Channel 4 and Tough Gig, The Brits and The British Comedy Awards on ITV! But it is on stage where Russell really storms it. [back to top]

The 8 Out of 10 Cats captain, XFM Manchester presenter and Perrier Award nominated comic makes jokes about Mancunian muggings, white kids with dreadlocks, Gillian McKeith and United players (he's a City fan). Manc observational comedy at it's best. [back to top]

Dylan Moran - BAFTA and Perrier Award-winning Irish comedian, actor and writer. He is most famous for his work on the television sitcom Black Books, which he co-wrote and starred in, and his role as David in the comedy film Shaun of the Dead. He's performing at the Palace Theatre for Manchester Comedy Festival. [back to top]

One of the most original and distinctive stars on television, radio, stage and now the big screen, Jimmy has shown his talents to huge success this year. Recently, Jimmy has hosted two hit Channel 4 series: The Friday Night Project and most recently 8 out of 10 Cats, gaining an audience of 5 million viewers for its last show. In October Jimmy Carr makes his annual trip to the Apollo where he will be taking up residence during the final weekend of the Manchester Comedy Festival. Tickets not on sale yet. [back to top]

In August 2008 Paddy hits the road again with his eagerly awaited brand new show 'Paddy McGuinness Plus You'. The new show will have the "plus you" element. Specially invited guests from the area will be hand-picked by Paddy himself to be his new support act! All this plus a winner's cheque for two thousand pounds and a chance to appear in his new live DVD. The competitions will run on Paddy's website www.patrickmcguinness.co.uk and in the local press.
Paddy's last tour 'The Dark Side' was the fastest selling of 2006, taking in 115 sold out dates and selling more than 160,000 tickets! His following live debut DVD entered the comedy charts at No 1 and has currently sold in excess of 250,000 copies. [back to top]

After two hugely successful Edinburgh Festival runs, a sell-out UK tour and a string of TV appearances, including every episode of BBC2's ‘Mock the Week', comedy's hottest property, Frankie Boyle, performs all the best bits. Book early to avoid disappointment. [back to top]

Under the title 'Steve Coogan Is Alan Partridge and Other Less Successful Characters', the Mancunian comic genius returns home with this new show featuring the characters that have made him a British comedy legend, including Alan Partridge, Paul and Pauline Calf and Tony Ferrino amongst others. [back to top]

The record-breaking 'Lee Evans - Big - UK Tour 2008' marks Lee's sensational return to stand-up with some of the strongest and most hilarious routines he has ever written. Expect some of the most explosive stand-up, stunning set pieces and a truly unbelievable finale. [back to top]

Two different men. One Mighty Boosh. Following the sell-out success of their debut live tour, "the funniest comedy double-act in Britain," (NME) Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt, return to the live stage with their glorious mix of music and comedy. Back with a vengeance, Vince Noir and Howard Moon will be joined on stage by a profusion of characters from their hit TV show. See Naboo the Enigma dazzle with shaman magic, watch Bollo the Gorilla take on the irksome evil Cockney Hitcher and marvel at the worldly observations of the Moon... There may be punks and yetis, monsters, music and mayhem, in one terrific psychedelic melting pot. [back to top]

The worlds most outrageous and funniest adult comedian known for the adult nature of his comedy, his foul mouthed approach and his outrageous costumes. He typically wears a pilot's hood and flight goggles, a multicoloured patchwork jacket and trousers, white shirt, red bow tie and brown slip-on shoes in his stage performances. The controversial nature of his act means that he rarely appears on major television channels. If you are easily offended - please stay away.[back to top]