British Comedy Guide
British Comedy Guide
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Balls Etc

Balls Etc

Tackling the world of sport, with the champions of comedy.

Lewis Costello. Credit: Andy Hollingworth

Lewis Costello - Blackburn's matchday man goes roving

Saturday 29th March 2025

He's a Blackburn Rover: football club announcer and stand-up Lewis Costello is heading out on tour. But where do wrestling and Floyd Mayweather enter the picture?

Tegan Verheul

Tegan Verheul and the Fellowship of the Ring

Monday 12th August 2024

An undertaker, a hitman and a comedian go into a theatre bar - no joke, it's the set-up for Tegan Verheul's wrestling show. But which match does she reckon was 'a deeply moving piece of performance art?'.

Image shows left to right: Ivo Graham, Rosie Jones

Ivo Graham's Rosie-looking marathon and not-all-rosy special

Friday 12th April 2024

He's taking a novel approach to the marathon, with Rosie Jones, and peppers his new special with random footballers, but does Ivo Graham prefer an arm round the shoulder or a kick up the backside?

Dear England. Will Close. Credit: Marc Brenner

Balls Etc: Dear England's Will Close on becoming Harry Kane

Saturday 11th November 2023

He's taking the West End by storm - as a tragi-comic Harry Kane. Will Close reveals how he filled the boots of the England captain.

Nick Hancock. Credit: Alan Howard

Nick Hancock's Second Half

Saturday 4th February 2023

He's as 1990s-iconic as Pierre van Hooijdonk, and still benefits from those old shows. Now Nick Hancock is back talking football every week - and recalling a unique career.

Fan/Girl. Bryony Byrne. Credit: David Monteith-Hodge

Bryony Byrne's Fan/Girl

Monday 31st October 2022

Why did Fan/Girl - back for three London shows - give Balls Etc a unique freak-out at the Edinburgh Fringe? Bryony Byrne takes us back to the 90s.

Gavin Webster

Gavin Webster on Newcastle Utd

Thursday 25th August 2022

Gavin Webster is at the Edinburgh Fringe moaning about Newcastle United. No change there then - but this time he's doing it on stage.

Cerys Bradley. Copyright: Miranda Holms

Cerys Bradley is Having a Good Try

Tuesday 9th August 2022

Track fails, happy turnovers and a Fringe fanzine - Cerys Bradley talks us through the new show Sportsperson.

Matt Forde

Matt Forde: Which Footballer Are You?

Friday 10th June 2022

He's crossing the footy/political streams by talking politics with Gary Neville, but which England full-back is Matt Forde's spirit animal?

James McNicholas

Punching up: the famous fighting genes of James McNicholas

Thursday 21st October 2021

The grandson of a world champ, James McNicholas took heart from a modern boxing icon to help him back on stage, when a weird condition struck. His boxing show is now a new book - but is the comeback complete?

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