Roast Battle. Image shows from L to R: Katherine Ryan, Jimmy Carr
Roast Battle

Roast Battle

  • TV stand-up
  • Comedy Central
  • 2018 - 2020
  • 22 episodes (4 series)

Jimmy Carr, Katherine Ryan and guests judge insult battles between stand-up comedians. Also features Jonathan Ross, Russell Brand and Brian Moses.

Press clippings

Russell Brand exited Roast Battle after facing sexual predator claims on-camera

Russell Brand's last major television job in the UK ended with him being dropped after he was repeatedly accused of being a "sexual predator" during the recording of the show.

Jake Kanter, Deadline, 18th September 2023

Words are weapons in insult comedy - but should you go sledgehammer or stiletto? That's the dilemma facing standups Laura Lexx and Tom Livingstone as the sanctioned slanging match returns for a fourth season, with regular refs Jimmy Carr and Katherine Ryan joined by guest judge Noel Fielding.

Graeme Virtue, The Guardian, 20th January 2020

Guest judges lined-up for Series 4 of Roast Battle

Richard Ayoade, Big Narstie, Sara Pascoe, Noel Fielding and Joe Lycett will act as guest judges in Series 4 of Comedy Central[/z]'s Roast Battle.

British Comedy Guide, 15th October 2019

Comedy Central censored Phil Wang's Roast Battle jokes

Phil Wang wrote 'a bunch of really, really funny jokes about my dead sister. And the censors said "no", the lawyers said "no"' Daniel Sloss recalled.

Jay Richardson, Chortle, 3rd October 2019

Festive edition of the standup show where comics exchange brutal, but hysterical, barbs. Desiree Burch, Suzi Ruffell, Ed Gamble and Bobby Mair get personal - riffing on everything from dead relatives to Weinstein - while Jimmy Carr, Katherine Ryan and Jonathan Ross adjudicate alongside Santa (Nick Helm).

Hannah J Davies, The Guardian, 10th December 2018

Ofcom upholds complaint against Roast Battle trailer

Comedy Central rapped over Jimmy Carr's 'antisemitic' joke.

Chortle, 3rd December 2018

Katherine Ryan: Ross made sure we were paid the same

"He took the initiative and I really appreciate it."

Dan Seddon, Digital Spy, 13th October 2018

Rose Matafeo's Comedy Central roast labelled 'racist'

Celebrated New Zealand comedian Rose Matafeo's appearance in a roast battle on Comedy Central UK this week has been marred by a racist controversy.

Daniel Rutledge, News Hub (New Zealand), 9th October 2018

TV review: Roast Battle UK, Comedy Central UK

While I don't actually think kids would be jotting down the one-liners lobbed by the likes of Chris Ramsey and Tom Rosenthal at each other for later use themselves I do think the programmes risks normalising dubious attitudes.

Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 2nd October 2018

Another series of competitive insults, hosted, naturally, by Jimmy Carr. Roast Battle is neither big nor clever, but it is reliably funny, and the bear pit atmosphere is effective: the relieved hugs at the end tell you the comics feel the rush. Tonight: Fern Brady v Ivo Graham, then Chris Ramsey v Tom Rosenthal.

Jack Seale, The Guardian, 1st October 2018

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