New Zealand International Comedy Fest: Robbie Nicol, Hayley Sproull and Rhys Nicholson to host

ZM's Hayley Sproull will host The Best Comedy Show On Earth.

Get ready to giggle New Zealand, the 31st NZ International Comedy Festival is back in May and it has a line-up so hilarious you’ll be in stitches by the time you finish reading it. With over 150 comics and more than 600 performances, there is bound to be something for everyone.

The New Zealand International Comedy Festival is returning for its 31st year, and if the line-up is anything to go by, there’s going to be a lot of laughs had.

Taking place for three weeks from May 3 to 26, the festival will include familiar and new faces, making up the 150-plus local and international comics performing more than 600 shows across Auckland and Wellington.

And in good news for those who won’t be able to make it to any of the shows, Three is filming a series of TV specials including the Best Foods Comedy Gala in Tāmaki Makaurau, 7 Days Live — Festival Special NZ vs The World and Last Laughs, so you can have a chuckle in the comfort of your own home.

TV host and comedian Melanie Bracewell will return for another year of laughs.

Among the crop of international comics making the trip are Comedy Feeds star Fern Brady, BBC’s The Ark’s Ian Smith, This Is Going to Hurt author Adam Kay, The Guilty Feminist and Aussie comic Heath Franklin, who will perform as his alter ego, Chopper.

This year, The Great Comedy Debate focuses on a theme that took over New Zealand for a good couple of weeks last year, the Bird of the Century award — except the discussion will instead set out to decide if “humans are the best animal”. Based on the theme, it’s only fair the man who has been dubbed the “Kiwi John Oliver”, Robbie Nicol, hosts the debate.

Billy T Award champ Brynley Stent will perform at this year's Comedy Fest.

Elsewhere, ZM host Hayley Sproull will be bringing the giggles hosting The Best Comedy Show On Earth, which is set to include the comics you already love and those you’re about to love. Aria-winning stand-up and RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under judge Rhys Nicholson will close out the festival with the Last Laughs set, which will have all the Comedy Fest awards handed out — including the Billy T Award and Fred Award.

Other local comedians performing as part of the festival include Fred Award-winner Guy Montgomery, Celebrity Treasure Island’s Courtney Dawson, Eli Matthewson, Billy T award winner Melanie Bracewell, Brynley Stent, Tom Sainsbury and many more.

Fred Award winner Guy Montgomery will perform at the 31st NZ International Comedy Festival.

The festival also marks the return of the Billy T Award, which is given to the best rising star in local comedy. Previous winners include Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, Dai Henwood, Rose Matafeo and Brynley Stent. Last year’s winner, Abby Howells, waited two long years to find out she’d won the iconic yellow towel after a two-year Covid hiatus meant her nomination was on hold from 2021.

This year’s nominees include Advait Kirtikar, Lana Walters, Tough Tiger Fist, Rhiannon McCall and Liv McKenzie.

Tickets go on sale at noon today. The full programme and tickets can be found at comedyfestival.co.nz.