Newcastle to host first BBC Comedy Festival in May

Newcastle will host the first BBC Comedy Festival.

A series of events will take place across three days in May and comes after Newcastle was named as the corporation's first City of Comedy.

The line-up includes Charlie Brooker, Greg Davies, Jamie Demetriou, Megan Ganz, Romesh Ranganathan, Stephen Merchant and Gbemisola Ikumelo.

A selection of the festival's panels and events will be opened up for the public to attend with free tickets.

It is hoped to improve networking opportunities for new and emerging talent in north-east England and those established within the industry.

Director General Tim Davie previously said the measures were aimed at making the region "a major centre for the creative industries".

The cast of The Outlaws will also be joined by the stars of BBC hit Ghosts, plus Tim Renkow, Kat Sadler, Adjani Salmon, and Holly Walsh.

A full schedule will be announced in due course.

BBC director of comedy Jon Petrie will open the festival on 11 May, alongside BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore.

An industry-focused day consisting of a range of panels and talks will be held on 12 May,

People hoping to break into TV and comedy or advance their careers will be able to take part in sessions on 13 May.

"We are excited to be coming to Newcastle, the BBC's first City of Comedy, to celebrate comedy in all its forms and to outline BBC Comedy's vision for the genre in 2022 and beyond," Mr Petrie said.

"We are committed to nurturing, developing and collaborating with comedy enthusiasts across the UK, to ensure comedy remains a staple part of our British culture."

A new Regional Partnership Scheme will also be piloted by BBC Comedy, co-funded with Northern Film + Media, which pairs a North East-based emerging indie with a leading BBC Comedy supplier.

The aim is to promote regional partnerships, aid portrayal and support the growth of local scripted comedy suppliers in what has been described as an underserved and underrepresented region.