Leicester Comedy Festival Leaves Hundreds of Performers Unpaid

Hundreds of comedians remain unpaid by the Leicester Comedy Festival, one of the UK's largest comedy events.

The festival drew about 100,000 spectators and more than 500 acts from February 4 to 22, including Sir Stephen Fry, Sara Pascoe and Rosie Holt. Organizers promised to pay all performers as soon as possible but cited cashflow problems they are working to fix.

Comedian Ben Alborough said he is owed just short of £2,000 ($2,540). "It's very frustrating. I've got bills to pay like everyone else."

Alborough, a full-time comedian, called pay issues widespread in the industry. "Between festival registration fees and travel and accommodation and production costs, I have to invest several hundred pounds per individual show."

The 33-year-old credited the Leicester festival with launching his career when he performed there as a student. "I want the Leicester Comedy Festival to succeed because it's a brilliant thing. But in order to do that, everyone needs to get paid. Artists need to be paid money."

Alborough is among hundreds of performers still waiting. They expected payment on April 19 but received an email announcing a delay.

Canadian comedian Zoe Brownstone said the festival owes her £180 ($230). "I've done a few festivals. This by a mile was the most prepared, people donated more [for tickets], leaving the festival I felt great. I've never felt so positive."

Still, she expressed disappointment at the holdup. "It is astonishing to me that a big organised festival can't pay me at the end of the day."

Event organizers also await funds. Rachael Johnson, who hosted two events in Lutterworth, Leicestershire, said she is out £600 ($760) after paying her acts and staff.

"We've paid all our acts and all of our team, but we haven't actually had the money for the ticket sales come through. We've got staff to pay. We've got rates to pay. We've got VAT to pay. We've got all of those bills that come at us relentlessly, but other people aren't playing their part in keeping to the rules, and that's really, really disappointing."

Johnson showed understanding for the festival's challenges. "I've got sympathy with anybody who's operating in this market right now because it is tough. This is worse than Covid for a lot of organisations. The things that the festival has done for Leicester and Leicestershire are amazing. But you messed up, and we really need you to get back on top of this for everybody's sake."

Michael Harris-Wakelam, CEO of Big Difference, the non-profit that runs the festival, said the group is committed to payments but awaits its own funds. "It is a case of the cashflow problem. What we're trying to communicate with [the artists] is this is a case of a small delay rather than 'you won't be paid.'"

"We're still waiting for money that's owed to us for our activities during the festival. That comes from a number of sources, sponsorship, commission shows, ticket sales through third parties."

Harris-Wakelam said the team is discussing bridging loans with banks. "We're having to look at alternative sources of finance to bridge that gap, but that takes time. We're prioritising those artists right now - to the detriment of some of our other planned activities. The way that we run that settlement process is to make sure that as many people as possible are being paid."

Last month, comedy leaders warned that insufficient funding and incentives threaten new talent, citing weak support for grassroots venues. Starting April 2026, live music venues and pubs in England qualify for a 15 percent cut in business rates, but comedy clubs do not.

Harris-Wakelam called for more national backing. "I think if comedy was treated with more seriousness on a national level, be that funders, be that government, then we would be in a different place completely. We would want to make sure that there were further support packages provided around things like the business rates relief, things such as a potential VAT cut for tickets."

Jessica Toomey, chair of the Live Comedy Association, said grassroots comedy gets far less aid than other arts. "Without investment in emerging talent and supporting independent venues, promoters and festivals, the UK risks losing diverse, original voices and its global reputation as a leader in live comedy."

Ian Manborde, Equity union's Midlands representative, said the festival committed to full payments. "We have received a commitment from Leicester Comedy Festival that all performers will be paid in full, and those owed money directly by the festival should be receiving updates on their individual payments. We hope that the festival is able to find its feet again as it has been a regular part of the comedy calendar for over 30 years."

Equity has consulted stand-up comedians, club owners, agents, producers and broadcasters. "We look forward to continuing the conversation in the future, as we share a desire to see comedy flourish."

Despite the payment woes, Alborough plans to return. "I've come back to Leicester for the comedy festival every single year since I've graduated. I absolutely love it, and I really, really want to be able to come back next year."