Early in 2008 Alex Boardman was nominated in the “Rising Star” category at the Sony Awards for his work on the Galaxy FM breakfast show. That show achieved record figures for any show in the station’s ten-­?year history, however a change of ownership led Alex to return full time to his first love; stand up comedy.

Andre Vincent was born May 1964 in Woolworth's Department Store Penge, and has not stopped appearing in the most unusual of places since. His individual style has taken him across the scope of the performance medium: a Saturday night show on Channel 4, three sell-out runs at the Edinburgh festival, countless radio shows, presenter of two award-nominated television programmes, a regular face on daytime panel games and even an appearance as himself on the children's drama 'Byker Grove'.

Now fresh from the debut hit TV series, Seb Cardinal and Dustin Demri - Burns originally established themselves on theUK comedy circuit, performing at the Edinburgh and Melbourne international comedy festivals. Over the past year they have written and starred in their self titled sketch show for E4, now here’s your chance to see them live as they invite us into their surreal and offbeat minds, and unleash a cast of uniquely funny characters.

The hit of the Fringe 2011 and Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Newcomer Award nominee *Cariad Lloyd* brings some new characters to the riverbank! Cariad made a name for herself on the comedy improv scene, appearing in Showstopper! The improvised Musical, & Grand Theft Improv; and working with Ken Campbell, as well as performing with the critically acclaimed Austentatious: The Improvised Jane Austen Novel. She was nominated for the Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Newcomer Award for her debut show.

Chris has been performing stand-up since 2009, and was recently nominated for the prestigious Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year award, as well as being picked from 24 up and coming acts to perform at the year's Edinburgh Fringe as part of the Pleasance Comedy Reserve. A 22 year old Oxford Archaeology & Anthropology graduate with an eye for sharp gags and smart wordplay, he's appeared in multiple competition finals, including BBC Radio 2's New Act of the Year, and 'So You Think You're Funny?'.

Having supported Milton Jones and Pete Firman on several UK tours, Chris has seen his act flourish over the last 12 months and is taking his award-winning debut solo show 'An Opera Written on Napkins' (Best Show, Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival 2012) up to the Edinburgh Fringe this August.

Dan Nightingale is one of the best performers found on the comedy circuit today. Mixing brilliant observation and energetic characterisations with killer punch lines his comedy is original, playful, intelligent, exciting, sometimes ridiculous but always hilarious. He’s a natural with the crowd, bouncing off any audience interaction wonderfully, making him a much sought after host and mc. Yet he’s also an inventive writer and a great storyteller and his comedy sets, whether supporting or headlining, are a chance to see the full variety of his superb material and clever stagecraft.

Winner of So You Think You’re Funny 2008 and Guardian’s One to Watch, Daniel Simonsen has perfected his dark, brooding Norwegian persona which packed out his Edinburgh 2011 venue. Having supported Simon Amstell on his national tour in May – June 2012 and making a smash-hit appearance on Russell Howard’s Good News, Daniel is performing his debut full show at the Edinburgh Fringe this summer.

Dave has been a full-time comedian since 1998 and is booked for both compering and sets by a wide range of bookers and venues including the Comedy Store, Jongleurs, Highlight, Rawhide (Liverpool), Frog and Bucket (Manchester and the North West), Hyena (Newcastle). He has performed overseas in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Australia, including a week headlining the Sydney Comedy Store.

Elis James is one of the stand up circuit's brightest talents, performing regularly at Britain's top clubs and supporting Stephen Merchant on his recent tour of the UK. You might recognise him from 8 out of 10 cats, Russell Howard's Good News, The Rob Brydon Show or Dave's One Night Stand. He toured Australia in 2010 and is currently writing his fourth Edinburgh show.

Hal Cruttenden is one of the top comedians working in the UK today, as well as being a highly accomplished writer and actor. Recent television appearances include ‘Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow’ (BBC1), ‘The Royal Variety Performance’ (ITV),‘Comedy Rocks’ (ITV) and ‘The Rob Brydon Show’ (BBC2) for which he also worked as a writer.

Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee, Holly began her stand up career in 2007. Her TV credits include Mock the Week (BBC1), Never Mind the Buzzcocks (BBC2), You Have Been Watching (CHANNEL 4), ‘Would I Lie to You?’ (BBC1) & 8 out of 10 Cats (CHANNEL 4) amongst others. Radio wise, she is regular team captain on Act Your Age (RADIO 4), The News Quiz (RADIO 4) and And the Winner is (RADIO 2). Holly’s six part sitcom which she co-wrote with Sharon Horgan (Pulling) is currently airing on BBC3.

Ian Smith is an award-winning comedian (You Must Be Joking 2009) and star of BBC2 sitcom, 'Popatron' and 'BBC Three at the Fringe'. At only 23, Ian has developed a reputation as one of the most exciting young acts on the circuit. In Edinburgh last year Ian was part of the double hander 'Beckett and Smith' which received four star reviews from The List and The Scotsman, who described the show as "probably one of the best free shows I have ever seen on the fringe."

Idiots of Ants are Andrew Spiers, James Wrighton, Elliott Tiney and Benjamin Wilson. Since forming in 2007 they have gone on to sell-out five Edinburgh Festival shows and a West End run as well as performing at comedy clubs and festivals across the world. They have sold out shows in Montreal and Kilkenny, and in Spring this year they performed at festivals in Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney.

Multi-award-winning Scottish comedienne, playwright, award-winning blogger, best-selling author and former Scotsman newspaper columnist Janey Godley has performed her comedy shows and one-woman play around the world, including off-Broadway in New York. She is a regular on BBC Radio 4's Just a Minute. In 2006, Janey was nominated and was close runner-up for the annual Scotswoman of the Year title as 'the most inspirational woman in Scotland'.

Jarred Christmas has a unique style that deftly mixes gags with storytelling. He has a dynamic onstage persona and the ability to improvise and roll with anything that's thrown his way, making his comedy sizzle with originality. Full of passion and charisma, Jarred takes the audience on a hilarious thrill ride of laughs and gasps with an edge of anger that manifests itself in his incredible rants against the small things in our lives.
 

Jenny Eclair, has been a stand up comic for Donkeys’ years, she was the first woman to win the coveted Perrier Award and hasn’t stopped banging on about it ever since. She still gigs regularly and is on tour around the UK in the autumn with her new show Eclairious.

Some of you might recognize her from tv, small screen highlights include, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here, the ‘Grumpy Old Women’ series, and ‘It’s Grim up North’.

Jenny trained at the Royal Academy of Music and has previously done a stint in NewsRevue, London. In the last year, Jenny has written and created a series of hip-hop parody viral videos that have clocked up over 1.5million views on YouTube. Recent filming credits include: Misfits (e4), Dawson Bros Funtime & Lee Nelson's Well Good Sketch Show (BBC), Fool Britannia (ITV) & forthcoming comedy brit flick, 'Convenience'.

Crowned Best Newcomer at the 2010 Chortle Awards and Chortle’s Student Comedian of 2009, Joe is a hugely talented up-and-coming comedian with an unaffected, relaxed and effortless stage presence. An appealing, engaging and natural performer, have led him to progress rapidly since his first gig at the Comedy Store in Manchester in February 2008.

John is a stand-up comedian and actor who has never been awarded and rarely paid.

He is the proud owner of a 600m swimming badge and so is perfectly at home on the water. At university, John also performed the role of Mole in ‘Wind in the Willows’ when he was only 20 years old, and looks to take Ratty’s advice that ‘There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.’

Manchester based Justin Moorhouse is a talented stand-up comedian, writer and actor - not to mention an award-winning radio presenter and a household name in his native North West.  On TV screens, Justin is perhaps most recognisable as Young Kenny in the hugely successful, award-winning ‘Phoenix Nights’. Justin’s writing credits include ‘The 11 O’Clock Show’ and Channel 4’s hugely popular panel show ‘8 out of 10 Cats’.

Failed singer/musician and doomed to a life of temping, Keith Carter is now a professional character comedian, actor and writer. Carter is a regular performer at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, receiving praise from critics and audiences alike for his one-man shows and plays. He has supported many top comics such as Ricky Gervais and Johnny Vegas and has won several awards including Liverpool Echo Comedian of the Year in 2003 and North West Breakthrough Comedian of the Year in 2005.
 

Lloyd’s TV appearances include 'Ask Rhod Gilbert' (BBC1), 'Dave's One Night Stand' (Dave), 'Russell Howard's Good News' (BBC3) and 'Comedy Store Live'(Comedy Central). He plays Bryn in 'Everyone Quite Likes Justin' (BBC Radio 4) and has appeared on 'The Now Show', 'It's Your Round' and 'Wordaholics' (All BBC Radio 4). He has also written for some of TV and radio’s most popular shows including 'Rhod Gilbert's Bulging Barrel of Laughs' (BBC Radio 2), 'Live At The Apollo' (BBC1),  and 'Never Mind The Buzzcocks' (BBC2).

Essex born and bred, Luke gained the acting bug at the tender age of 6 studying at The Anna Scher Theatre School before attending Mountview, graduating last year. In addition to two London runs of NewsRevue Luke was an original cast member of Black Beauty for Peel Heritage, a panto tour of Pinocchio and has written and performed in 3 one act comedies.

Mark Dolan is a comedian, TV presenter and writer. Most recently he hosted the panel show series,The Mad Bad Ad Show and fronted three series of the hugely popular The World’s...and Me which featured the world’s smallest, tallest and hairiest people, as well as the most surgically enhanced woman, both for Channel 4. Mark is also the host of the iconic Channel 4 comedy show Balls of Steel, which still airs nightly on 4 Music. 

Multi-award winning comedian and Chortle Best Newcomer nominee 2012 Matt Rees has generated a huge buzz on the circuit over the past year with his unique brand of well-crafted gags and acerbic delivery earning him high praise from audiences and critics alike. The young Welshman recently supported the sublime Elis James on tour and can be seen performing as partof the prestigious Pleasance Reserve at the Edinburgh Fringe 2012.

Oliver trained at East 15. Theatre credits include The One Hour Plays (The Matey Institute), The Winter's Tale (Old Vic Tunnels at Camley Street), and Darker Shores (Hamsptead Theatre). Oliver spends his days on his narrowboat where he lives surrounded by various folk instruments. He is currently focused on pioneering acoustic accordion Dubstep and DnB. At this year's Edinburgh Fringe, in addition to NewsRevue, Oliver will also be appearing in The One Hour Plays at the Underbelly's Belly Laugh.

Combining off-beat jokes with songs about dying pets and choice fatigue, Cahill’s unpretentiously surreal and absurd outlook has seen him win the NATY 2012 (formerly Hackney New Act of the Year), Chortle Best Newcomer 2012, Amused Moose Laugh-Off 2011 and Cavendish Arms New Act 2011, as well as securing him finalist positions in the BBC New Comedy Award 2011, Up the Creek One to Watch, and Latitude New Act of the Year 2011.

Pat regularly gigs for OTK, Mirth Control, Banana Cabaret and is gaining repeat work from the spots he has done for XS Malarky, Frog & bucket,  The Comedy Store and CKP along with numerous other clubs around the country. 2012 is an exciting year for Pat as he takes his all new one hour show 'Patapotomoose' to Australia, performing at the Adelaide Fringe Festival and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Pat will also be performing his show at this year's Edinburgh Fringe.

Phil Nichol is a truly unique performer.  An acclaimed actor, award winning comedian, producer, presenter, writer and musician there is no end to his talent. Phil is an energetic and exciting performer with an unquenchable thirst to break boundaries and innovate with his work. 

Rebecca is a comic actress and voice over artist, originally from Yorkshire. Credits include La Boheme, Radio 4, and Emmerdale. She is currently working on her solo comedy show, 'Miss Harper Presents'. She trained at The Oxford School of Drama and NIDA in Australia. Rebecca likes penguins, polka dots and a nice cup of tea, and is delighted to be performing in NewsRevue after seeing the show last year and saying to her friends "that’s the show I want to do next year".

Reginald’s career has led to him being invited to perform in venues the world over in places such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Scadinavia and South Africa. Having written and performed no less than six new shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe since 2002, he is also one of the few performers to have been nominated for the Perrier Award in three consecutive years. His debut Edinburgh show in 2002, I Said What I Said was nominated for the Perrier Best Newcomer Award.

Multi-award winning comedian and rising star Rob Beckett presents a taster of his debit stand-up show. He's from South East London, was in Fresh Meat (C4) and has nice teeth. Comedy is Rob's job and the Fringe is technically a business trip but he enjoys it far too much to call it work: he's on holiday. In this highly anticipated show Rob explores expectations, family and Jeremy Beadle.
 

The Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Award 2011 nominee is one of the most daring and unconventional comics in Australia, completely original and vastly absurd, he has one foot firmly planted into the soils of reality, and the other rooted deep into the psyche of being silly. A multi award-winning cult figure within the Australian comedy scene, he has collected awards and glowing reviews, and played to sell out houses with his solo shows.

Since diving headlong into the world of stand-up comedy, Simon has been a semi-finalist in the BBC New Comedy Awards, a finalist in the Amused Moose Talent Quest, Laughing Horse New Act, Bath New Act, Leicester New Act Competition and Jongleurs Comedy Callback.

As a stand-up Steve Hall has supported Russell Howard on 4 national tours, and was the first ever guest stand-up on Russell's Good News Extra. As part of sketch losers We Are Klang he was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award, Barry Award and Most Disappointing Transition To Television In All of History Award.

As well as stunning good looks, Steve has a marvellous sense of humour, as that last sentence proves. He’s an actor, writer, comedian, juggler , and a “Gillard award” winning presenter on BBC Radio Lancashire. His Saturday morning 9am til 12noon show means he is now a treat for both cochlea and cornea alike.

Steve walked out on a mind numbing office job and straight onto a comedy stage in the beginning of 2003, and has not looked back since. Within half a year of his comedic birth he had made it through to the semi-finals of the BBC New Comedian of the Year, the North West Comedian of the Year Final, and later that year he had the honour of appearing on the BBC7 Radio Showcase “Spanking New”. In 2008 he took his first one man show “Reality Check: Is Anything Real?” to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and is currently previewing his 2012 show “Wasn’t I Supposed to be Goldie?”.

Born in the West Midlands, Stu has entertained from an early age. His varied career includes jestering at Warwick Castle, being an award-winning street entertainer, helming the BBC kid's adventure game, Mission: 2110 and presenting his own comedy interview podcast. Stu's a full-time stand-up comedian and he'll be taking his third solo show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year.

Mime with noise, stand-up with no talking – drama with no acting. This show speaks for itself. Combine the sheer, childlike absurdness of Vic Reeves with the deft, physical intonation of Hugh Laurie and the genius of Charlie Chaplin and you have Sam Wills: The Boy with Tape on His Face.

Thom is a comedian of sorts. He's a member of sketch troupe The Penny Dreadfuls with whom he's made five Edinburgh shows, two radio series and two radio plays. His 2011 show, *Thom Tuck Goes Straight-to-DVD* saw him nominated as best newcomer in the Fosters Comedy Awards in his tenth consecutive year at the Fringe. It was also made into a Radio 4 special. He thinks he's got better since then.

The man to have taken a paper boat the furthest in history (160 miles), the only man in history to row the English Channel in a Bath, and Senior Naval Officer of the only land locked port in the UK (Sudbury, Suffolk, 15 miles in land...but with global warming his hour might come) will be officer commanding the voyage from the launch to Thrupp.  Tim is a multi-award winning comedian, quadruple world record holder, author, air-recycler and man plagued with bad ideas. 

Vikki Stone is a multi-talented comedian, actress, singer and musician. Last summer saw Vikki’s Edinburgh debut “Big Neon Letters" play to sell out audiences and receive incredible reviews, including The Observers top 5 Edinburgh Shows 2011. Her new show 'Hot Mess' will be playing the Edinburgh Festival this summer, then touring in the Autumn.