A brand-new original stand-up series created by Stan and Guesswork Television has just been announced, featuring a number of Token Artists.

To be filmed in the homes of our favourite comedians under lockdown, the Australian Lockdown Comedy Festival will see Wil Anderson, Cal Wilson, Dave Hughes, Zoe Coombs Marr, Tommy Little, Geraldine Hickey, Nikki Britton, Nath Valvo & Dilruk Jayasinha, join fellow comedians Nazeem Hussain, Steph Tisdell, Aaron Chen, Sam Campbell and Michelle Brasier, with more to be announced.

Filming will take into consideration all current health measures – including comedians setting up and operating their own cameras, with a director on hand via video conferencing.

The Stan original series has been announced as a direct result of the unfortunate cancellation of many of Australia’s most-loved comedy festivals and tours, including the Melbourne Comedy Festival and Sydney Comedy Festival. So many comedians have worked tirelessly on their 2020 shows – and have so much to say to make us laugh – but no stages to stand on. Not only have the cancellations impacted heavily on local comedians, they have also been felt by hard-working Australians who operate behind the scenes, and on the most important people at comedy shows – the audiences.

Stan’s Chief Content Officer, Nick Forward, said: “The brand-new Stan Original Australian Lockdown Comedy Festival will bring together some of our brightest talent, both in front and behind the camera, joining our already established One Night Stan Comedy Specials to bring some much-needed laughter to the nation.”

Guesswork TV’s Kevin Whyte said: “For those in the comedy community a year without the Melbourne Comedy Festival is unimaginable – the festival bubble is our native habitat. This partnership with Stan gives the comedians a chance to share a bit of what they were cooking and get some support to cover the huge hole in their calendar.”

Wil Anderson said: “Thanks to Stan for their support of Australian comedy during this time at least when I tell a joke at this gig and no one laughs I will know it is because I am responsibly socially isolating.”

Festival Director, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Susan Provan AO, said: “Hundreds of comedians worked hard to create brand new shows for their hundreds of thousands of fans to enjoy during the comedy festival season, but artists and audiences never got the chance to laugh in the same room! The Australian Lockdown Comedy Festival goes a long way to fill the gap with an eclectic mix of fantastic current comedy streamed straight to lounge rooms right across Australia.”

Details on the premiere date and full line up of comedians taking part to be announced soon.

The Australian Lockdown Comedy Festival is coming soon, only on Stan.